Dangers of swimming near marinas

[ripler]

Since boating season will be kicking off soon for a lot of us, I just wanted to give this reminder about how dangerous it is swimming around marinas and boat docks. I can guarantee that most marinas are wired incorrectly or do not meet the proper electrical codes. If your marina is like mine and they remove the docks during the winter months when they get reinstalled they must be inspected by a certified marine electrician, which probably doesn't happen. Even if your marina is 100% up to code there is no way to guarantee the boats at the marina are wired correctly. Would you hire a certified marine electrician to work on your boat or your buddy who will do the wiring for a case of beer? I will not let anyone in my family swim near a marina or private dock.

https://www.esfi.org/resource/boating-and-marina-safety-263

 

[MattFX4]

This is true. I witnessed a friend die this way right in front of my eyes. A few people with us jumped off the boat to try to save him, so it could of been worse. Somehow they were able to escape the shock and survive. I still have nightmares about that day and think what if I would of jumped in that day.

 

[GoVols01]

It's important to stress that even if the docks are wired correctly, the boats with their shore power cords running through the water may not be.

 

[Scottintexas]

is there an easy way to test for this? could you stick a multimeter leads in the water

 

[MattFX4]

is there an easy way to test for this? could you stick a multimeter leads in the water

There are sensors or devices available to install on docks that will alert you when electricity is detected in water. You have to trust it though!

 

[haknslash]

Yes this is a sad reality of swimming in water near docks . Last year young girl died from being shocked in the water by a dock at one of the lakes we visit.

 

[Sbrown]

While you're on this topic, let's add lifejackets to the mix. It's amazing how many otherwise caring parents will allow their children to swim in deep water without a lifejacket on. As a Public Safety Diver, I can tell you for sure, I have never recovered a drowning victim who was wearing a life jacket. I was just reading an article yesterday about the Chesapeake Bay and the number of preventable deaths every year......dozens! Every Year! Preventable!

Even those swimming around docks and boats would have a better chance of surviving with a life jacket on if they did swim into an electrified area of water.

 

[GoVols01]

While you're on this topic, let's add life jackets to the mix.

My kids aren't allowed to take their lifejackets off in the lake. Only time they swim without life jackets is in swimming pools.

 

[Mainah]

There is no need to buy special equipment to check this. A decent multi meter in the $40 and up range will do the trick. Use a non conductive water proof material to hold the probes about 6 inches apart. Turn the meter to ac current sensing in the uA or mA ranges. Anything over .5 mA starts to be dangerous and anything over .15 mA should be corrected. For those of you with your own docks or that keep your boat at a marina why wait. Grab a straw, a couple of elastics and your multi meter to test it yourself.

 

[John McLaughlin]

@ripler Thank you for posting as I was not aware of this.

 

[ripler]

My kids aren't allowed to take their lifejackets off in the lake. Only time they swim without life jackets is in swimming pools.

no one adult or kid leaves the boat without a life jacket, the river is just too dangerous