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Winterizing your recreational boat correctly is certainly one of the least enjoyable aspects of owning a boat. But it is also one of the most important. With a relatively small investment of time and money, you can insure that your boat will be functioning perfectly when springtime rolls back around. Winterization is important financially (as it saves you from making potentially costly repairs), and it is also an important element of boating safety. (After all, should something go wrong over the course of the winter, there is a chance you may not realize it until the next time you are out on the water!)

Proper winterization involves a number of distinct steps that ultimately depend upon what kind of boat you have. If you are completely new to the process, we reccomend that you check out a comprehensive guide to winterization, such as this excellent resource offered by DiscoverBoating.com.

Regardless of your experience level, however, everyone makes mistakes sometimes. A mistake in winterization can lead to a potentially dangerous situation out on the water, though–which is why it’s important to keep these frequently overlooked steps in mind.

  1. Perform a deep clean and diagnostic examination. Taking the time to deep clean your boat at the end of boating season is an enormous favor that your future self will really appreciate come springtime. But it is also an important safety precaution–it allows you the chance to double-check for any potential problems that have arisen over the past months.
  2. Fill Gas Tank. This prevents condensation from leaving water in the tank. Some boaters claim that they would rather deal with the water problem than waste an entire tank of gas–however, this is ultimately short sighted. (And, with gasoline stabilizer, it is possible to prevent your gasoline from expiring anyway.)
  3. Always Leave the Boat Covered. This step is frequently overlooked by those who are storing their boats in an indoor garage. Because boating upholstery can potentially cost thousands to replace, however, (and because the unexpected does happen from time to time,) the small investment of a cover is always worth it.

Always Committed to Boating Safety.

Boating safety is an ongoing commitment that requires level-headedness, careful maintenance, and an investment in safety equipment. To learn more about the latest and greatest in boating safety equipment, visit Beacon Watch online today.

From swimming pools to a day on the lake—water offer endless recreation for people of all ages. However, it should not be ignored that, without proper care, water can present a serious danger to young children. It is very important, therefore, for parents to understand the basics of water safety both for themselves and for the children. Read on to learn more about how you can keep your children safe around water.

General Rules

  • Young children should always wear a lifejacket when in or around water.
  • Young children should always be supervised by an adult when in or around water.
  • These rules apply to even the smallest bodies of water, such as kiddie pools.

Rules for Boating

  • When it comes to boating, it is important for parents to remember that young children should wear their lifejackets, fully latched and properly placed, at all times. Though it is not always mandatory for adults to wear lifejackets, you may wish to consider wearing yours at all times in order to set a good example (and to keep yourself safe.)

Rules for the Pool

  • Backyard swimming pools must always be surrounded by a fence that prevents young children from entering unsupervised. This is one of the most important steps you can take in order to prevent drowning. NEVER allow you child to go near water unsupervised!
  • Spas and hot tubs are unsafe for young children as they can cause rapid overheating.

On Swimming Lessons

  • For children 5 years of age and older, swimming lessons are an important part of water safety. For children aged 1-4, water exposure and swimming lessons can make a difference, but parents should always assume that such children have zero swimming ability in order to prevent a dangerous situation.

Learn more…

With proper attention to safety, water recreation can be safe and fun for everyone! For more water safety information, visit the Beacon-Watch blog.

  Because no boat is entirely trustworthy—think of the Titanic—even if you are the greatest boater in the world, you may one day need to be able to survive in the water without it. This is why one of the most important aspects of boating safety actually has nothing to do with boats. Swimming is one of the most crucial skills to a safe boater, and, of all of the different methods of staying afloat, treading water may be the most useful to a boater. This is because rather than trying to swim to the shore, the passenger of a capsized boat is typically simply waiting where he or she is in order to be rescued. Below are 5 steps on how to tread water efficiently and correctly.

  • Do not try to swim. When swimming, you turn your body horizontally in the water and kick your legs. However, when treading water, you keep your body upright and use both your arms and legs.
  • Move your arms horizontally, and your legs back and forth in a circular motion.
  • Do not panic. Additionally, continue breathing normally. Panicking and hyperventilating can only waste your energy and make it more difficult to actually stay above the water.
  • Lie on your back if you are having trouble staying afloat in the normal position. This will also become difficult after a while, but it uses different muscles and different technique than regular water treading, so it may help you rest and stay afloat longer.
  • Use anything around you to stay afloat. This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you happen to see any floating debris—wood, garbage, etc—in the water, do not hesitate to grab onto it.

Looking for more ways to stay safe while boating? Check out BeaconWatch today for state of the art boating safety solutions.

It’s no fun thinking about boating accidents (and, fortunately, your odds of experiencing one are fairly low.) That being said, a bit of forethought can go a long way towards ensuring your safety—even if accidents are the last thing you want to be thinking about before hitting the lake! Here is an interesting breakdown of boating accidents by type provided by the California Department of Boating and Waterways that give you an idea of what to watch out for on the open water.

  • 32% of reported boating accidents in 2013 were collisions between two or more boating vehicles.
  • 22% involved flooding and/or swamping.
  • 13% involved grounding.
  • 12% involved sinking.
  • 11% of accidents were, in fact, skiing accidents.
  • 10% were related to capsizing.
  • 8% were man-overboard situations due to a fall.
  • 6% were boater-ejections.
  • 5% were caused by collision with a fixed object.
  • 3% were cause by fire and/or explosion.
  • *Note that some accidents involved more than one of the above criteria, which is why the percentages add up to be above 100.

So what can we learn from all of this? First of all, collisions are more common than the average boater assumes! Just because water doesn’t involve “traffic” the same way your morning commute does, doesn’t mean you should take your fellow boaters for granted! Boating collisions can be catastrophic, which is why it is highly important to always be aware and considerate when on the water.

Secondly, we can see that man-overboard situations add up to 14% of all accidents when falls and ejections are added together. This emphasizes the importance of wearing your lifejacket—after all, your life vest won’t do you any good if it is resting in the boat when you end up in the water! Moreover, you may wish to consider investing in an emergency locator beacon in order to assist should such a situation arise.

Finally, it is important to note that water-skiing, while exhilarating, does come with a bit of risk. To minimize the risks, skiers should always be alert, wear life jackets, and avoid skiing while under the influence.

For more boating safety advice, visit Beacon-Watch online today.

In boating, as with any other sport, sometimes things can go wrong. The difference between an annoying mishap and a life threatening disaster is knowing how to respond when things go south. Below you will find a list of several things that you should do, should you find yourself in a boat accident, or any other type of emergency at sea.

Remain Calm

When faced with a problem of any kind it is important to remember to stay calm and composed. There is no way to ensure that you will follow all of the correct procedure if you are unable to manage your emotions. Panicking could not only compromise your ability to manage a situation correctly, but could cause others to panic and accidentally hurt themselves or others as well.

Call the Proper Authorities

In a crisis, it is essential that the first thing you do is call either the Coast Guard or 911 emergency services, that way they can find you and help you as quickly as possible. If someone is hurt or your boat is damaged, this could be critical to getting back to shore safely. Attempting to deal with the problem if you are unqualified could only cause further damage.

Make Sure Your Passengers Are Okay

If your boat has been shaken, hit by debris, or compromised in any other way that could cause harm to the passengers, take the time to make sure no one has been seriously wounded. If someone is wounded, return to the shore as soon as is possible and seek help. If someone is in the water, react immediately in order to get them back on the boat safely. Time is of the essence in such situations, which is why we recommend the SeaMe™ Personal Safety Tag for boaters of all skill and experience levels.

Ensure That Your Boat Is Not Critically Damaged

This is an important step, because there are many things other than simply springing a leak that could cause damage to your boat or its passengers. For one, a motorboat that has been damaged could leak gas. Keep an eye and a nose out for the smell of gas, and if there is any reason to believe that your boat is leaking, turn the engine off. Allowing your boat to catch fire is, needless to say, very dangerous. In addition, note that fumes like carbon monoxide could leak into closed spaces of your boat.

Wait To Be Rescued

Unless your boat is facing the immediate threat of capsizing or catching fire, it is always better to remain in your boat than to attempt to swim or sail a compromised boat to safety. Rescue teams will surely find you faster and return you to land more safely than if you chance it and attempt to get to land yourself.

Be Prepared Before Disaster Strikes!

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It’s always better to avoid emergency situations from the onset rather than dealing with them when they arise. To learn more about boating safety and the steps you can take to ensure secure, enjoyable outings, visit Beacon-Watch online today!

Believe it or not, there are a surprising number of adults out there who have yet to learn how to swim. If you find yourself among that group, you may feel that it is already too late, or that learning how to swim simply isn’t worth the trouble. Perhaps you really do wish to learn how to swim, you’ve just always procrastinated, and now you don’t know how to start. Whatever the case may be, we’re here to tell you: learning is always possible!

Just in case you need a bit of motivation, here are four great reasons to learn how to swim!

  1. Fun. First of all, swimming can be a lot of fun! From enjoying a quick dip on a hot summer day, to competing in swimming competitions—there are so many opportunities to enjoy your newfound skill of swimming. This alone is plenty of reason to learn!
  2. Safety. On a more serious note, learning how to swim is one of the most important steps you can take in order to stay safe around bodies of water. Additionally, learning how to swim will put you in a better position to help those around you should an emergency situation ever arise.
  3. Health. Swimming is a fantastic form of exercise that works the entire body. Moreover, it doesn’t place stress on the ligaments in the way that other popular forms of cardiovascular exercise such as running do.
  4. Challenge Yourself. We should all be lifelong learners: it allows us to enjoy the richest life experience possible. Taking on the challenge of learning how to swim is a great way to expand your world!

If you’re ready to get started on the new adventure of learning how to swim, we recommend that you find an organization such as your local YMCA that offers a place to practice (and lessons if you so prefer.) Meanwhile, research always helps. Visit the Beacon-Watch blog for a plethora of water safety information!