Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
FLORIDA: Chartering a boat and taking to an ocean journey for a festive gathering can make for a memorable Miami moment. However, hiring a boat is different than hiring an Uber or renting a car, and when people fail to tell the difference, a boat ride can end tragically or simply go bust. Such was the case in Biscayne Bay this past Sunday when a 45-foot yacht called “Sea You Twerk’ was pulled over by the U.S. Coast Guard and held for violation of boating safety regulations. Unfortunately for the boat operators and the 14 passengers on board, the trip was cut short after the Coast Guard verified no licensed captain on board and no certificate of vessel inspection. This latest incident is just one in a string of cases where unsuspecting people charter boats that may not meet with safety operating standards. The Coast Guard warns people to take caution when chartering a boat, or any water vessel for that matter, by making sure the operators meet all safety standards.
BOATING SAFETY AND REGULATIONS
The best way to steer clear of serious injury from a boating accident is to be familiar with the rules and regulations pertinent to boat owners and operators. There are specific rules governing the command or usage of boats and water vessels according to the location and even the time of year. There are also laws regulating the type and amount of safety equipment that must be on board, such as long range communications equipment and life vests. In addition, there are laws limiting the amount of alcohol a boat operator may consume without running the risk of being charged with boating under the influence. Florida law requires that individuals under the age of 21 must take an approved boating safety course and be awarded a boating safety ID card to operate a boat with 10 horsepower or more. They must also carry the ID card and a photo ID issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
THE BAHAMAS: Fire swept through the Princess Cays Resort this past Monday night and struck panic among hotel staff and local residents. With an average of five Princess and Carnival cruise ships docking every week at the south port of Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, yellow and red flames lit-up the night sky alongside beach chairs and umbrellas. Luckily, local firefighters and local staff were able to get the fire under control in just over an over. Princess Cruises reported no injuries and thanks to no passenger ships docking that day, there were no guests at the resort. Unfortunately, the flames were enough to damage several buildings across the 40 acres of land owned by the Princess Cruises Company, which last year renovated the Princess Cays Resort and added a marina. The cruise ship Carnival Pride, along with its 2500+ passengers, was scheduled to arrive but had to set a new course for Half Moon Cay because of the damage the fire left behind at Princess Cays. It is still uncertain what led the blaze at the Bahamas resort.
