Stock Up Your Boat

Now that the warm weather has finally arrived, boaters all across Ontario are getting themselves and their  boats ready for the water. Whether you’re an angler or a wakeboarder, you’re undoubtedly among them. However, boating requires you to follow good safety practices in order to keep yourself and those around you safe and happy without ruining anyone else’s day on the water.
 

Howell’s Marine Sales & Service in Chatham, ON, is proud to be your local boat dealer. Here are some summer boating safety tips to help you boat responsibly no matter where you choose to go!

Plan Ahead

Every good journey starts with some careful planning. Making a checklist of everything you need to bring can be very helpful. You’ll also want to educate your passengers on good safety practices, especially kids and teenagers. Everyone on your boat should know how to swim and be able to keep themselves afloat in the water if they fall overboard. You should also appoint someone to be your assistant skipper in case you become injured or sick and can’t operate the boat safely. Teach this person how the boat works so that they can help you out in a pinch.

Make sure that you inform someone back on shore where you’re going, how long you plan to be out and when you expect to return. Keep in touch with them via cell phone in case there are any delays. This person can alert rescue crews to your location if they don’t hear from you by an appointed time.

Check The Weather

You don’t want to head out onto the water only to have to rush back to shore because a storm is brewing. Check the forecast in advance of your trip and check again the morning of your departure to make sure there aren’t any dangerous weather conditions on the forecast. You can go out in a mild drizzle or with some wind, but very high winds, frigid temperatures, lightning or hail mean that you should delay your trip. You’ll also want to check the tides if you’re going somewhere coastal to make sure you don’t run aground.

Perform Regular Maintenance

You should never take your boat out on the water without ensuring that it’s ready to go. Make a point to perform regular maintenance tasks on schedule so that your boat is always in good working order. Before you head out, you should fill up your fuel tank and check your oil to make sure it’s clean. Walk around your boat to look for any signs of damage that may make it dangerous to operate. Make sure that your registration and paperwork is up to date and that you have all the necessary gear to dock your boat, such as ropes or bungee cords.

Stock Up Your Boat

Your boat should have some necessities on it that will help you and your passengers to be comfortable and safe on the water. The most important safety accessory is a life jacket, otherwise known as a personal flotation device or PFD. Every passenger, whether they’re an adult, a teenager or a child, should wear a well-fitted PFD from when they arrive at the dock to when they disembark the craft. Your boat should also have a throwable life ring for anyone who falls overboard to grab.

You’ll want to have signal flares, a fire extinguisher, an emergency radio, a small tool kit, your phone with a charger, a laminated map of the area you’ll be boating in, a compass and your GPS unit. The map and compass will come in handy if your GPS fails on you. You’ll also want to stock a first-aid kit with bandages, ointments, waterproof sunscreen, aloe vera, petroleum jelly, tweezers, ginger candies or motion-sickness medication, painkillers, antacids and any medical supplies that you or your passengers may need for managing chronic conditions.

Pack a cooler full of snacks and drinks in advance so you don’t have to stop on the way to pick up food. Sandwiches, string cheese, granola bars, crackers and fresh fruit are all good options, along with plenty of bottled water or juice boxes. You may want to carry a few bottles of ginger ale for upset stomachs, too.

Ready to check out some boats for sale near London, ON? Browse our website to see the vast array of new and used boats for sale at our dealership in Chatham. Thank you for choosing Howell’s Marine Sales & Service!