Practicing boat safety is essential for everyone to be safe on the water. For more information, keep reading this post by AMSOIL: North American Wholesale in Corpus Christi, TX. 

Learn How to Be Safe on the Water

One of the most important things that a captain is responsible for is knowing how to keep everyone on board safe. If you’re planning on making boating part of your life, it’s good to look for boat safety courses in your area or look up the United State Coast Guard’s online resources. These resources are aimed at people of all ages and can be a real lifesaver when on the water. The resources available cover many aspects of boating like children’s safety onboard, navigational skills, and reading the weather, among many other useful ones. Look up your local boating association for more information on the courses they provide.

Start practicing boat safety with a regular maintenance routine. Products like AMSOIL 10W-30 Synthetic Marine Engine Oil from AMSOIL: North American Wholesale can aid your maintenance routine. Call them at (866) 580-1008 for information on the best products available for your boat, or place an order anytime in their online store.

Study the Nautical Rules of the Road

Knowing the nautical rules of the road is another essential part of staying safe on a boat. Like the rules, you need to follow while on the road, boating also has rules for when you’re on the water. These rules can be found at any boating supply store and are printed by the U.S. Government Printing Office. An important thing to remember is that every vessel must carry a copy on board if it’s over 394 ft or 12 meters in length. Additional to federal nautical rules, there might also be specific ones for your area, so it’s essential to familiarize yourself with them. Finally, rules also change depending on where you’re boating, so they will be different depending on the body of water you’re navigating through, for example, the great lakes, western rivers, inland waterways, and international waters. Always remember to review the appropriate rules before heading out.

Equip Your Boat with Safety Equipment

Equipping your boat with the necessary safety equipment is also essential to staying safe on the water. Safety equipment on a vessel should always be enough for each person on board. Here are five necessary safety equipment you should always carry.

• Flotation devices like ring buoys.
• Fire extinguishers
• Personal flotation devices (PFDs) and life jackets for everyone on board.
• Whistles and horns for sound signaling.
• Flares to visual signaling.

Ensure that everyone on board can find the emergency equipment easily and that they know how to operate it in case it’s necessary. In addition to the safety equipment above, you should also have essential tools for repairs, extra fuel and oil, and a VHF radio if you need to communicate with emergency services.

Ensuring your boat is in good shape before your next adventure is another way to keep everyone safe. If you need advice on what products are best for your boat, call AMSOIL: North American Wholesale at (866) 580-1008 for advice from one of their oil pros. To see their full range of products, visit their online store anytime.

Before Heading Out

Draw Up a Float Plan

Before heading out on the water, it’s essential to have a float plan. A float plan details the route and itinerary you will take on your boat and can be extremely handy for authorities if they need to locate you while on the water. Some basics to include in your float plan are:

• A timeframe of the trip
• The route you’ll take
• The number of people on board
• A description of your boat
• Contact information for people on the ship.

Having a float plan is an excellent way to ensure you’ll be found quickly in case of an emergency and can save the authorities precious time in their search. Hopefully, you won’t need it, but it’s one of those things that’s better to have than not.

Be Mindful of the Weather

Lastly, remember that weather plays a vital role in boating safety. Weather conditions can change quickly, so staying updated with weather services like NOAA’s Weather Radio is essential in practicing boat safety. A captain's skill has a lot to do with handling changing weather conditions, so it's crucial to work on them to navigate your boat safely and keep everyone else safe onboard.

Protect your boat with proper maintenance and products from AMSOIL: North American Wholesale. Call them today at (866) 580-1008 for more information, or browse their online store 24/7.