Boating trips are about having an enjoyable time while you’re on the water. It’s always fun and games until someone becomes injured or ill or has a bad experience. No matter your boating activity of choice, there are “golden rules” that will go a long way toward ensuring a safe outing.
From sunshine to storms, seasickness, and swimming, there are many things that could potentially go wrong on a boating trip. What can you do to reduce the risk of illness, injury, or accident?
Know Your Limits
Accidents commonly occur while boating in conditions that exceed our skill level. Here are some tips for any type of boating you undertake:
- Start slow.
- Get some training.
- Go with experienced boaters.
- Visit your local boating equipment dealer and ask questions.
- Practice self-rescue.
Be honest with yourself and ask yourself: if the worst happens, can you handle it? Are you being urged by others to do something you know you shouldn’t attempt? Mishaps will inevitably occur out there on the water. Do you have proper Boat Insurance coverage that will have you completely covered in the event of an accident?
Never Boat Alone
There’s safety in numbers. If you get into trouble when you’re by yourself, you’re completely dependent on your own resources to get you out of it. If you’re with others, you have their resources to call on. Even if they can’t totally rescue you, at the very least, they can go for help.
Bring Backup
Create a kit with enough essentials to assist you through an unplanned night out. It can be small enough to store in a life jacket pouch and include some basic first aid supplies such as a fire steel or waterproof matches, some fire starters (cotton balls saturated with Vaseline work great), a space blanket or bivvy and a collapsible water container with some water purification tablets.
Always keep a knife and whistle on you and consider storing some warm clothes, high-energy snacks, headlamp and some lightweight rope on the boat.
ALWAYS Wear your Life Jacket
70 percent of all boating deaths are drownings, and over 80 percent of all drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket. Wearing your jacket at all times while you’re on the water is the most important thing you can do to ensure your safety. Claiming you don’t need one because you are a good swimmer is like saying you’re a good driver so you don’t need to wear a seatbelt. Are you going to be near the water? Wear your life jacket!
About Provident Protection Plus
At Provident Protection Plus, we have served the businesses and residents of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania for more than 65 years. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of Provident Bank, the region’s premier banking institution, and we are prepared to offer you personal, business, employee benefit, and risk management solutions. To learn more about our coverage options, contact our specialists today at (888) 990-0526.