Before going on a boating trip with your family and friends, boating safety according to specialist Jimmy Khezrie, should always be your first priority. Regardless of whether you are planning the boat trip on a holiday or any other season, it is always better to be safe than to be sorry. Moreover, you need to ensure that there are adequate boating supplies and emergency safety products before you leave the docks.
There is no excuse in taking into account the safety measures before going on a boating trip even if your family and friends including you intend to remain close to the shore or to be at sea for a short time. You need to consider the following important safety measures shared by Jimmy Khezrie including having adequate boat supplies and boat safety items every time you go out on a boating holiday.
- Always check the weather forecasts before embarking on boat journey. Moreover, even during the boat trip, you need to check on the regular weather updates, as adverse weather conditions at sea are perilous for any boat trip with your family and friends.
- You need to ensure that the boat has sufficient personal floatation devices (PFDs) and each of them is working properly. These devices will not help you if they do not expand when they hit the water.
- You need to make a thorough inspection of the boat with all your crewmembers. Each crewmember needs to know where the essential equipment such as the fire extinguishers, the anchor (ensure that it is securely tired to boat before being thrown overboard) and the flare gun is. Make sure that you have a very high frequency radio on your boat regardless of whether it is mounted on the boat or hand held. Moreover, you should know how to make a distress call to the Coast Guards in the event of any unforeseen emergency.
- You need to check the boat’s engine thoroughly along with the through hulls. Ensure that all the marine plumbing does not have any leaks and is in order. It is imperative ensure that your boat’s engine and through hulls are open prior to starting the engine.
- It is also essential to have an EPIRB onboard your boat that functions properly even if you intend to go fishing for a day. It is also prudent to get a good Personal Locator Beacon that has a GPS signal built into the unit. Even if you are sailing with a crew, it is essential to have both these devices for your boat.
- Always keep a good knife with you before going on a boat trip or mounted on the cockpit of your boat.
- Prior to going on a boat trip, you need to know how to reach your destination and return from that place safely. With state-of–art navigational equipment available at affordable prices, there is no excuse of having a portable handheld GPS device with extra batteries.
- Above all, you need to exercise your discretion and prudence when embarking on any boat trip. Even in the worst-case scenario, always maintain your clam and reassess your situation at sea.
Jimmy Khezrie says that the above tips will ensure that you get a trip that is safe and free from any kind of hindrances at all!