Basic Boating Safety

Spending an afternoon out on the water, whether you’re angling from your fishing boat or cruising on a pontoon boat, is both enjoyable and rejuvenating. You can do so many things from a boat, and boat ownership can be extremely rewarding. You should temper your enjoyment with some preparation and good safety practices, though. To help with this, Richardson's Boat Yard offers this checklist for basic boating safety. Our dealership has two locations, in Windham and Standish, Maine, where we carry a variety of used boats for sale, so visit us if you’re still looking for the boat of your dreams.

Prepare In Advance

Before you even load your boat on the trailer, you’ll want to do some preparatory work to make sure everything is good to go. Give your boat a thorough examination from bow to stern so you can find and address any damage that might have gone unnoticed before. Make sure your lights and signals function well, that there are no loose connections and that your motor is in good shape. Fill up your fuel tank before every boating trip so you’re not caught in the middle of the lake without gas.

Make sure you tell someone on shore where you’ll be and when you plan to return so they can send rescue crews if you don’t come back on time. Appoint an assistant skipper on your vessel and educate them in your boat’s operation and all safety protocols in case you become unable to operate the craft.

Another great step to take before leaving is to check the weather forecast for the area you’re going to. You’ll want to check a few days before and the day of, since forecasts can change, particularly when it comes to ocean waters. You don’t want to get caught in a sudden squall or lightning storm, particularly in a small boat. High winds are also a danger, as are hail and heavy rains. Ideally, you want a sunny or partly cloudy day with low winds and warm temperatures. Defer your trip if the weather isn’t ideal.

Stock Safety Equipment

You should make a list of everything you’ll want to carry on board, including vital safety equipment. The most important thing you should have is a life jacket for every passenger on board your vessel. On a large craft, you might not wear these unless there’s an emergency, but on smaller craft, you should wear your life jacket all the time. Carry a throwable flotation device as well. Your boat should also have flares, a flashlight, a fire extinguisher, a radio in case you can’t get cell service and a well-stocked first aid kit with seasickness medication, painkillers, bandages and ointments for addressing minor illnesses and injuries.

Use Common Sense

When you’re operating a boat, you should remain sober. Using drugs and alcohol is inadvisable while operating any heavy machinery due to the loss of focus and control. Alcohol restricts blood flow to your extremities, too, so you’re more likely to suffer from hypothermia if you fall overboard while intoxicated. Pass other craft to the right and signal your approach when you can. Don’t take risks and look out for areas of shallow water where you may run aground if you’re not careful. Should you have an accident or become unable to operate your boat, turn off the engine, call or signal for help and wait for it to arrive.

For a great selection of used boats, visit one of our showrooms, where we carry a wide selection of used boats, including used fishing boats and used pontoon boats by brands like Bennington and Chapparal. Richardson’s Boat Yard serves the greater Portland metro area, including the city of Auburn, Maine, with our two dealerships in the cities of Windham and Standish.