{"id":18675,"date":"2024-07-30T07:00:26","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T07:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seatow.com\/?p=18675"},"modified":"2024-09-30T19:48:31","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T19:48:31","slug":"qa-with-the-qualified-captain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seatow.com\/qa-with-the-qualified-captain\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A with the Qualified Captain"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you own a boat and are on social media, chances are you\u2019ve heard of The Qualified Captain. For almost a decade now, the popular social media page has been entertaining the world with the ultimate boating mishaps, and even more importantly, serving as an advocate for boating safety. We sat down with the founder of The Qualified Captain himself, Captain Aaron Stasiak, to gather some of his top advice for boaters before they hit the water.<\/p>\n

How did The Qualified Captain come to life? <\/strong><\/h5>\n

The Qualified Captain page started during the summer of 2016 while I was working at a local marina and seeing never-ending boating mishaps that could be avoided. Regardless of the help the crew and I tried to offer, most boaters would deny our assistance, and ultimately, end up as what has come to be known as a #qualifiedcaptain. Today, we are the largest social media page in the boating industry. We continue to entertain but in turn have created a platform to help promote boating safety.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the number one mishap you see on the water? <\/strong><\/h5>\n

I see a lot of people ripping through no wake zones. I also see first time boat owners buy way too big of a vessel with no knowledge of how to operate it. And I do believe that the number one cause to all the mishaps we see is from a lack of education.<\/p>\n

What should every boater do before they leave the dock? <\/strong><\/h5>\n

Every boat owner should create a check list based on the size boat they own. Double check to make sure you have all the Coast Guard regulated requirements onboard. Then, check your bilge for any water and smell for potential fuel leaks. Look at the transom to see if there are any oil sheens in the water that could potentially lead to a hydraulic steering leak or tilt\/trim leak. Make sure you have enough fuel for the distance you plan to travel. Create a travel plan with a destination and keep a logbook after the end of each day… (TQC logbooks are in the works \ud83d\ude09)<\/p>\n

Name three things that every captain should have on board. <\/strong><\/h5>\n

I always<\/em> recommend a reliable tool kit, a stop the bleed kit, and an EPIRB. Bonus if you have a Sea Tow membership!<\/p>\n

Best advice you could give to boaters? <\/strong><\/h5>\n

EDUCATE YOURSELF! If you have any hesitations about being out on the water, take a hands-on training course. For the salty and experienced boaters, never underestimate the power of the water. Anything can happen to anyone at any time. Always be prepared and never get complacent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MEMBER BENEFITS BEYOND 24\/7 TOWING<\/strong><\/h5>\n

As the premier leader in on-water boating assistance, Sea Tow members receive\u00a0the most comprehensive benefits<\/a>\u00a0available. Membership includes a full suite of on-water assistance services for every boat you own, rent, or bareboat charter. Learn more about\u00a0our membership options<\/a>\u00a0today. To find the Sea Tow closest to you, use\u00a0our service locator<\/a>\u00a0or call our Customer Care Team at\u00a0800-4-SEATOW<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you own a boat and are on social media, chances are you\u2019ve heard of The Qualified Captain. For almost […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":18633,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-boating-tips"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nQ&A with the Qualified Captain | Sea Tow<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We sat down with the founder of Qualified Captain himself, to gather some of his top advice for boaters before they hit the water.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/seatow.com\/qa-with-the-qualified-captain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" 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