Boating Safety Tips

 When Out on the Waves, Put Safety First

   Weather can change abruptly in a moment’s notice. Other boaters may intersect your path. Emergencies happen.

Applying these safety tips can help you enjoy the wind and the waves – and add to your peace of mind.

Boating Safety Tips

Watch for bad weather

Be aware of weather

Stay alert for bad weather signs while boating. Listen to a portable weather radio while on the water. If a Small Craft Advisory is announced, get to shore immediately. Because water conducts electricity, it’s important to get off the water at the very first sign that lightning could strike.

Know the rules

- You are responsible for the safety of those on board your boat and other boaters. Learn to recognize
   distress signals and rules:

- The vessel on the right has the right of way, as well as any boat being overtaken

- Powerboats must yield to sail boats, row boats and paddle boats

 - Stay well clear of all big vessels

- Navigate slowly and cautiously in a narrow waterway

Take care in cold water

Hypothermia can kill. If you must enter cold water, button up any clothing you can, put on your Personal Floatation Device (PFD), try to cover your head and enter the water slowly. If your boat capsizes, it will likely float on or just below the surface of the water.

Try to get as much of your body out of the water as possible by climbing onto the boat. Do NOT discard clothing; it will help trap heat. Draw your knees up to lessen the escape of heat. And if there are several people in the water, huddle together so you can conserve heat.

Stay sharp

Alcohol, drugs, medications and fatigue can all impair your ability to reason and make sound judgments. Up to half of all boating accidents involve alcohol, and a person under the influence is up to 10 times more likely to be killed in a boating accident than one who has not been drinking. Combining the effects of alcohol and cold water can also speed the onset of hypothermia, causing even good swimmers to drown.

DO NOT drink or take any medication or drugs that might impair your judgment when operating your boat.

Practice boating safety

   Water skiing, knee-boarding and tubing

The driver of the boat, the person being pulled and the observer must operate as a team. You all need to know the equipment, boating laws, the fundamentals of the sports and how to work together to make these water sports safe and fun. Make sure you know and use hand signals. Ensure the water where you’re boating is free of obstacles. And when you’re picking up a fallen skier, approach carefully from the driver’s side so the skier is always visible. Turn off the engine when near a skier to
avoid injury from the propeller.

Learn more

Improve your boating skills by taking a beginner or experienced boating safety course. The United States Power Squadron, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, United States Sailing Association and the American Red Cross all offer boating safety courses on what you need to know to hit the waves safely. And taking a boating safety course might make you eligible for insurance discounts as well.

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Not only can you trust safety information from Horizon, but you can trust our broad insurance policies that give you the coverage you want. Contact your local Horizon agent today for a policy that gives you more!

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