Six Tips for Safe, Summer Fun on the Water
You’ve dreamed about this day — the open water, the wind in your hair, your friends and family along for the ride. A sunny afternoon boating is just what many look forward to in the warm summer months, but boating isn’t all mindless fun. To truly enjoy your time on the water, you should follow some simple boating safety tips to keep you and your passengers happy and unharmed.
1. Keep Life Jackets Handy
Life jackets aren’t just a fashion statement — they are frequently lifesavers when properly used. The United States Coast Guard requires all boats on the water to be equipped with an USCG-approved life jacket for every person on board, but just having them often isn’t enough.
Boating safety advocates encourage boaters to wear their life jackets at all times, as nearly 80 percent of all boating fatalities are caused by drowning. Unfortunately, 83% of those drownings happened when the person involved was not wearing a life jacket. Accidents can happen at any time, so it’s best to be prepared and wear your life jacket — it could just save your life!
2. Make a Float Plan
To ensure that someone knows where you’re headed and how long you’ll be gone, it’s smart to create a float plan. This plan can then be shared with family members, responsible friends, or even the marina itself. Float plans can include:
- Names and contact information for trip leader and all passengers
- Trip itinerary
- Boat make, model, and registration
- Emergency communication or location systems like Emergency Position Indicating Radio or Personal Locator Beacons
Most importantly, having a float plan means that someone will come looking if your boat is disabled or stranded.
3. Taking a Boating Course
Boating safety courses are offered by a variety of organizations or groups and help both new and veteran boater stay up-to-date on the latest trends in boat safety. These courses cover everything from proper boat operation to boat repair and maintenance to common boating terminology and may be required for by some states for new boaters or specific vessels.
In fact, 7 out of every ten boating accidents occur as a result of errors made by operators with no boating safety instruction. To keep everyone on board safe, the knowledge these courses offer are invaluable!
Just in case something happens on the water, you’ll want to invest in insurance coversage. Find cheap boat insurance in South Carolina policy through your local insurance broker. Upside Insurance of Greenville, SC recommends a policy with collision coverage as well as liability and medical payments coverage.
4. Consider the Weather
As with all outdoor activities, weather should always be considered when embarking on a boat excursion. Paying attention to forecasts, darkening clouds, strong winds, or sudden drops in temperature, as these can all be indicators of severe weather.
If in doubt, stay in and take the boat out when the weather improves — there’s no need to brave rough waters unless it’s absolutely necessary.
5. Use Your Best Judgment
To be a conscientious captain, it’s important to keep a level head about you at all times. It’s important to maintain safe speeds, stay alert for swimmers or other boats in congested areas, and steer clear of debris that could damage your vessel.
Be sure to abide by all rules and regulations in your area, such as boat licensing, and be aware of all buoys, signage, restrictions, and no-wake zones.
6. Don’t Drink and Boat!
Because boats are used in a much different environment than cars or motorcycles, it’s easy to forget that they’re very powerful machines. To operate these machines properly, you must be fully alert and capable. Even small amounts of alcohol can impair judgment and affect coordination and balance.
Mixing boating with alcohol is never smart – save all drinking for your destination!
By following these simple tips, boating can be a safe and enjoyable pastime.
