Service your winches and rinse blocks with fresh water On Deck Give each winch a quick spin. If they’re not turning freely, now is the time to strip and clean them. Windlass issues are almost always down to poor connections. Inspect these closely, especially at the foot switches, and if necessary take the connections apart, clean them, apply some petroleum jelly or dielectric grease and reassemble. Source: 35 Things to Check Before You Launch Your Boat … [Read more...]
How to Prepare Your Boat for an Emergency
Boating accidents. We all like to think they cannot happen to us. However, while the odds of a boating emergency are slim, particularly for those who follow the proper safety protocol, even the most diligent and careful boater can find himself or herself in an emergency. The difference between your boating accident being an inconvenience and a disaster is the difference between coming prepared and failing to do what is necessary to prepare. So what can you do to prepare your boat and … [Read more...]
Choosing the Right Life Vest
There are too many tragedies on the water as a result of people not wearing life vests. Whether you are young, old, a seasoned swimmer, or someone who has never swam before, you need to wear a life vest. Here are some tips to help you pick the right vest for your age, body type, and activity. Finding the proper type of vest Using the wrong kind of vest can be just as dangerous as wearing no vest at all. It is a general rule that life vests that inflate automatically upon immersion, and vests … [Read more...]
Cold Water: Safety and Survival
For most of the northern hemisphere, the beginning of August marks the point in which temperatures slowly begin to fall. Of course, depending on where you live, you may still continue to enjoy warm weather and sunny days for weeks--or even months--to come. But for most, at some point or another, the weather will eventually change, bringing with it cool days, changing colors, and radically different water conditions. Despite these changes, millions of people will continue boating both … [Read more...]
3 Frequently Overlooked Steps of Winterizing a Recreational Boat
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 … [Read more...]
Water Safety For Young Children
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 … [Read more...]
4 Tips for Safer and More Enjoyable Boating
Whether for sport or for recreation, on a lake or in the open sea; few things are more enjoyable than a day of boating. No matter where you may be boating, it is always important to prioritize safety. This is not to say that safety must take a back seat to fun--in fact, the two often go hand-in-hand. Here are four simple tips that can help improve both safety and enjoyment at the same time! 1. Remember to fill up on gas. Nothing can more easily ruin a day on the water than running out of … [Read more...]
10 Items All Boaters Should Bring Along on All Outings
The United States Coast Guard mandates that a certain set of safety equipment be present on any recreational boat. This list includes a number of basic items that are absolutely crucial for emergency mitigation. However, there are a number of other items that aren’t legally required, but can make a huge difference in your safety and enjoyment of the trip. Here are our top ten items all boaters should bring along on all outings. A first aid kit. Though not a legal requirement, having … [Read more...]