Boating is a recreational pastime that many people enjoy during the summer. In fact, avid boaters are overjoyed when the weather becomes warm, and they can spend time on their boats. However, just as in any recreational activity, boating is not without some risks.
For people who want to be long-term recreational boaters they should be well aware of the risks involved, particularly so that they can ensure the safety of themselves and other boaters. When people are on boats, they are often very relaxed and at ease, but they should still stay vigilant about some of the very real dangers that boating has, such as drowning.
Drowning Is The Main Risk Of Boating
A person can drown in under a minute. This sobering fact should always be on the mind of people when boating. This means that even in a very short span of time, someone can drown, so everyone should always remain vigilant. Some things that people can do to minimize the risk of drowning are:
- Always wear life vests
- Never go boating when there’s a danger of bad weather
- Always keep track of everyone who’s on the boat
- Avoid drinking alcohol
- Assign swimming partners
By taking these precautions, many unnecessary deaths or injuries can be avoided. Wearing life vests is important to stress, because although they may be annoying to wear, if a boat capsizes they can literally save someone’s life. It should be remembered that many people who drown never aimed to go swimming, but accidentally found themselves in the water.
Kayaks And Canoes More Dangerous Than Motor Boats
Perhaps because kayaks and canoes are powered purely by people, they seem to be more dangerous than motor boats. Because many times the people rowing on kayaks and canoes don’t have much experience maneuvering them though the tricky streams and rivers, they are more susceptible to an accident happening.
To avoid these accidents, education has shown to help lower the amount of accidents that happen. For anyone who is thinking about kayaking or rowing a canoe, they should make sure to get some training before they start their journey. They should also plan to go with a group of people, so that they can all look out for each other’s safety when they go on the boats.
Other Safety Precautions
Other safety precautions a boater should take is letting someone know how long they will be out on the water. This way, if something should happen to you, the person you tell can call for help if you’ve been out way past your pre-determined time. Although it’s easy to believe that nothing will ever happen, oftentimes accidents happen in a way that no one is expecting, so it’s always helpful to exercise caution.
It’s also important to have plenty of PFD (Personal Flotation Devices) on any boat that is being sent to water. There should be at least one for each person, so that if the boat were to capsize, everyone would have a PDF at their disposal. By taking these precautions, recreational boaters can be sure to be safe, while having fun at the same time.
Jeffrey R. Lamb, an Associate Lawyer at Martin Stanley Law, is a devoted husband to his wife and in his off time he spends time with his family fishing.