What you need to know when boating by yourself

Ideally, you will always have a first mate or at least a bow hook along on a every boating trip.

Realistically, we know this is not always the case.

During my stint in the Navy, we had about 25 or 30 officers and crew aboard a 100-foot mine sweeper. Several years after I had been discharged from the Navy, I observed the same type of mine sweeper that had been converted into a fishing boat, successfully docked with a crew of only two. That takes some serious skill, but it can be done.

Boating is a way of life around here, and any captain worth his or her salt needs to have what it takes when you have to guide the ship by yourself.

Capt. Joe Grippe, a good friend and Cape Coral Power Squadron instructor, often boats solo. A few of his excellent suggestions for boating alone are:

• Practice solo landings in your boat by shoving off from the dock, turning right around and landing. Repeat as needed.

• Tell a neighbor, friend or relative where you're headed and what time you expect to return. (Float plan).

• Wear boat shoes.

• If your boat is equipped with an ignition cut-off switch, make sure it's attached to some part of your body.

• If you plan to tie up at your destination, have your dock lines out and cleated to your boat.

• Have a boat hook readily available.

• Even on a short trip, take along drinking water.

• It also might be a smart idea to wear a personal flotation device.

• A "human dewatering device" for waste elimination can be either store bought or made from a half-gallon container and is an item to consider.

• An auto pilot hooked up to a GPS or radar is something to consider if you have to travel any distance.

• Always check to make sure it's clear and stop your vessel if you have to recheck something once under way.

• Consider a midship spring line when landing (attach one end to a cleat after amidship's and loop the other end around a cleat or piling on the dock and return it to a cleat on your vessel).

• Look into radioing ahead for dock assistance.

— Bill Jefferson is past commander of the Cape Coral Power Squadron