We’ve all been there. It’s been rough and windy for months on end, and finally the conditions part. It’s a Saturday morning, it’s blowing five knots, and the ramp is backed up for kilometres. All you want to do is get on the water, but there are swathes of people in your way. How do you navigate them safety, and get onto the water without a hassle? It’s easy if you follow a few basic boat safety tips!
The most important boat safety tip is to ensure that all your safety gear is in good condition
Before you hit the water, you need to start preparing. The best bot safety tip we can give is to check your safety gear. Make sure you’ve got all the gear you need to keep you safe wherever you’re going. And remember, there are laws surrounding the safety equipment you need in different areas.
So check your bag for the basics: flares, v-sheet, life jackets, paddles, EPIRBs, and any other safety devices that you need. And don’t just make sure you’ve got them – make sure they’re in working order! It’s one thing to have the gear, but if it doesn’t work when you need it to you could find yourself in some strife.
Even on a busy weekend, the conditions can turn: monitoring the weather is a vital boat safety tip
Just because everyone else is on the water, you can’t be guaranteed a perfect run. The weather doesn’t always follow the rules, and it can turn pretty quickly regardless of how many boats are out. That’s why it’s an important safety tip to keep an eye on the weather while boating. If you’re heading into open water, watch the forecast right until you leave the ramp. And once you hit the water, keep an eye on the conditions.
Is the wind picking up? Are there any suspicious clouds in sight? If you have any concerns, play it safe. You can always use your radio to get weather updates, or call a friend to check for you if you’ve got phone signal.
Boating at night? A great safety tip is to check your electronics before you go
Sometimes, you can find yourself out on the water on a busy night. There are boats coming and going, and some are bigger and less manoeuvrable than others. How do you stay safe under challenging conditions like that? The most important safety tip for night boating is to check your electronics.
At night, you need three things: navigation lights, anchor lights, and GPS navigation. You can’t rely on landmarks to navigate at night, and you need to be sure other boats can see you when you’re moving, and anchored. Making sure all your electrics work is the only way to do so.
Patience is the key to safe boating on a busy weekend – here are some common mistakes to avoid
Boating on a busy weekend can sometimes be frustrating. All you want is to get away from it all, but there are people at every turn. It’s important to stay patient on the water. In fact, patience is an invaluable boating safety tip. Try and slow down when you pass anchored boats. If someone’s in your fishing spot, take the chance to explore some new ground. If you do your best to boat courteously, people will likely stay out of your way.
Ramp safety is important when boating – here are some safety tips for getting on and off the water
Finally, let’s turn our minds to the melting pot – the centre of business on a calm day: the boat ramp. The ramp is where you’ll need to put all your patience to the test. To make sure everything goes smoothly, de-rig and re-rig your boat in the designated areas. Try not to spend too much time hosing down if there’s a queue – sometimes it’s best to save that for home. Also, make sure your trailer is in good condition, so you can get on and off the water safely and quickly, without causing any delays.
For more boat safety information and all your boat trailer needs, get in touch with the experts at Almac Trailers.