Introduction:
The safety of all passengers and the vessel must also be considered before starting a recreational boating trip thus a pre-departure check must be done. This check entail checking of several parts of the boat like the engine, the navigation lights, safety gadgets, and the fuel among others to ensure that they are well functioning. But it is equally important to ask whom this pre-checking function belongs to: who is authorized to carry it out? As proposed in the directions studied, the following various parties can be identified: In this research article, we will discuss who is ultimately accountable for the pre-departure check in recreational boating.
Civil Liability of the Boat Owner:
The legal individual who is mainly held accountable for the safety of any recreational boat is the boat owner. As stated by United States Coast Guard or USCG, it is the owner of recreational vessel is under obligation that his recreational vessel must have complied all rules and regulation of federal as well as state, it also refers that his boat or vessel must have all secured safety equipment and must have to checked by him for his regular maintenance schedule. This entails conducting of check up on the boat before travelling with the boat to ensure that it is in good working condition.
The USCG also suggests that boat owners develop pre-departure checklists; the items to check before the boat departs. The things that should be included on this checklist may include checking the engine oil and fuel levels, the condition of the nav lights, ensuring that all mandatory equipment is on the boat, and checking whether or not the boat has valid registration and documentation. Through the presence of a checklist of the factors to consider before departing the shore it helps the owner to discharge his/her duty of ensuring that the boat is safe for use.
Responsibility of operator:
However, it is also the operator of the recreational boat whereby they also share some of the major responsibility of conducting the pre-departure check. The operator is the individual that will be driving the vessel during the trip and is legally liable for the lives of all the people that are in the vessel. Therefore, the operator of the boat should have adequate knowledge concerning the boat and its equipment and must be in a position to determine any hitch that may be of concern to the safety of the trip.
The USCG insists that anyone who will be operating a recreational boat must undergo a boating safety education course so that the person would have adequate expertise when it comes to handling vessels safely. Some of the topics that are addressed in this course include the navigation rules, emergency measures, among others; pre-departure check is among the crucial navigation rules. Such courses enable operators to appreciate their duties and be in a position to carry out all the necessary checks before every trip on the water.
Responsibility of Passengers :
Another crucial factor is the passing of the pre-departure checks since the boat owner and the operator are directly responsible for its conduct, but the passengers partially contribute to a recreational boat’s safety. The hurdles recommended that the passengers should get adequate familiarity with the location of the equipment such as the life jackets and extinguishers; and in the event of emergency, the passengers should obey the directions provided by the operators.
The passengers should also be aware and prepared to take an active role with the boat owner the operator to conduct the pre-departure check to ensure that the boat is in good shape before leaving the shore. This way all boarding members are also in a position to be able to help in ensuring that the boat is properly running and that everyone in the boat would feel ‘happy’ when boarding.
Conclusion:
On balance, it is manifested that pre-departure check related to a recreational boat is vested concurrently in the owner, the operator and passengers of a boat. The boat owner caries the legal responsibility of seeing to it that the boat in question is in compliance with the regulations that have been put in place and also ensuring that routine inspection in respect to the boat is carried out including the pre departure check. The operator has a considerable role in the protection of the vessel and people on board, thus, should recognize the boat’s systems and equipment. The passengers also have some responsibilities to meet towards the safety of the boat and this includes being ready to help conduct the pre-departure check.
Encouraging a culture of each entity’s accountability toward its required responsibility, recreational boating can prove enjoyable and safe for all consumers. Pre-departure check can therefore be described as an important step aimed at ensuring no problems that might hinder the safety of the trip are left unnoticed. In conclusion, the safety of a recreational boat is a social responsibility that has to be fostered by openness and coordination among all the people on board.