Due to its small size and unique hull design, operating a skiff comes with some special safety concerns that should be considered. As an example, it is very dangerous to operate a small skiff offshore in rough sea conditions. However a similar warning can be applied to offshore fishing boats operating in shallow waters. The important thing is to know what your boat can handle and use a lot of common sense.
Are Skiffs Dangerous? Skiffs are generally less stable than larger boats such as bay boats and offshore fishing boats. As a result chances of fall accidents and capsizing can be higher on a skiff when compared to larger boats under similar conditions. Additionally, lower freeboard heights of the skiff increases the risk of water entering the boat as well as increases the risk of occupants falling overboard.
Exercising common sense operating practices will reduce the overall safety risks when operating your skiff. Understanding of your boat's limitations as well as following some common safety practices provided in this article can go a long way in keeping you safely on the water.
Skiff Design Safety Impacts
Skiffs are designed to be able to stealthily navigate super shallow waters in order to chase saltwater fish fish in the most remote areas. They also need to be low to the water surface in order to reduce the drag caused by wind such that polling can be done with as much ease as possible. The resulting design is a lightweight boat with very low freeboard that naturally ends up being less stable than larger boats.
Skiff Stability
In general, the light weight build of the skiff makes them much less stable than larger boats. Since they draft so little, most of the boat is on top of the water which can make them a little more”tippy” than a larger boat with higher draft.
The danger with instability is the increased risk for a fishermen to lose their balance when moving around the boat. The best skiff manufacturers out there will dial their design in to really get the most stability with the least amount of weight and draft as possible. Still, you will need to use good weight management techniques in order to fight` the inherent instability of your skiff.
Skiff Freeboard Height
Another feature that adds a little more danger to the skiff is the relatively low freeboard. The freeboard is the distance from the waterline to the top of the deck where water can enter the boat. The lower the freeboard the easier it is for things on the outside of the boat to get inside the boat.
The benefit of a low freeboard is that the boat is more aerodynamic since not much of the boat is above the water to catch the wind. This greatly helps reduce the workload when polling across the open water flats. Lower freeboard also give angles better access to the water either to handle their catch from the deck of the boat or to enter/exit the boat when anchored up.
The negative of a lower freeboard is that there is much less to keep anglers and equipment in the boat and much less barrier to keep water outside the boat. Rough water conditions or an overloaded boat do not mix well with a low freeboard.
Skiff Safety Tips
Skiffs are really not unique when it comes to common mistakes made by boaters on the water. All of these really can be avoided with a little bit of awareness and a lot of common sense. Here are the most common things that occur on the water that can increase your chances of serious injury or death.
1. Check The Weather
It is very important that you check the weather before you head out in your skiff (or any boat for that matter). Weather is a dynamic force of nature that can really turn on you fast. Pick your days and adjust as needed if the conditions aren't just right.
2. Keep an Eye On Your Depth
If you are in a skiff I am assuming you are most often going to be running in pretty shallow waters. If you are out exploring new areas, which most of us like to do, you are going to bump the bottom a time or two. However, if you are cautions this should only happen when we are traveling very slowly, idle speed, trolling, or polling.
Running aground can cause serious damage to your boat hull, engine foot, and potential the crew onboard. Depending on how hard you hit could crack your hull, ejecting occupants, and/or capsize your boat all together. If you ever find yourself at speed in super shallow waters, back off the throttle immediately until you are clear.
3. Don't Overload your Boat
All boats should have the maximum occupancy listed clearly in sight. This occupancy provide the maximum number of people that can be onboard as well as the maximum weight of the boat. Never load more people or weight than the boat is rated for.
Overloading of a boat can: drastically reduce stability which can lead to greater risk of capsize; increase draft which could increase risk of running aground; and dangerously reduce freeboard which can increase risk of swamping which in turn increases risk of capsizing. Since saltwater skiffs are already relatively less stable than most boats and have very low freeboard, overloading just a little can have huge impacts on the safety of the skiff.
4. Don't Drink and Operate
This can never be stated enough, It is never a good idea to boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If you are going to have a drink or two to celebrate your catch, do it in moderation and have a designated skipper on board.
5. Have A Plan and Tell a Friend
Before you just head out on the flats it is good practice to have a plan which can be shared with a family member or a friend. This plan should outline your trip details so that it is known where you might be if something happens on the water and you are unable to return home. This plan should include the following information.
- Description of boat
- Who you are fishing and their contact info
- Departure time and location
- General fishing area
- Expected time of return
If at any point you deviate from this plan, be sure to text or call to let your friend or family member know so they don't call in the coastguard when you are late.
This actually happened to my Dad and I once when we got caught up catching a ton of fish night fishing in the Gulf of Mexico out of Fort Morgan Alabama. We didn't have cell phones at the time and my Dad thought there wouldn't be any harm in staying out a couple more hours. Needless to say, the coast guard and local police were waiting for us when we got back to the dock and the threat of divorce was waiting for my Dad when we got home. Luckily this time we were safe, my parents stayed married, and we came out with a lot of fish and a great story. In my mother's mind we were dead…
6. Pack The Right Safety Equipment
Having the right safety equipment onboard is very important in ensuring you reduce the chances of injury or death when in your saltwater skiff. Common sense will usually keep you from ever needing to use emergency equipment, but sometime accidents are unavoidable. The following gear is required by law for most saltwater skiffs.
- Personal Flotation DeviceUSCG approved Life Jacket
- Wearable (Type I, II, or III)
- Type V (throwable) PFD
- Fire extinguisher
- Visual Distress Signal
- Sound Producing Device
For a more detailed look at these regulations take a look at A Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats and Safety Tips provided by the Department of Homeland Security.
Some other optional safety equipment that I highly recommend having onboard to further ensure you are prepared in case of an accident.
- First Aid Kit
- VHF Radio
- Personal Location Beacon (PLB)
7. Sign Up For Boating Education Courses
Hands down one of the smartest things you can do to reduce the chance of injury or death on the water is to take a boaters education course. Not all states require formal training before getting their license but it is still your responsibility to know how to safely operate a boat on the water. These courses will teach you important aspects of boating such as important rules and regulations, how to navigate on the water, and proper communication techniques.
The Boat U.S. Foundation offers a lot of free online courses, some classroom courses and even some on water training all around the US. Just search for your area from any of the links and sign up. This really could save your life on the water.
To find out if your state requires a boating safety course navigate over to AmericanBoater.org and find your state. For example, for the state of Florida
A person who was born on or after January 1, 1988, must have completed a boater education course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) or passed an approved equivalency exam to operate a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or greater (including PWCs).
https://americanboating.org/boateducation.asp
Continue Learning About Saltwater Skiffs
To learn more about saltwater skiffs take a look at the related articles by clicking here.
