Southwest Florida boaters utilize technology for safety

As the search for two men missing off the coast of Southwest Florida remains suspended, boating experts are urging people heading offshore to focus on preparation and safety, especially when traveling miles from shore.

Charter captain Bill D’Antuono, owner of Offshore Naples Charters, says one of the biggest dangers on the water is underestimating conditions.

“You can misread the weather forecast,” D’Antuono said. “There’s stuff floating out there that you could hit. A lot of preparation and planning goes into spending a day on the water, especially long-range trips.”

D’Antuono says mechanical problems can quickly turn a routine outing into an emergency, particularly far offshore where help may be hours away.

“It could happen in an instant,” he said. “You hit a wave wrong, or you hit something in the water, and now you’ve got a big problem and you’ve got to be prepared for those situations.”

He recommends carrying emergency locator technology both on the vessel and on your body. A boat-mounted EPIRB or Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon can automatically send a distress signal and location to satellites if a vessel capsizes or sinks.

Personal locator beacons, which are small enough to clip to a life jacket or pocket, can also alert rescuers if someone falls overboard and becomes separated from the boat, even when there is no cell phone service.

“They make smaller life jackets that are sleek that you could wear all day and clip that to you,” D’Antuono said. “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

He also recommends filing a float plan before heading offshore, letting someone on land know where you are going and when you expect to return.