Enjoying time on the ocean is amazing. You feel alive, you feel free, and you witness spectacular vistas that few people get to see. The ocean is also a dangerous place so ensure you take the necessary safety precautions before and during a voyage.
Even if your time on the water is sailing up and down rivers, you should always take a safety-first approach.
Essential Boating Tips
With this in mind, let’s take a look at the tips that will keep you safe while sailing and provide a more enjoyable time on the water. You can check out narrow boats for sale UK and https://www.baymfg.com/ and you’ll surely find the boat of your dreams for your next sailing adventure.
Keep Your Boat Maintained
Whether you have a high-end yacht or a small dinghy, you have to ensure that the boat is in seaworthy condition. Ensure regular maintenance and servicing is performed. It is no fun if you breakdown at sea or sailing along the river.
Regular servicing ensures that parts that are suffering wear and tear can be replaced before they let you down. Your boat tie down cleats should be of best quality.
Many buy boat accessories at Forboat.eu to keep their boat in a seaworthy condition.
Carry Spare Parts
It is good to carry a few essential spare parts, including essential safety equipment such as radios and lifejackets. Again, being stranded is no fun, and you never know when you may need to rely on safety equipment.
Always Wear a Lifejacket
A lifejacket will keep you afloat even if you are unconscious. It can help keep you alive until help arrives. According to research, should fall overboard while at sea; you are four times more likely to survive if you are wearing a well fitted and maintained lifejacket.
Of course, you have to ensure you’re wearing one for your lifejacket to help keep you in the game should disaster strike.
Like your boat, ensure that lifejackets are well maintained before taking to the water.
Ensure You Can Call For Help
Always have more than one means of calling for help. Just as importantly, ensure that everyone on board can use the radios and they are easily reached. Even if you are hugging the coastline, you still need to ensure that you can call for help when needed.
Know Your Limits
It is essential that you know how to sail. Wings Bareboat Charter Whitsundays advises that when hiring a bareboat charter most people run into problems because they take on bigger challenges without having the training to cope. As such, it is important you take courses that show you the dynamics of sailing. There are courses for complete beginners and advanced courses that include living onboard, coastal cruising or venturing further out to sea.
Choosing a Crew
Of course, you might decide to leave the boat handling to an experienced crew. This allows you to enjoy the voyage without having to worry about the nitty-gritty of sailing. When choosing a crew, ensure they have relevant qualifications, are experienced, and can provide references.
As well as the checks, trust your intuition and that you can get on with them. You want a commutative crew and able to provide information on a situation should you need it.
By ensuring your boat trips are as safe as possible, the better time you will have on the water.
