Basic Boat Safety Tips

Operating a boat requires you to be responsible and practical to ensure that your trips don’t end up causing anyone harm or doing any property damage. Following best boat safety practices will reduce the stress you feel and allow you to drive your boat with confidence, knowing that you’ve done your part to prepare for any eventuality.

Educate Passengers

Before departing the dock, you should go over the rules of your boat with your passengers, whether they’re adults, kids, or teenagers. Let everyone know where emergency gear is and what they can and cannot do on board your vessel. It’s especially important to inform children and teens that they must not run or jump around on the boat, nor should they disrupt the operator while the boat is in motion.

Also, it’s wise to appoint an experienced and capable adult passenger as your skipper so that they can take over handling the boat in case you become incapacitated due to illness or injury. You should also ensure that you have life jackets, also known as personal flotation devices (PFDs), for every passenger.

Stay Sober & Vigilant

As the boat operator, you should never drink alcohol or use recreational drugs before or during the trip. Save your celebratory beer for when you’re back at home. Also, avoid operating your boat if you haven’t gotten enough sleep or if you’re feeling sick or emotional, as your focus will be dampened and you won’t react as quickly to obstacles in your path.

Maintain Your Boat

A boat that isn’t taken care of is liable to break down on you randomly in the middle of your trip. Make sure you’re staying on top of regular boat maintenance tasks like oil changes, cleanings, tune-ups and engine checks. If you ever need assistance with boat maintenance, get in touch with the Beacon Light Marina service department to make an appointment with us.

When you’re ready to buy a new or used boat in Maryland, come see us at our Middle River dealership to view our current inventory. Beacon Light Marina is proud to serve all our customers in the greater Baltimore, MD, metropolitan area.