Seasoned veterans and newcomers alike can benefit from water safety tips and reminders! Whether boating is your favorite pastime and you’re basically a pro, or you completely new to owning a new or used boat, you’ll want to check out our water safety tips below. Stay safe and have fun!
Water Safety Tips
- Always wear a life jacket – even if you’re an experienced swimmer. This one is non-negotiable. State law requires children under 13 to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD (personal floatation device) while underway. As a good rule of thumb, keep a few extra PFDs in your boat’s storage in both youth and adult sizes.
- Abstain from alcohol while on the water. Texas Parks & Wildlife (TPWD) reports the following:
- The probability of being killed in a boating accident doubles when alcohol is involved.
- Operating a boat under the influence is just as dangerous as driving a car after you’ve been drinking. Boating while intoxicated (BWI) is strictly enforced and carries penalties similar to driving while intoxicated penalties, including possible Driver’s License suspension.
Bottom line? If you “need” alcohol to have a fun time out on the water, it’s time to rethink your idea of fun. We said what we said.
- Take a boater education class. Don’t know where to find one? Click here or contact us! We can help.
- Take extra care and precautions on personal watercrafts. Thoroughly learn how to operate it – don’t just trust your instinct. (That’s a good way to wind up injured or dead.)
- Don’t overload your boat, and operate at a safe speed. These might seem like common sense, but the vast majority of boating accidents come from throwing caution to the wind. Again, the TPWD states:
- Although there are no numerical speed limits on the water, citations may be issued for excessive speed or reckless operation. Use common sense, and operate at a safe speed at all times — especially in crowded areas.
- Excessive speed is a rate of speed greater than is reasonable or prudent without regard for conditions and hazards or greater than will permit a person to bring the boat to a stop within the assured clear distance ahead.
- Maintain at least 50 feet of distance between other watercrafts, people, platforms, or objects unless you’re operating at headway speed.
- While we’re on the topic of other objects, use other passengers as extra sets of eyes to look out for submerged objects, low water areas, etc. Note we said extra sets, not replacement sets. The boat operator should also keep a full lookout, as well. But group safety is the responsibility of everyone, not just one.
- Finally, get your boat serviced routinely! Everyone knows the frustration of having a roadside breakdown in your vehicle…but breakdowns out on the water can be even more complicated to figure out. Thankfully, keeping your boat in water-ready condition with regular service means that you can prevent almost any problem. We want to help you get the most out of your days out on the water. Contact us today to schedule boat service!
