Basic Boating Safety
When summer hits, everyone with an ounce of mariner in them wants to be on the water as soon as they can make it happen. This means taking your boat out of storage, throwing off the covers, loading it on the trailer and heading for the coast, the lake, the river … but wait. Before you rush out the door with your lifejacket half-fastened, let’s take a minute to run through some basic boating safety practices first, lest you find yourself in dire straits (aquatic pun intended). Your local boat dealer Active Water Sports has locations in Oregon City and Beaverton, Oregon, and we’re big fans of heading to the coast with our boats, which means we’re also well-versed in basic boating safety practices.
Preparations
As soon as you remove your boat from storage, you should give it an inspection. Even if you’ve already set sail a few times this year, make sure you look for damage before your next excursion. You don’t want to find yourself with a dead engine or a cracked hull when you’re out in the middle of the water.
Your next step should be to check the forecast for the day you intend to head out, particularly if you’re going to the coast. Ocean tides and weather can be deeply unpredictable, and storms can rise up out of seemingly nowhere, so you’ll want to defer your trip if you see any warnings coming up. If you’re already out and see clouds rolling in, head back to shore posthaste, because you don’t know whether strong winds, lightning or hail are coming with them.
Take the time to educate another passenger on your boat’s operation so they can be the assistant skipper, able to take over should you become unable to operate your boat. Educate your passengers on safety practices and keep a list of rules and equipment locations where everyone can see and read it. Also, all your passengers should know how to swim, even if they’re not very good at it, because you never know when a swift wind or rogue wave will throw someone off the boat. Even with flotation devices available, knowing how to swim and stay afloat is important for anyone venturing onto the open water.
Carry Safety Equipment
You should have several pieces of safety equipment on your boat at all times. Everyone should have a lifejacket, even if you don’t wear these at all times on larger boats. Make sure your boat has a throwable life ring for any person who falls overboard. Keep a fire extinguisher in an easily-accessible place, along with a hand-crank radio, your cell phone, a first-aid kit and signal flares. All of these supplies will be of great benefit to you if an emergency arises.
Follow Best Practices
When you’re out on the water, it’s important that you follow the local regulations as well as some common sense safety practices to keep yourself and those around you safe and sound. Give other water users a wide berth, especially groups of swimmers, and pass other watercraft to the right. Never drink alcohol before or while you operate your boat. Alcohol will both impede your focus and slow your reflexes, and should you fall overboard while intoxicated, the blood flow to your extremities will be reduced, which sharply increases your chance of contracting hypothermia. Stay safe by staying sober. Don’t take any undue risks or try to fit your boat into places it doesn’t belong so you don’t run aground on hidden debris.
Having prepared yourself accordingly for the water, you might be thinking about purchasing a brand new boat for summer adventures. Check out the wide variety of new and used boats at one of our Oregon showrooms in Oregon City and Beaverton. Active Water Sports serves the greater Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington metro areas. We also welcome our customers coming from Eugene, Salem, Bend and anywhere in central Oregon.