Buying a boat is a dream come true for many. The sun on your face, the spray of water on your arms, and the wind blowing your hair in every possible direction: all that sounds fun and exciting. If you love to be in the water, boating offers a thrilling experience. If you plan to buy your first one, here’s a guide to help you become a boater. With these tips, your first forays into the water should be fun, exhilarating, and safe.
Ensure Safety on Board
Boating is a low-risk activity. But like most things, once people get hurt, that could put a quick end to your holiday. With guides for beginner boaters, the first thing you should establish is safety aboard your vessel. You’ll need to attend a boating safety course. Pay attention to every detail you learn from the training. The information will help you stay safe while boating.
Choose Your Activities
When reading guides for beginner boaters, pay close attention to safety protocols, conditions, and rules that affect some locations you want to visit. Think about the activities you want to engage in. Will you leisurely paddle along the water? Do you want to stay in one spot and wait hours until the fish takes the bait? Determine the activities you want to try and check out the information on guides from trusted boating experts and sources.
Consider Your Group
Another factor that affects the activities you choose is your group. Who’s with you? Are you doing them solo or with friends and family? If you’re part of a group, discuss your options. Are there kids with you? That will affect the activities you can choose for your boating holiday. If you’re doing this solo, you’ll have greater rein and freedom to pick activities you want to participate in.
Read the Weather Report
When do you plan to go boating? Consider the date and time carefully. Read the weather report. If you’re not satisfied, check the historical data to see what the weather has been like in the area during those months for the last five years. That should give you an accurate estimate of the weather patterns you can expect. If it usually rains during the dates you choose, pick a different set of dates. Better safe than sorry, after all.
Try Short Trips
Too many first-time boaters make the mistake of going on a long boating trip the first time they get on the boat. But that could backfire on you when the experience fails to meet your expectations. Going on short trips is an excellent way to ease into it. Short trips prepare you. You learn how to control the boat and pay attention to the details while you navigate the water. With short boating trips, you can familiarize yourself with the process and get used to the experience. With regular short stays on your boat, you’ll be ready for overnight or long boating trips soon.
Wear a Life Jacket
Yes, they can be cumbersome. But having life jackets is a must when you’re in a boat, especially if you’re boating with a crew and have kids in your group. Make sure everyone wears them at all times. You never know when a particularly choppy wave can toss the boat around. Someone could get thrown into the water accidentally. If that ever happens, having a life jacket will make it easier to rescue them and keep their heads above water.
Make a Checklist
Prepare for everything. That might sound tedious, but planning helps prevent issues and accidents. Besides, you don’t want to rush through anything and miss details. Give yourself time to set things up. Prep the boat for launch and go through your pre-departure checklist to see if you’ve ticked every box on the list.
Work on the Schedule
Before you go boating, set aside enough time for when you come back. Once your boat docks, you need time to secure the boat, clean it up, and wash it down. If you hurry and leave the boat without cleaning it, the leftover water could damage the materials of the boat long-term. It’s best to wash the boat and wipe it down or let it dry before you go. Factor all that into your schedule. Knowing how much time you’ll have to spend taking care of the boat after you take it out will help you manage your time on the water better.
Talk to the Group
Do you have a crew? Give everyone a task, even the kids. Make sure they’re involved. That helps create rapport and teamwork, making the holidays fun for your group. Let everyone participate. Brainstorm the responsibilities, tasks, and duties you want to assign. Talk to the group. That should give you excellent ideas on how to make some of the tasks fun.
