What should you do to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning while boating

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas produced through the burning of carbon-based fuels (e.g. petrol, gas or oil).

Boaters need to be aware of the risks of carbon monoxide and take precautions to ensure their vessel is well-ventilated at all times.

Most vessels contain a range of equipment that can produce carbon monoxide including engines, generators, cooking equipment and space or water heaters.

Prolonged exposure to a low concentration of carbon monoxide - or rapid exposure to a high concentration - can be fatal.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can be similar to seasickness or alcohol intoxication. Early symptoms include headaches, nausea, eye irritation, weakness or dizziness.

If you notice these symptoms in someone else aboard a vessel, ensure they are exposed to fresh air and seek urgent medical attention.

Symptoms can progress quickly, and those affected by carbon monoxide poisoning can collapse or lose consciousness. In severe cases, carbon monoxide poisoning can result in a fatality.

Know where the carbon monoxide exhaust outlets are and ensure they are properly vented away from living areas. Keep forward-facing hatches open to allow fresh air to circulate.
Avoid inhaling emissions from exhaust outlets by ensuring your vessel is well-ventilated. Where possible, operate your vessel so that prevailing winds help disperse exhaust emissions. Avoid the effects of backdrafting and be mindful of tailwinds when operating a vessel at low speeds.
Install a carbon monoxide detector alarm in your vessel and regularly test its proper functioning.
Passengers should avoid using the rear deck and swimming platform when engines are running. It is recommended that passengers do not use these areas until the engine or generator has been switched off for at least 15 minutes.
Avoid sitting on the swimming platform of an operating boat or “teak surf” (body surfing behind a vessel) as this can lead to the rapid inhalation of carbon monoxide.
When being towed behind a vessel (e.g. wakeboarding, waterskiing or aquaplaning), keep a distance of at least 7 metres behind the vessel at all times.
Exhausts from a nearby stationary vessel (e.g. docked or anchored boat) can emit carbon monoxide into the cabin or cockpit of your boat. Always maintain a distance of at least 6 metres from the nearest vessel that has a running engine or generator. When idling or travelling at low speeds, also maintain a distance of at least 6 metres from the nearest vessel that is running an engine or generator.
Avoid leaving your engine or generator running while your vessel is moored as carbon monoxide can infiltrate the cabin.
Regularly check your vessel’s exhaust system(s) for signs of a leak. Common signs include rust, black streaking, water leaks or cracked fittings. Ensure that all exhaust clamps are in place and secure, and that exhaust hoses are in good working condition.
Poorly-tuned engines generate more carbon monoxide. Schedule regular maintenance inspections for your engine and exhaust system(s) with trained marine technicians.

One of the great things about boating is the sense of freedom, the escape from the daily grind. It’s easy to “unplug” from stress on the water. Unfortunately, it’s also easy to “unplug” from important safety precautions. Consider the following situations:

• A young man in the water holding on to the swim platform while chatting with friends onboard. • A large number of boats anchored close together on a hot summer night, with several running their air-conditioners. • A houseboat anchored in a small, sheltered cove on a lake. • A boat traveling slowly through the water with a noticeably high bow angle.

• A young woman “teak surfing” off the swim platform of her family’s boat.

What do these situations have in common? They are all potentially fatal due to the high risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas produced by the burning of any carbon-based fuel. It is invisible and has no taste or smell. Carbon monoxide from exhaust pipes of inboard engines, outboard engines, and generators can build up inside and outside of boats in areas near exhaust vents, such as the swim platform. People should never congregate or swim in these areas when the motor or generator is operating. Exhaust from other boats is another serious danger. A boat that is docked, beached, or anchored alongside another boat is vulnerable to carbon monoxide intrusion in the cabin and cockpit from its neighbors.

Educate Yourself to Educate Others

• Carbon monoxide is a quick and silent killer. It is also colorless and odorless. • Fresh air circulation and staying away from exhaust outlets is the best way to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. • Experts recommend installing marine-rated carbon monoxide detectors, to alert boaters when the CO concentration on board is too high.

• Remember that life jackets save lives. Many who are overcome by carbon monoxide slip silently beneath the water. Fellow boaters often report that a person was “there one second and gone the next.” Life jackets give you a better chance of being saved.

Check Your Boat

• Make sure all exhaust hose ends are double clamped and securely in place. • Look for exhaust leaking from exhaust system components, indicated by rust and/or black streaking, water leaks, or corroded or cracked fittings. • Inspect rubber exhaust hoses for burned or cracked sections. • Confirm that water flows from the exhaust outlet when the engines and generator are started.

• Listen for any change in exhaust sound that could indicate an exhaust component failure.

Blockage of exhaust outlets can cause carbon monoxide to accumulate in the cabin and cockpit area of a boat, even when hatches, windows, portholes, and doors are closed. Boaters should avoid anchoring in areas where outlets could be blocked. Backdrafting, otherwise known as “the station wagon effect,” occurs when a boat is operating at a high bow angle, traveling under four knots, or has been improperly loaded. This may cause carbon monoxide to accumulate inside the cabin, cockpit, and bridge, even when protective coverings are used and the boat is underway. People “teak surfing” or dragging off the swim platform, or water-skiing 20 feet or less behind a moving watercraft, are inhaling carbon monoxide exhaust.

Knowing how to spot and – more important – avoid dangerous situations can save lives. Boaters should do their part to educate others about common causes of carbon monoxide poisoning. Too many have lost their lives to this silent killer, so spread the word.

* * * * *

The U.S. Coast Guard is asking all boat owners and operators to help reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage, and associated healthcare costs related to recreational boating accidents by taking personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their passengers. Essential steps include: wearing a life jacket at all times and requiring passengers to do the same; never boating under the influence (BUI); successfully completing a boating safety course; and getting a Vessel Safety Check (VSC) annually from local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, United States Power Squadrons(r), or your state boating agency's Vessel Examiners. The U.S. Coast Guard reminds all boaters to "Boat Responsibly!" For more tips on boating safety, visit www.uscgboating.org.

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Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is one of the top five known causes of death among boaters.1 It's also one of the most preventable. You may not realize it but, a buildup of this colorless and odorless gas beneath the stern deck or near the swim deck can kill someone in seconds.2

Follow these 5 simple tips to protect yourself, your passengers, and your fellow boaters:

Get Moving. Avoid prolonged periods of idling and traveling at slow speeds as this can cause carbon monoxide to build up in your cabin, bridge, cockpit, aft deck and open areas.
Balance the Load. Don't operate the boat at a high bow angle. Overloading or improperly loading the boat puts you and your passengers at risk for back drafting, which can lead to CO build-up in your cabin, cockpit and bridge.
Breathe Easy. Blocked ventilation louvers and exhause outlets can cause CO to accumulate in your cabin and cockpit. Be sure to check and maintain these items, as well as your CO detector, regularly.
Spread Out. Avoid water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing and surfing within 20 feet of the boat while it's moving. And don't dock, anchor or raft within 20 feet of other boats that have engines or generators running. BONUS: This tip can also help you avoid propeller injuries.
Move Forward. Don't sit or swim near or under the rear deck or platform while the engine or generator is on. Boating safety experts recommend avoiding this area for at least 15 minutes after the engine is shut off.