Boat Bow Riders Targeted By Police, Coast Guard On Maryland Waters

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Even with rain chances at 50 percent or better this Memorial Day weekend, Marylanders are going to be out on the waters. As the boating season gets underway, state officials urge residents and visitors to be safe by having a sober skipper and to stay off the bow of moving vessels.

This week, Maryland Natural Resources Police and the U.S. Coast Guard representatives were in Annapolis to kick off the “Ride Inside” campaign to end the illegal and dangerous practice of riding on the bow of a moving motorized vessel. Bow riding was responsible for one death and three serious injuries last year.

The fatal accident happened when a 9-year-old Howell, New Jersey, boy was riding on the front of a rented pontoon boat near Ocean City, fell overboard and was swept into the propeller. Kaden Frederick was sitting on the bow of the pontoon boat, his legs dangling over the water, and lost his balance, officials said.

OC Watersports LLC in Ocean City, MD, and owner Tyler Barnes, 33, were charged by Maryland Natural Resources Police with five counts in the August 2016 incident that resulted in the death of Kaden Frederick.

“Take a seat inside the boat and make sure everyone else does, too,” Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton said. “You wouldn’t let a family member or friend ride on the hood of a moving car. You shouldn’t ignore common-sense practices just because you’re on the water.”

Frederick was one of four people sitting with their legs dangling from the front of the boat as it traveled in Sinepuxent Bay. Bow riding is considered reckless and neglect operation. The penalty for first-time violators is a fine of up to $500.

A propeller spinning at 3,200 revolutions per minute can inflict up to 160 cuts in one second and can travel from head to toe in less than one-tenth of a second.

Ride Inside

Natural Resources Police officers will be conducting saturation patrols and coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard to stop bow riders. They also will be ensuring that boats have required safety equipment and that operators are sober.

Last year, 17 people died in boating accidents on Maryland waterways. Three of the accidents took two lives and another accident killed three men. The victims ranged in age from 9 to 70 and most were not wearing life jackets.

“The industry is making safer boats and jet skis. Technology is taking the guesswork out of navigation and daily weather reports. It’s on all of us to do our part to complete the picture and make Maryland waters safer,” Natural Resources Police Superintendent Col. Robert K. “Ken” Ziegler Jr. said. “Certainly, there are things that are beyond your control or simply can’t be anticipated but by following some simple guidelines you can reduce your risk and pave the way to a trouble-free outing.”

Safety tips for boaters include:

• Make sure everyone on board has a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Children under the age of 13 are required to wear a life jacket aboard a boat less than 21 feet long.
• Designate a sober skipper to stay at the helm and be responsible for returning the boat and its passengers safely to shore.
• Don’t overcrowd the boat. Heed the boat’s capacity plate on the transom or by the helm, or look up the passenger capacity in the boat’s manual.
• Chart a safe course and let someone on shore know where you are going and when you expect to return.
• Check the weather and tides before you leave and use a weather radio or smartphone app to stay on top of local conditions.
• Carry a cellphone in a waterproof pouch or have a marine radio and monitor VHF Channel 16.