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Boating is a fun activity where you can enjoy the fresh air and cool off in the refreshing water. However, with boating activity, it is essential that you stay prepared for the event and take precautions to have a safe and fun time. The following are some recommendations to help you stay safe while you are out on the water and with your boat.
Understand the Water Rules
Before you get behind the controls of your own boat, it is important that you understand what you can and cannot do in any body of water. The best way to become informed about all the different regulations and laws is to take a boat safety training course where you will learn these rules along with how to stay safe on the water.
One of the more important rules on the water is to know where the no-wake zone is and what this means. A no-wake zone is an area of the water where you need to go at a speed where your boat does not create a wake behind it as it passes through the water. These areas will usually be next to the shore or a dock where there may be swimmers in the water, or other boats docked, and it will be marked with floating buoys and also a sign indicating this. Make sure that you understand where this area is so you can have your boat's speed reduced so when you enter this zone you are not producing a wake. Don't slow your speed once in the no-wake zone because, by then, it could be too late and you could be cited.
Stay Safe on the Water
It is important that you take measures to keep you and your boating party members all safe during your outing. Be sure that all boaters wear a life jacket that fits them. Be sure to check the life jacket and its fit before you go out. Snap-on the life jacket and adjust the straps so they are snug, then have the wearer raise their arms in the air while you pull upward on the jacket's shoulder pieces. If the jacket fits properly, it will remain in place around their torso.
You should also have a plan when you are out on the water and let others know where you will be going and when you will be back. It is also a good idea to let someone at the ranger station know your plans and how many people will be on the boat with you. Then, if you don't return from the water by the end of the day, they will know where to look for you in a rescue situation. For example, if you go out on the water and you run out of gas or experience engine trouble that prevents you from returning, you will have a backup plan to help you get back to shore.
For more information on boat safety training, contact a company near you.
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