Manchaug Pond Foundation Safe Boating

Wear Your Life Jacket at Work Day!

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Wear Your Life Jacket at Work Day is May 19, 2023!  Let’s do it! Wear your life jacket, snap a picture while at work and share on social media with the hashtags #wearyourlifejacketatworkday and #safeboating. It’s the best way to kick off National Safe Boating Week and it’s a fun, educational way to heighten life jacket awareness!  Hosted by the National Safe Boating Council.  Visit our Safe Boating website page or www.SafeBoatingCampaign.com for more information. Also watch our website and social media for information on safe boating during National Safe Boating Week, May 20-26, 2023. AND bring your vessel, large or small – sail, paddled, pedaled, rowed, or motored – to our annual Vessel Safety Check, Saturday, June 4th from 9-noon at the public ramp.

Ice Strength & Safety

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We love out winter sports!  So how can you tell if ice is safe?  There are no guarantees. Always consider ice to be potentially dangerous. You can’t judge ice conditions by appearance or thickness alone; many other factors like water depth, size of waterbody, water chemistry, currents, snow cover, age of ice, and local weather conditions impact ice strength.Ice tips to remember: New ice is stronger than old ice. Four inches of clear, newly formed ice may support one person on foot, while a foot or more of old, partially thawed ice may not. Ice doesn’t freeze uniformly. Continue to check ice conditions frequently as you venture out onto the ice. Ice formed over flowing water and currents is often more dangerous. Avoid traveling onto ice-bound rivers and streams, as the currents make ice thickness unpredictable. Many lakes and ponds may contain spring holes and other areas of currents that can create deceptively dangerous thin spots. Before heading out onto the ice   Tell someone your plans, including where you are going and when you expect to return. Come prepared. Carry a cell phone in case of emergency. Always carry ice picks and rope with you on the ice. In case of emergency, drive the nails into the ice …

June Events

Posted June 4, 2022 Hello everyone!  June is here bringing in the summer season to Manchaug Pond! A reminder of our events and fundraisers offered this month by the Manchaug Pond Foundation is below.  Be sure to visit www.ManchaugPond.org for a full calendar listing and details. _______ First up, and this morning, is our Vessel Safety Check, June 4, 2022, promoting safe boating at the state boat ramp on Torrey Rd, Sutton from 9 AM to Noon. Both new and seasoned boaters find this annual event of value to get all safe and legal on Manchaug Pond.  There is no enforcement component and no police onsite, only educational, informative, one-on-one assistance from a certified examiner. This event is free, open to the public, and all vessels from motor boats to jetskis to paddle boards can participate.  Safe boating information, Vessel Safety Check decal, If Found stickers, and paddle reflectors are available for free. Also we have a few gently-used life jackets a member is offering for the taking. If interested, stop in at the ramp. _______   For the month of June, Manchaug Pond Foundation has been chosen for the Hannaford’s Bloomin’ 4 Good Program! All month, Hannaford’s Supermarkets will …

Manchaug Pond Foundation

National Safe Boating Week ~ May 18 to 24th

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National Safe Boating Week reminds all boaters to brush up on boating safety skills and prepare for the boating season. This observance week is the annual kick-off of the Safe Boating Campaign, a global awareness effort that encourages boaters to make the most of their boating adventure by being responsible. “The best boating experience is safe boating,” said Yvonne Pentz, communications director of the National Safe Boating Council, a nonprofit dedicated to helping create a safe boating experience for all boaters and the lead organization of the Safe Boating Campaign. “Have fun on the water, make memories with your family and friends – all while boating responsibly.” U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that drowning was the reported cause of death in four out of every five recreational boating fatalities in 2019, and that 86 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets. There are many options for boaters when it comes to choosing a life jacket. When selecting a life jacket, a boater should check that it is U.S. Coast Guard approved, appropriate for the water activity, and fits properly. “Remember, the best life jacket is the one you will wear,” said Pentz. “Whether you’re going fishing or …

Manchaug Pond Foundation Safe Boating

Kayaking? Life Jackets Required

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Did you know life jackets are required for cold weather kayaking in five states including Massachusetts? From September 15th through May 15th life jackets are required, yes mandatory, for all person’s kayaking and canoeing on Manchaug Pond and all other Massachusetts waterways. It is not enough to have the life jacket in the boat,  all persons on board a canoe or kayak must wear a life jacket/PFD at all times. People enjoy boating and fishing in the fall and spring, but a nice sunny spring or fall day can quickly become hazardous if you end up in cold water. According to the Massachusetts Environmental Police, most boating fatalities in the Commonwealth result when boaters fail to wear life jackets while in small craft in cold water or weather. Paddlers in canoes and kayaks are required to wear life jackets from September 15 – May 15. The Wear It! Campaign unites the efforts of a wide variety of boating safety advocates and is produced under a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Wear It! Campaign reminds boaters to: Make sure everyone – even experienced swimmers – wears a properly fitting …