Top tips for boating safety

Yellowfin 700 © Hunts Marine

As boating grows in popularity, Boat Safety has never been more important! While we love seeing more people spend time on the water fishing, cruising, water skiing and enjoying themselves, boat safety is always the number one priority!

In addition to ensuring you're licenced, and knowing the standard safety regulations, here are our top five tips for staying safe on the water - no matter how busy it is:

1. Keep an eye on your speed
Even in places where there are posted limits or where you are familiar with the area, maintaining a slower speed is always a good move. When it's busy on the water, in rough seas or in bad light conditions, maintaining a slower speed gives you more reaction time in the event something surprises you ahead.

2. Check your Boat Safety Gear
From life jackets to flares, first aid kits to compasses and key floats, Hunts Marine as all the safety gear you need for a great day on the water. By ensuring your boat safety gear is in good condition, easy to access and right for everyone on your boat, you'll be prepared for any accidents or misadventures - for safety and peace of mind for your passengers and guests.

3. Check your lights
It's best to check your lights before even taking your vessel out. The NSW Boating Handbook has a checklist for boaters to follow to make sure their navigation lights are visible and reliable. While some of these points might seem like common sense (such as turning off the cabin light to ensure maximum visibility while operating the vessel) they are worth going over before setting out if you'll be on the water at dusk, dawn or in the evening.

4. Stop and listen
Sounds can be deceiving on open water - even in clear conditions. It's so important to be aware of your surroundings, especially if you are on the water at dusk or dawn. Whether it's an engine noise of another boat, water splashing against a buoy in the water nearby, or some other noise, just pause for a moment and listen before making a presumption about its direction or distance.

5. Remind your passengers (and yourself) of general boating rules
There is no bad time for a refresher of boating guidelines. The updated - and now online - NSW Boating Handbook is a great tool to have on hand, and will provide some important reminders and safety tips. And as a quick refresher, the Interstate Boating Rules pamphlet is an easily digestible bit of info that will serve as a good reminder for you and your passengers. Even though you know the rules, putting yourself in the proper mindset will ensure you operate your vessel more carefully in these conditions.

Stay safe
Boating is a fun pastime, which is why its popularity continues to grow. By following the rules, running safety checks and making sure you have the right boat safety gear on hand you'll keep yourself and your passengers safe, and enjoy your boat even when it's busy or the weather is not quite on your side.

If you're in need of updating some of your safe boating gear to sure your boat is as safe as can be, take a look at some of our online store offerings or get in touch with us at Hunts Marine directly to find out the best safety gear for your boat!