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Tips on Boating Safety

 

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced boater, it is always a good idea to review boating safety measures before you leave. The following are some tips on boating safety to keep in mind.

 

You need to be weather wise. Before departure, ensure you check weather conditions within the area you intend to go boating.  The weather forecast on television or radio can be of good help. Another way of knowing how the weather will be like is by checking for any signs outside, for instance, if you notice rough changing winds, dark clouds or sudden temperature drop, postpone the boating altogether.  If you are already boating, keep on checking the weather changes so that you can be able to get off the water immediately you see the above weather changes.

 

Create a pre-departure checklist and make sure to follow it.  Boating safety entails being prepared for any possibility on the water. Having a pre-departure checklist and following it to the latter is the best way to ensure you adhere to all the boating safety rules. It also minimizes the chances of forgetting or overlooking boating precautions or safety rules.

 

Always have a float plan in handy.   You must inform someone of your float plan, be it a family member friend or your local marina staff.  The information should include where you are going for your boating and how long you will be gone. click for more details.

 

Ensure that you take swimming lessons prior to the boating. Knowing how to swim comes in handy when you get involved in a boating accident.  Apart from swimming make good use of lifejackets.  Statistics show that a lot of the drowning victims are due to boaters not having life jackets on while boating. Ensure that each member of your team gets fitted with a life jacket before you leave. 

 

Always stay away from alcohol and other drugs during boating. Alcohol and drugs increase the probability of getting into a boating accident by double since alcohol effects are worsened by wind and sun. Visit https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/boat/390719 for helpful information.

 

Ensure you have more than one assistant skipper onboard.  You should teach one or two people in your team all the aspects of all your boat operations, how it is handled and other boating safety. This is important as it ensures that someone else can take over navigation and get everyone to safety if the primary navigator is injured or cannot perform the task.

 

You can also enroll in a boating safety rules course.  This will ensure that you are fully prepared for any circumstance that might arise during boating. You can take the course online or enroll for a community course in your area. Read on to get more info.

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