KAS - Web Site - Safety and Navigation Page

KARIBA ANGLING SOCIETY
Safety and Navigation Page

This page is meant for those of you that may not know how to about the "Rules of the Road" and how to Navigate, with or without a GPS, Compass etc.
Remember having a collision on water is more dangerous than on the road. People can drown in the water, besides the life threatening injuries they may already have.

The tips and rules are divided into four basic categories : -
Rules of the Road on Water | General Safety | Navigation General | Navigation Aids

Rules of the Road (See the Pictures)
Basically you have to drive like the Americans (Stay on the right) BUT give way to vessels from your right.
They say that a picture paints a thousand words so in an effort not to confuse you, pictures (diagrams) have been used to make sure the rules are clear.
If the pictures are not big enough for you to see then click on them and they will appear full size

Easy isn't it ?(when you know how !!)

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General Safety.

DO NOT ALLOW ANY PERSON TO SIT ON THE NOSE OR FRONT OF THE BOAT WHEN MOTORING AROUND ON THE MAIN ENGINE.

Have sufficient Lifejackets/Bouyancy aids for ALL the people on board
Keep your hands out of the water !!!
Rather than "tough it out" through a Storm, find a safe anchorage. Being wet and miserable, or cold and dry (and of course probably hungry) is better than being drowned or injured.

Make sure your Bilge pumps are working AND that you have the bucket in the boat. (your battery may go flat.)

Keep ALL of the following in your boat, whenever out on a large dam or lake :-

Torch (batteries kept seperate in bag
Some food and nourishment (in a waterproof bag)
Yellow Cloth and Mirror (preferably Stainless Steel as it doesn't break)
Raincoats (even cheap and nasty is better than getting soaking wet)
Matches or lighters (In waterproof bag)

Fit Navigation lights to your boat if venturing out on larger dams and occassionally you come in a bit late and it is getting dark (or get up early for KITFT ???).
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Navigation - General

Lights on a boat
RED is LEFT SIDE (PORT)(All the shorter words ?) andGREEN is RIGHT SIDE (STARBOARD)(All the longer words ?)
The rear light is a clear white light and you should not(??) be able to see the nav lights on the side if looking from the rear.

Wind Drift
When driving along and the wind is blowing from the side, watch out for drifting off course with the help of the wind and the waves. The boat compass says the boat is pointing in the right direction, but in the meantime you are being pushed sideways off course.

Bouys and Markers
As of this time there are very fews bouys, spars or markers on the water, so these have not been dealt with. If you do see some then by all means come back to us and we will include some information on what they mean.
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Navigational Aids
Of course you need some basic stuff such as a compass, Chart (map!) and/ GPS unit.
A basic directional sense and a bit of a good memory does also help for those without the compass or GPS..

Compass
You must make sure that the bearing is correct on your compass as it is affected by all the metal in the boat and by the electric's in the boat, so make sure that the boat has been "COMPASS SWUNG" whilst the engine is running and has the normal equipment in it.
(You cannot just buy it from the shop and fit it. Nothing is that easy)

Charts/Mapping
Try to have a Chart (or Map) of the water you are fishing and take note of the Magnetic Variances if you are using a Compass, as there will be an error from this "Magnetic Deviation". Most Charts have the Magnetic Variance marked on them. (I can hear them now, "what is the difference between a Chart and a Map ? - Answer - A Chart is used for lakes, dams and seas, and normally has soundings or DEPTH Contours on it. A Map is used for those bits above the water)
Get your maps laminated, so you can carry them in the boat without getting damaged by water.

GPS Units
If you are lucky enough to own such an item, the time spent finding out how they work is well spent. Make sure you know how to plot waypoints and your Home base.
They are very accurate and are not subject to things such as Magnetic Variances etc..
If you are going to use the GPS to navigate to a new spot or area then make sure that you have your map marked with the accurate degrees and minutes of Lattitude and longitude (and of course you must know how to read the map). They are very accurate and they can take you home.

Help for those without compass or GPS.
Firstly - GET A MAP/CHART so you have some idea of what you are facing on your excursion into the "wild blue yonder".
Secondly - Try to go with someone who already knows the area you intend to go to.
Thirdly - Try to remember the points and landfalls that you pass, so you know how to get back.
Remember it looks different from the other way, so keep looking behind you on the way there, and it will be more familiar on the way back.
Fourthly - Keep looking around, so you can recognise places again for the future, and ask questions of those that may know the area.

If you are going somewhere new, use a map to give you basic directions, using points, islands or land areas you might be able to recognise, both going there and coming back. TAKE THE MAP IN THE BOAT.

REMEMBER which way the wind was blowing, as this may be a guide to help you find where you want to go

If you get lost and end up in the dark, look for land based lights to guide you to where you may be wanting to go, or to a safer (?) place.
Drive SLOWLY and CAREFULLY as you do not know what might be sticking up out of the water in the dark.

If you see another set of Navigational Lights from another boat remember that RED is LEFT SIDE (PORT)(All the shorter words ?) andGREEN is RIGHT SIDE (STARBOARD)(All the longer words ?)
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If you would like to add some info to this section, then please
Email the Webmaster or send to the Chairman
or post them to :-
Kariba Angling Society, P O Box WGT 503, Westgate, Harare.

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