Boating techniques: If the weather is less than ideal, take some extra measures to ensure everyone’s comfort on your cruise. Keeping comfortable and calm is a part of staying safe on the water. Remember to where a lifejacket, and PSB. Check the weather Prep Your Crew Get Tuned Check Your Canvas Play the Sheets Keep it Calm Head Up or Run Tend to the Stick #beaconwatch Source: Keeping Control in Heavy Air … [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...]
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...]
Boating Accidents by Type
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 … [Read more...]
What To Do In A Boating Emergency
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 … [Read more...]