Boat Safety Tips Everyone Should Follow

No matter how much experience an individual has of being in the water - -- whether it's for fishing, canoeing or just relaxing. It’s imperative for everyone to follow certain boating safety rules. Listed below are a few safety tips every individual should follow:

Be Weather-Wise

It’s important to always check the weather before departure. Getting stuck in the middle of a water body with heavy rain is never a good idea. Refer to TV and radio forecasts for information. While on water if an individual notices darkening clouds, volatile and rough changing winds or sudden drops in temperature its best to get off the water and play it safe.

Use Common Sense

One of the most important parts of boating safety is to use common sense. This means operating at a safe speed at all times (especially in crowded areas), staying alert at all times and steering clear of large vessels and watercraft that can be restricted in their ability to stop or turn. Also, be respectful of buoys and other navigational aids, all of which have been placed there to ensure your own safety.

Designate an Assistant Skipper

It’s important to have at least two people on the boat who knows how to handle a boat. If one of them is injured, it’s important that someone else can take over to bring the boat to safety. Therefore, it’s important to have individuals who have båt förarintyg.

Inform People

Whenever an individual plans on going boating, it’s best to let others know where they are going and how long they will be gone. In the boating community, it’s called a float plan. It generally should include:

• name, address, and phone number of trip leader
• name and phone number of all passengers
• boat type and registration information
• trip itinerary
• types of communication and signal equipment onboard, such as an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)

Make Proper Use of Lifejackets

Major drawings happen because victims did not wear their life jackets. Make sure everyone on the boat is fitted with their lifeguard before they take to the water. This is the best way to avoid family and friends to stay off the statistics of people drowning.

Avoid Alcohol

Save the alcohol for later. The probability of being involved in a boating accident doubles when alcohol is involved and studies have shown that the effects of alcohol are exacerbated by sun and wind.

Learn to Swim

For those who want to be in or around water, it’s best they know how to swim. Individuals could take classes in their local swimming pool that offer training for various age groups.

Take a Boating Course

For Körkort båt safely, it’s best that individuals take boating courses. A boating course usually includes topics like navigation inshore, maritime safety, seamanship, knots and Collision Regulations. The main focus is generally on navigation and the Collision Regulations. It's always important to be educated and prepared for every circumstance that might arise. Individuals can take boating safety classes online as well.

A company that can help individuals gain a certificate of boat driver is Navigationsgruppen.