Swimming & Diving Articles

Boating Safety Tips

Having a safe and fun day on the water simply requires a little planning and a heavy dose of common sense. Most boaters are so much about having fun on the water that they sometimes overlook some FUNdamentals. Since boating is such a pleasurable treat, it?s very easy to let your guard down. So here?s the plan for a great and safe day on the water.

Planning your voyage Before leaving home, know where you are going, who will be with you, and when you expect to return. Obviously, if you are just going across the lake or up the river, this is a simple matter, but if your are going salt water fishing, it is critical that someone ashore knows where you are going and when you are expected to return ? so that they can call for help if you turn up overdue.

Make sure your boat is seaworthy Whether you are just going ?for a spin? or for a full day?s trip, it?s important to ensure that your boat is seaworthy (not taking on water), your engine is reliable, and you have the proper safety equipment on board. Your boat should never be overloaded with people or gear and the engine must be of adequate power to push the loaded boat through the worst possible conditions that you can imagine. Whatever bad weather you can expect, sometimes you just get really surprised!

Have the proper boat equipment, fuel and supplies There are few worse experiences than being broken down or out of fuel in a boat well out of the sight of land. Before venturing out, make certain that you have enough fuel to go to the farthest point and back and still have half a tank to spare, taking into consideration the various marinas and fuel stops that may be along your planned route. Never leave the dock without, at a minimum, a Person Floatation Device (PFD) for each person in the boat and a throwable floating cushion as well. You must have a fire extinguisher of adequate size and type for the boat. The battery(s) must be fully charged and the bilge pump in good working order. Be sure that the boat?s blower, horn, and navigation lights are in good working order ? even if you don?t intent to be out at night. Although it?s usually not a legal requirement in most states, you should always have an anchor and line of the size and length to enable you to safeguard the boat in the event of a breakdown. If you plan to be out of cell phone range, a marine radio is a must as is a GPS for navigation if you are going out to sea.

Have the proper people equipment, fuel and supplies! For you and your crew, be certain to have enough water, ice and snacks. A good sunscreen lotion is a must and the sun?s rays are greatly enhanced by the reflections off the water. Be sure to take the medical needs of your crew and guests, especially if someone is a diabetic, has a heart condition or other chronic condition. Of course, a good first aid kit is important. If alcoholic beverages are on the menu, make sure that nobody overdoes it, particularly anyone who will operate the boat. Since there are no lanes out on the water, other boaters can approach from any direction and the driver of the boat must be ever alert to traffic, wakes, and conditions. Most states now enforce a ?Boating Under the Influence? law with serious consequences for those who overdo the alcohol and then risk their lives and those of their crew by driving a boat. I just pays to have a designated driver along.

Unexpected variables Many things can come up to surprise you when you are out on the water, particularly the weather. Check out the weather forecast before leaving the dock so that you know what?s expected. Of course, storms are most likely to ?pop up? at any time, so it really pays to keep an eye to the horizon at all times. If you see a thunderhead approaching, you should not try to outrun it, but to take a course at a 90 degree angle from the direction of the storm. If you can get to a harbor or shoreline and tie up, that would be advised. If you cannot avoid being in the storm, stow all loose gear, just keep the bow of the boat pointed into the direction of the storm and give the engine enough gas to keep the bow raised to handle the wave action. My salty old Coast Guard chief petty officer used to say,? boats are made for bad weather, people are not!?. If it is in reasonably good condition, your boat will likely weather the storm very well. All of the SOB?s (Souls on Board) should put their PFD on at the first sighting of a bad storm ? just to be safe. If people become ill during the rough weather, help them rest as much as possible.

If you will take the proper precautions and plan ahead just a little bit, your voyage on the water will be a whole lot of fun. Have a great cruise!

Don is a veteran of the U S Coast Guard and is a retired marina owner and boat dealer, His websiteMore Free Boating Articles, has many more free articles related to recreational boating.

Other Article Sites

findabook.com  moneycd.info  a-mortgage.info   about-lemon-laws.info  aboutstudentloans.info
all-about-publishing.info  auctions-articles.info  bestcollege-university.com  bestispconnection.com
biblefolder.com  blogger-website.com  books-used.info  brokers-guide.info  buywindows.info  cable-dsl.info
career-miner.com  carpel-tunnel.info  cashinaflash.info  cashloanreviews.info  casinobell.com  chat-house.info
clearmycredit.info  collegeloantips.info  crones.info  depression-articles.info   dirnic.net  dishguides.info
divers-below.com  expodog.info   financewizz.com  fire-insurance.info  getgood.info  handleit.net   it-idea.info
health-supplies.info  hosting-right.com  insidealert.com  insurance-facts.info  jobs-employment.info
justgood.info  lookgold.net   lowcost-travel.info  money-source.info  myhostzone.info  numisblog.com
peoplesearchfinder.info  pr-articles.info  realeas.com   refinancing-guides.info  spyware-remove.info
telelot.info  the-law.info   toppaid.info  travel-deals.info  travelcorrect.com  wedding-guide-site.com
your-blog.info  your-credit.info

Harry Potter Fans: Brush up on Previous Plot Lines before Diving into Deathly Hallows
With final book set to be released on Saturday, Harry Potter fans continue to build comprehensive, online information resource about the popular series.

LifeTips Launches Scuba Diving Tip Site
Free information about scuba diving equipment, certification, and dive locations.

Popular Scuba Diving Sites from LeisurePro
Whether you are a beginning scuba diver or a seasoned pro, there are many action-packed dive destinations in the least obvious locales, including hundreds of sites in the Northeast.

MoreBeach.com Announces Second Annual Winter Surfing Photo & Writing Contest
MoreBeach.com announces its Second Annual Winter Surfing Photo & Writing Contest. Surfers and their friends are invited to submit photos, stories, poems and haiku for cash prizes.

Suunto Gekko Scuba Diving Computer
The Suunto Gekko is one of the most popular scuba diving computers in the UK, especially among newly qualified scuba divers. This is because it offers all a basic scuba diver needs and is fairly cheap.

Helpful Boating Trailer Tips
Learning the proper way to trailer a boat is a necessity for any individual who does in fact trailer their boat as opposed to keeping it on a lift or at a storage facility that offers "in and out" service for their customers.

Dont Fall Victim to Internet Fraud-10 Tips for Safer Surfing
The Internet offers a global marketplace for consumers and businesses. However, criminals also recognize the potential of cyberspace.

Synchronized Swimming Advantage for Twins
The Olympic Contests for Synchronized Swimming are a testament to the natural human ability of telepathy. What we find in College and University Level synchronized swimmers thru observation and data of the top athletes is that those teams which have been long time friends seem to have a mind connection, which far surpasses generally accepted scientific knowledge.

Scuba Diving Bali
Despite a series of terrorist bomb attacks in 2002 and 2005 killing hundreds of tourists and locals hitting the tourism industry hard for short periods, the tropical Indonesian island of Bali is still attracting many vacationing tourists.

Where To Go Scuba Diving In Bali
The tropical Indonesian island of Bali is still attracts millions of tourists every year. Tourists on vacations to Bali are attracted by the mystique, charms and allure of the predominantly traditional Hindu culture, spectacular tropical jungles, mountains and beautiful beaches. Many tourists especially from nearby Australia and Singapore travel to Bali for scuba Diving. The islands in Bali are well known for its excellent scuba diving locations.

Use The Right Knots If You Want To Keep The Fish From Swimming Away
So many people who tell stories about really big fish that got away at the last moment would not be told if the person telling the story had just a basic knowledge of tying knots Yes it's true that if you are eager to get started with fishing and you just can't stand the pressure the knot may have been worse than it would normally be

Swimming techniques can improve your Triathlon time
Swimming Efficiently Requires Vessel ShapingIn order to improve their swimming times, athletes competing in a Triathlon should focus on their vessel shaping. Usually a triathlete will focus on increasing their propulsion through the water, giving their body alignment little or no thought.

What You Need To Know Prior To Scuba Diving
Scuba diving can be a great pastime for you if you love the water. In the summer it's a great water sport where you can cool off while keeping physically fit! However there are aspects that you will want to consider first. These will indeed help you better decide if it's for you, and make it very enjoyable as well.

Introduction To Boating And Sailing
Boating and sailing is not only one of the most popular pastimes today, they have been a popular means of transportation, recreation, and occupation, for nearly all of recorded history. Throughout history, boating and sailing has been a means for many of mankind?s greatest discoveries, important battles, expansions and migrations, and a source of food and livelihood. While boating and sailing still maintain many of those roles today, for most of us boating and sailing are a source of recreation, fun, competition, and relaxation.