Making Adjustments to Keep Chicago Boating Safe

Last Thursday, the weather reports for Chicago were grim, predicting gale-force winds for one of the biggest boating weekends of the year: Saturday, June 21. While Chicago’s Playpen offers a protected haven, getting there can be a real challenge, especially for smaller vessels.

At Boat Safe Chicago, safety is our top priority. As soon as we learned of the forecast, we sprang into action. We immediately moved any boat under 30 feet from 31st Street to the new Navy Pier Marina. This strategic move allowed our passengers to board in a protected area, just yards from the Playpen’s entrance. Attempting the trip from 31st Street on Saturday would have been an unacceptable risk for our captains. Our custom 40-foot FunBoat, typically docked in Monroe Harbor, is not designed for large waves. Before the weather turned, we proactively moved it to the Navy Pier marina on Friday night.

Thanks to this foresight, our charter boats were full of guests enjoying Black Yacht Weekend. Had we not planned ahead and relocated our vessels, we would have had to cancel four charters- two on each vessel. This would have been a huge disappointment for people who had traveled from all over the country to celebrate Black Yacht Weekend. Instead, advanced planning, expert captains, and an unwavering focus on safety ensured an enjoyable (and hot!) day for everyone.

Tragically, not everyone had such a fortunate experience. An anonymous source reported that Zahrie Walls, a young woman who drowned and was recovered at Navy Pier, was riding on the bow of a boat in obviously unsafe conditions. No trained captain would have permitted her to ride there in Saturday’s conditions, and all Boat Safe Chicago captains strictly forbade bow riding. Zahrie also wasn’t wearing a life jacket. Had she been wearing one, even if she had sustained other injuries, she would have had a chance to survive. Our deepest condolences go out to her family for this absolutely tragic and completely preventable loss.

“I have to release navigational control of the boat as a bareboat charter,” explains Captain James Godwin of Chicago’s popular XIII Charters. “But if I were captaining the vessel for my family and there was a small craft advisory or high seas, I would not have anyone riding on the bow of the boat.” He emphasizes his personal aversion to the practice, stating, “I wouldn’t want to be up there.” Godwin points out that many customers, unfamiliar with boating outside of social media’s curated “cool posts,” don’t grasp the inherent dangers. “The reality is that it’s not safe—and we need to tell them,” he insists. According to Godwin, passengers rarely object when a captain prioritizes safety: “No one will push back if the captain says it’s unsafe to ride on the bow of the boat. It’s up to the captain to give directions.”

When Boat Safe Chicago captains are in the Playpen, they are never truly relaxed. They constantly scan the waters for hazards, keeping a vigilant eye on guests and the boat. If you’re captaining a boat in Chicago and feel completely at ease, you’re not doing your job.

We strongly encourage anyone captaining charter boats to at least earn an OUPV six-pack captain’s license. You can always take supplemental classes with our Boat Safe Chicago elite master captains. Consider working as crew on a boat with an experienced captain before taking on a captain’s role yourself.

“Take Lake Michigan seriously,” says Boat Safe Chicago Master Captain Brady Ruel. “Think of it as an ocean rather than a lake.” Do not operate a boat that you don’t feel completely in control of. Too much is at risk—just ask Zahrie’s mom.

If you don’t know the direction of the wind, the wave height, and the forecasted weather changes, you have more to learn. Please do not accept a job for which you are not qualified.

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