Boat captain navigates common busy boating weekend problems

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — The Fourth of July holiday week is one of the busiest, most dangerous times of year on the water for boaters.

Boating experts say they see more accidents during the summer holidays than any other time of year.

Gearing up for this packed weekend on the water, a plan and a sober driver could save your life or, in the best case scenario just a call to the local boat towing company.

Sea Tow will have all hands on deck for the busy weekend.

“On a standard weekend, we could be seeing anywhere between 15-20 calls, on a busy holiday weekend we could be seeing plus of 40,” Sea Tow General Manager Captain Stephen Vigilante said.

He told 8 On Your Side the number one problem they expect boaters to run into this weekend is needing fuel.

“Nine times out of 10 their fuel gauge is off. We always tell people to make fuel logs, keep a track of where you’re going and I also go by the ⅓ rule: a third of fuel for the trip out, a third to come back, and a third in reserves.”

It’s also important to know the depths of the water.

“We get a lot of ungrounding at night, especially at sunset, because they want to get home and they don’t know where the sandbars are and they’re not marked sometimes and people just run their ground,” said the Captain.

There should be fireworks zones around all the barges. When you anchor for the shows, Vigilante suggests letting out 7 feet of anchor line for every foot of water.

“If you pull anchor during that firework show, everyone else is anchored behind you. You’re going to start drifting into other boats and it’s going to cause more of a headache,” Vigilante said. “So just make sure that you are aware of your surroundings, you know where other boaters are and just be safe.”

According to FWC, Pinellas County is in the top 10 counties in the state for boating accidents.

In 2023, there were 40 accidents in the county in which one person died and 19 others were injured. In case you need it, Channel 16 on your radio is the universal channel for distress.

Call the Coast Guard if someone on your boat needs medical attention. Sea Tow is who to call if there’s an issue with your boat.

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