Before you pull away from the shore in your boat or go search for yachts for sale, it is important you go through a safety checklist to make certain that nothing goes wrong while out at sea. In the event something unexpected does happen, you will be in the best position to get everyone back home safely.
1. Plenty of Safety Gear – Never leave the safety of the shores without enough safety vests for every passenger including yourself. There are countless stories about boats capsizing and passengers drowning because they did not have on safety equipment. There should be at least one flotation device for everyone on the boat.
2. Safety Training – If you are not already attending boating school, call around to see if there is a boating safety class being conducted locally. These classes will provide you with everything you need to know about survival when you are miles offshore and a long distance away from any potential rescue. Your job is to protect each passenger on board, these classes will provide you training for numerous dangerous situations.
3. Boat Maintenance – Just like you vehicle, you boat needs to be maintained on a regular basis by a professional before something goes wrong. If there was engine trouble or the hull sprung a leak, you may be too far off shore to get back before it capsizes. Every second counts when you are out in a boat that has no power because an unexpected storm or rogue wave could send passengers into the water.
4. Keeping in Touch – One of the easiest ways to ensure your safety on the water is letting those know who are staying behind where you plan on going today. If you are not back by a certain time, then someone on shore knows exactly where you were heading and will make it easier for rescue to locate your boat. This is key in the event the boat breaks down and communication is lost while out at sea.
5. Avoid Alcohol Consumption – Just like how drinking and driving is a deadly combination on the highways, drinking and boating could have the same disastrous results. Being impaired could cause you to miss a boat sign, run aground, or worse, hit an unsuspecting swimmer in the water because you were impaired. Keep the drinking for when back safely at the docks.
These five boat safety tips will ensure safe times the next time that you and passengers are out on your boat. Discover more from Boatmo.com here.