Taking time away from work and other responsibilities to enjoy boating with family and friends may be a rejuvenating experience. With the arrival of warmer weather, it is even more appealing to visit the rivers, cruise, and enjoy the aquatic environment. While having fun, it is essential to be safe throughout the outing. Here are five peak-season tips for safe boating.
Get Boating Safety Kits
Accidents are unplanned events. You can't predict when an accident will occur while boating, so you should constantly be ready. Ensure to keep all safety kits on the boat every time. A boating tool kit should contain life jackets, buckets, ropes, whistles, duct tape, mirrors, fire extinguishers, and garbage bags.
A life jacket is the most important you should consider. According to a study on boating accidents, 80% of people involved were without safety jackets. Ensure that your family and friends wear jackets that suit their bodies. The goal is to help you stay afloat during accidents and also prevent hypothermia.
Take Pre-boating Training
Research shows that driving errors cause over 70% of boating accidents. Although the operational process may look simple, you should undergo professional training before starting. Numerous online courses, including free and paid, can teach you the intricacies of a perfect boating experience.
The Sea Change Foundation Program also helps individuals by offering free safety courses for every state. In summary, ensure you are a professional in boating and have undergone safety courses before the activity.
Take A Vessel Safety Check
After ensuring you are safe through procuring ideal life jackets and kits, you should also screen the vehicle involved. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a big charity group that saves lives on seas in the United Kingdom and beyond.
Before sailing, ensure you check the boat under RNLI. The group's SEA check has highly trained professionals who would come to screen your vessel and provide safety advice. The best part is that the service is free!
If you notice faults with your current vehicle after screening with RNLI, it is advisable to purchase quality power boats for sale from quality marketplaces like TheYatchMarket. They are an excellent company with a myriad of boat buyers and private sellers.
Avoid Distractions
While it's okay to chit-chat with loved ones during boating, you should avoid external distractions. After research on the leading causes of boating accidents, it was uncovered that distractions fall among the top 5 factors. While cruising, put away your phone or devices, minimize talking and texting, and cut every distraction that can steal your focus off the water in front.
Observe The Weather Beforehand
What you consider the perfect boating weather can suddenly change for the worse. Always observe the weather before you go boating. Use weather forecast apps to identify the bad and good times for entering the waterways. Furthermore, you should be alert for any weather change to take action before calamity arrives.
Endnote
Take some time off your busy schedule and learn how to be safe during boating with family and friends. Sign up for the pre-boating course, ensure your life jacket is the best for you, and include other things in your safety kit like a first aid box, bucket for emptying the vessel, duct tapes for closing leaks, etc. Now go ahead and enjoy your rowing experience.