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Boat Propeller Safety Rules

PADI scuba diving, snorkeling activities, sport fishing, and other water sports in Pattaya are popular activities on offer at the nearby islands.

As a result, understanding the current boat propeller safety rules and regulations is of utmost importance for all snorkelers – especially beginners.

Snorkeling Safely Guidelines in Thailand

The Private Scuba Team makes boating safety a priority when we take people on any of our snorkeling tours in Pattaya, Thailand.

Speed boat propellers and Jet Skis can be dangerous and a nuisance at times.

Hence, improving the safety for tourists who engage in any of the local water-based activities is essential.

We use all the recommended methods of protection for swimmers and alert signals for boat traffic.

Marker buoys, along with flags and floats, warn speed boats and any Jet Ski riders about the presence of scuba divers and snorkelers in the water.

Even so, raising awareness is a process that needs to continue worldwide. Thus, Divers Alert Network promotes a campaign for the prevention of boat propeller accidents.

As members of DAN for more than ten years, we fully support and adhere to their guidelines and objectives for reducing death statistics in scuba related activities.

Consider the following safety rules as the most cautious part of proper boating etiquette and safety procedures. Nonetheless, it is the best way to reduce and prevent boat propeller accidents.

Boat Propeller Safety Rules for Boaters

Guidelines to help prevent speed boat propeller accidents while on a boat:

  1. Stay at least one hundred (100) metres away from diver-down / alpha flags, unless conducting SCUBA, snorkeling or free diving activities.
  2. Bear in mind that scuba divers often have difficulty estimating accurate distance while underwater. Thus, they could actually drift away from the flag.
  3. Do not let anyone onto the swim platform when the boat engine is in gear. This is because swim platforms tend to be slippery and divers could fall into the propeller.
  4. If you are leading a group of divers, make sure they do not get close to the propeller when entering the water. In fact, boat propellers are sharp and dangerous – even when they are not rotating.
  5. Have a system that allows for easy and safe reboarding.
  6. Before starting the engine, make sure no diver or snorkeler is in the vicinity or under the boat.

Propeller Safety Guidelines for Divers

Rules to help prevent speed boat propeller accidents while snorkeling or scuba diving:

  1. Always place the diver-down / alpha flag before going scuba diving. You can attach the flag to a surface float or mount it on a vessel. Make sure it is clearly visible from all directions.
  2. Always surface within fifty (50) metres of your dive flag, or close to the coral reef, if there is one.
  3. Use a surface marker buoy if a process of emergency surfacing far from the diver-down flag is a necessity.
  4. Be mindful of your buoyancy and avoid making uncontrolled ascents to the surface.
  5. While ascending, look around, listen for boat traffic, and pay utmost attention.

Note: The Divers Alert Network (DAN) takes the issues of injuries from speed boat propellers and other boating accidents extremely seriously.

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