Boat Safety Tips

Spending time out on the water is a wonderful way to enjoy good weather between cruising around on the bay or pulling your kids behind on an inner tube. But before you take your next voyage, make sure you are fully prepared to enjoy a safe trip. Accidents to happen on the water and it's important to be ready to handle them.

Here at Kelly's Port, we care about your safety. That's why we created the following guide to safe boating. If you have any questions or want to look at boats for sale, visit our location! We are a boat dealer happy to assist you with whatever you need. We proudly serve those in the Lake of the Ozarks, St. Louis, and Kansas City, Missouri.

Prepare For Your Outing

Before you set sail, you'll want to do some proactive planning. Train an assistant skipper in how to steer the boat in case something happens to you. Make sure everyone on board knows how to swim. Show the passengers where they can find the safety equipment. Go over safety rules with any kids on board, such as the importance of not leaning over the side of the boat or how they can't run on the boat. With younger kids, you may need to review the rules several times before they stick.

You'll also want to give information about your trip to someone on shore. Tell them where you plan on going and what time you expect to return. If you end up stranded and can't get help, they will be able to alert the authorities to your general area.

Keep Up with Maintenance

Even the highest quality boats will suffer from regular wear and tear. Over time, they can encounter issues that interfere with their performance (or worse, their safety). Always be sure to engage in the regular maintenance that keeps your vessel running smoothly.

Before you leave the docks, your fuel and oil should be full and clean. Clean up any spilled waste in your bilges so that you can avoid overboard discharge. Charge any rechargeable batteries before you head out on your voyage. These are just a few tips - your owner's manual will guide you through more detailed maintenance tasks. If you notice any performance issues, bring your boat into a marine dealer that offers parts replacement and service options (like Kelly's Port). Fix issues as soon as possible before they snowball into more damaging and more costly situations.

Pack Safety Equipment

It's important to be prepared for a range of situations out on the water. First, every passenger on board needs to wear a life vest - even the adults. There's always the chance that you could get injured or knocked unconscious as you fall overboard and you'll be grateful for the extra flotation support. But it's not enough to just throw on any old life jacket. Make sure everyone is wearing something that is suited for their size and weight to get the full flotation benefits.

Second, you'll want to pack a fire extinguisher. It may sound odd when you are venturing out onto the water, but there is always the risk of fire on a boat.

Third, you'll want to get ready in case of an emergency by building a preparedness kit. Pack an emergency radio, flares, emergency reflective blankets, a GPS, and a first aid kit.

We hope you found these tips helpful! If you are looking for boats for sale, visit Kelly's Port. We are a marine dealer happy to provide you advice on models and answer any questions you may have. We proudly serve those in the Lake of the Ozarks, St. Louis, and Kansas City, Missouri.