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It is indeed a pleasure to take out the boat and go for a ride to enjoy the tranquillity and isolation presented by the islands and creeks. But this can soon turn into a disaster if safety tips are not adhered to and emergency measures not taken beforehand.

In order to learn more about safe boating, it is best to join a pontoon boat safety course and learn the basic mandatory safety measures like:

Know the weather beforehand: It always pays to be knowledgeable about the weather before embarking on a boating trip. This will enable you to
o Understand what is in-store weather wise and

o Take the necessary precautions in advance

Tick your checklist: Prepare a checklist of all the things that need to be done and all the necessary items that need to be taken. This checklist should be prepared well in advance and each and every point needs to be doubly checked prior to the departure.

Let common sense prevail: A pontoon boat safety depends primarily on how much common sense you apply when sailing. Rash or emotional decisions will surely result in disaster while the use of simple common sense and gut instincts will generally keep you safe.

Have an assistant skipper: In any boat ride, a person should always be designated as the assistant skipper so that he can take over in case

o The captain falls ill or is incapacitated,
o Of a mechanical or technical fault suffered by the boat and

o Disaster strikes in any form.

Leave a float plan at home: Before going on a sailing trip, you should always write down your float plan and give it to someone you trust at home. This float plan should include

o The name, phone number of all the people going on board with you,
o Your boat registration information along with the boat name,
o The itinery of the trip and

o The type of equipment present on board for communication and signalling.

Availability of proper lifejackets: Lifejackets are the only things that can prevent a person from drowning and hence should be checked thoroughly before embarking on the trip. Ample life jackets should also be present so that every passenger and crew has at least one assigned to him.

There are other safety measures that need to be taken too like avoiding alcohol and learning to swim etc. Only then will it be possible for all to actually have a safe, enjoyable time on the boats.