Beacon Watch

boats, safety, sports

winter

Think Ahead This Winter for Stress-Free Boating

When all the summer and autumn fun is over, more than just a few owners really slack off when it comes to winterizing their boat or getting prepared for the next boating season. This article is a friendly little reminder, after all the time, money, and energy that you have put into your boat, that it is not wise to get lazy when it comes to putting your boat in storage. In fact, the late fall and winter seasons usually offer the greatest opportunity to do some constructive and necessary tinkering with your craft, as well as the financial opportunity to make some well-advised purchases for the next year.

Winterizing your boat means more than just draining the engine, adding antifreeze, and putting in some fuel additives.  It’s an opportune time to inspect your vessel from stem to stern to make sure that the cold weather does not cause new or further damage. Not only can you do some intensive cleaning, but you also can repair all those minor problems before they get any worse.  Ice, dirt, and debris can cause splits in hatches and window tracks, or can make tiny cracks in the hull worse – it pays to keep your boat clean and covered with a reliable tarp. Excessive humidity or dryness can cause electronic components to corrode and malfunction, so all of these parts should be removed and brought inside if possible. You don’t want to deal with these problems in the spring or summer when your ready to go on an outing.

Winter is also a great time too to make all those purchases that can make your boating safer and more enjoyable. The SeaMe Monitor from BeaconWatch for instance is a great addition to your boating repertoire. The monitor is a small GPS device with an intense LED strobe light that attaches to a person and lets you locate them quickly in case they accidentally fall overboard.

Instead of feeling “stir crazy” this winter from being stuck in the house, use your free time to make those little adjustments to your boat that will make the next season a lot more hassle free.  Also, when it comes time to make your Christmas list, or spend a little bit of your tax return money, consider upgrading your safety program with a SeaMe Monitor. Thinking ahead can really pay off when you pull the tarp off your boat next spring.

Cold Weather Boating

No doubt there are advantages to boating in seasons other than summer: the autumn leaves can be a spectacular flash of color, fishing is usually outrageous in the spring, and after a freshly fallen snow winter has a pristine beauty all its own. An off-season excursion however has the unique dangers of cold weather boating. Here is a simple checklist for any boat captain to examine to be sure everyone is safe on all of his off-season adventures.

  • Be sure to check the weather beforehand.  Don’t wait until your ready to leave the dock before you decide to see what those dark clouds are!
  • Leave a detailed float plan for someone you trust. In cold weather, it is especially critical for someone to know where you are in the event of an emergency.
  • Avoid wearing cotton clothing. Cotton stays damp and wet from either water or perspiration and so is not the fabric of choice when you are out in cold weather. Try to wear water-resistant material that wicks moisture away from the body when it gets wet.
  • Do all the proper maintenance on your boat before every excursion.  Don’t get stranded out of negligence.
  • Have a life jacket for everyone and a SeaMe monitor from BeaconWatch.  If someone falls in the water the SeaMe monitor let’s you locate them quickly and pull them out before they drown or get hypothermia.  
  • Have your cell phone charged and in a plastic baggie.
  • Avoid alcohol. Alcohol not only is one of the leading factors in boating accidents, but it also can bring on hypothermia a lot quicker.

If a captain takes a few extra cold weather precautions, boating in the off-seasons can a enjoyable and peaceful experience. With these steps, your boat doesn’t have to sit in storage for half of the time, but can be a part of your life all year long.

Preparing for Cold Weather and the Ski Season

Skiing is one of the most popular cold weather sports in the world. When done responsibly, skiing can be very safe; however it does present a number of unique safety challenges. In fact, the cold weather that makes skiing possible is itself a potential hazard. Fortunately, there are a few easy steps that anyone can take in order to protect themselves.

The Clothes

First of all, it’s essential to dress correctly. Frostbite and hypothermia can occur more easily than many people realize, especially if one neglects to dress in a warm, waterproof set of clothing. Long lasting exposure to cold weather can also weaken the body’s defenses, making one more susceptible to illnesses such as the cold or the flu. Here is a simple guide to dressing for a skiing outing:

The bottom layer: The bottom layer of clothing should be relatively tight fitting, and should be made of a wicking material. Wicking material is designed to draw sweat and other moisture away from the body. Synthetic materials such as polyester, polyethylene, and microfiber-based fabrics generally do the best job at wicking moisture, however wool has fairly effective wicking properties as well. Cotton is the worst material to use as a bottom layer, as its tends to lose its insulative quality when wet or damp.

The middle layer: The middle layer can vary depending on weather conditions–on warmer days you may wish to use lighter jackets and sweaters, whereas on colder days you can add more clothing.

The outer layer: The outer layer must be waterproof. This means a shell coat and ski pants (if there is any piece of clothing you should invest in specifically, it would be ski pants. There’s no replacing the value they offer). The smartest way to invest in outer layer clothing is to buy clothes with no built in insulation, that way they can be used in all weather conditions.

The Forecast

It is incredibly important to be aware of any potentially dangerous weather situations that could arise, which is why it’s important to check the forecast before hitting the slopes.

Beacon-Watch

From cold-weather skiing to extreme water sports, Beacon Watch is committed to helping sports enthusiasts of all kinds enjoy safe and responsible activities. Check out our website for more info on ski safety, boating safety, and our innovative line of sporting safety products.