Lightning, torrential rain and rough seas can turn a pleasurable
outing into a life-threatening ordeal in a heartbeat. Yet unwary
boaters are too often taken by surprise, largely because they
don’t realize just how fast a storm can come up or the danger it
presents. According to the most recent Coast Guard accident
data, nearly three percent of all recreational boating accidents
are directly related to severe weather conditions that can
quickly overwhelm smaller craft. Some thunderstorms, for
example, create microbursts – intense downdrafts over an area a
half-mile to three miles wide capable of producing wind gusts
from 60 mph to more than 100 mph. Microbursts can capsize a
small boat or blow a passenger overboard. No one wants to end up
a statistic. The risks of swamping, capsizing, falling overboard
or hitting a floating object all increase in stormy weather, so
out on the water the most important equipment on board is always
a Coast Guard-approved life jacket for all passengers. And plan
to err on the sid