Boating License

Like obtaining a driver’s license, getting your boating license is a process that you must take seriously.  There are many different types of boating licenses, and each state has its own regulations regarding who may operate a boat and what type of license they’ll need.

The speed at which a boat is driven determines whether a person needs to be license to operate the boat.  If the boat is motor powered and is driven at a speed of 10 knots of more requires a boating license for operation.  Ten knots is the speed at which a boat generally starts to plane or skim off the top of the water.

A general boating license is for persons age 16 and over that allows them to operate a motor boat.  Young people age 12 to 16 can also obtain a boating license under some specific stipulations.  They must:

* Be accompanied by someone who has a general license

* Not exceed a speed of 20 knots

* Never travel at 10 knots or more before sunrise or after sunset

* Never tow a water skier or wake boarder

Your boating license can be good for either twelve months or three years, but you will save money by selecting the three-year option.  How do you go about obtaining your boat license?  It’s similar to getting your driver’s license.

You will be required to complete a boating course and successfully pass a test at the conclusion of the course.  You will need to know how a boat operates, how it needs to be cared for, and what the general boating rules are.  The course will teach you boating safety as well as give you ways to “scope out” the weather for safe boating.

There are many places where you can obtain a boating license.  Check with your local marina or department of recreation to get information on boating classes available.  There are even places online where you can take a boating class designed to ultimately earn you your boating license.

The choice to take an online course versus a “real life” course is up to you.  However, keep in mind that the best way to learn a new skill is to get out there and do it.  The presence of water and other boats around you will make you a better boater.  Plus, you can depend on your instructor to answer questions and offer you tips.

Responsible boating means obeying the laws of your state when it comes to getting a boating license.  Many states will different in their requirements, so you’ll need to become familiar with your own state’s regulations.  Once you have your boating license in hand, you can get out there and have fun!  But remember to boat responsibly!

Boating Knots

Rope, knots, and boating go hand in hand.  Whether tying an anchor to a line or tying up a boat to a dock, the wrong knot will lead to trouble and the right knot, when properly tied, will hold under extremely heavy loads.  We’ll give you a few of the most common knots used in boating and do our best to tell you how to tie them.

The two half hitch knot is a very reliable knot and used most often in mooring.  Pass the end of a rope around a post or other object.  Wrap the short end of the rope under and over the long part of the rope pushing the end down through the loop.  This is a half hitch.  Repeat on the long rope below the first half hitch and draw tight.

The anchor bend knot is used in boating to tie the rope to the anchor.  Start by passing two loops through a ring and then placing the free end around a standing line.  Pass the free end through the loops on the ring.  Complete by making a half hitch.

The figure eight knot is ideal for keeping the end of a rope from running out of a tackle or pulley.  Make an underhand loop bringing the end around and over the standing part.  Pass the rope end under and then up through the loop.  Draw tight.

A clove hitch knot is a general utility hitch when boating for when you need a quick and simple method of fastening a rope around a post, spar, or stake.  Begin by making a turn with the rope around the object and over itself.  Take a second turn with the rope around the object.  Pull the end up under the second turn so it is between the rope and the object.  Tighten by pulling on both ends.

When tied properly, the bowline knot won’t slip or jam.  This is a good tight boating knot.  First, make an overhand loop with the end held toward you.  Pass the end through the loop.  Pass the end up behind the standing part and then down through the loop again.  Draw tight.

A sheet bend knot is used in boating to tie two ropes together.  It is easy to tie, strong, secure, and works well with ropes of differing sizes.  Make a loop in the end of one rope.  If one line is heavier than the other, make the loop in it.  Pass the end of the other rope through and around the loop.  The working end should exit the knot on the same side as the loop’s short ended side.

Boating knots are important to learn for your safety on the water.  When you know how to tie the basic boating knots, you will be safe and secure.

Boating Instruction

When you decide to take up boating as a hobby, it’s important to get boating instruction from a competent professional who can teach you all about this great sport.  Boating instruction entails much more than just showing you how to operate a boat.  It also encompasses boating safety along with boat and engine maintenance.

When you receive boating instruction, you’ll be learning about boating as a sport, but it will do so much more for you.  It can make boating much more enjoyable, make you more skilled as a captain, and can even save you money!  Getting boating instruction through certified classes could provide you with a discount on your boating insurance!

There are many places where you can find reputable boating instruction.  Start with a local marina.  Like a golf pro shop, the marina will have a “boat pro” on staff that will be happy to help you with your boating education.  Many marinas have classes you can take on site that will teach you everything you need to know.

We live in an Internet world.  It just goes to say, then, that there is boating instruction available online.  This is a great way to be able to study all aspects of boating from the comfort of your own home.  However, keep in mind that you won’t have the benefit of a live person to ask questions of.

What should you look for in choose a boating instruction class?  Here are a few of the components that the class should include:

* Certified instructors with proper qualifications

* Boat operation

* Boat mechanics and maintenance

* Boating safety

* Navigation rules

* Coast Guard requirements for safe boats

* Proper seamanship

Another great advantage to taking a boating instruction course is that it will help to qualify you for your boating license.  Like getting a driver’s license, you will have to take a test to obtain your boat license.  Having the advantage of a class that can teach you what you need to know will prepare you in the best way possible.

Boating instruction will also tell you how to register your boat, best ways to store your boat, and how to ramp your boat – all things that the responsible skipper should know well.  You can also get the best information on proper boat maintenance as well as basic engine repair.

When you decide to captain your own vessel, boating instruction is a big part of becoming a responsible skipper.  Get as much as you can as often as you can – even if you are an experienced boater.  It never hurts to have a refresher course along the way.  Boating instruction is your way of telling everyone “I know what I’m doing, and you can trust me!”

Boating in Ohio

In the state of Ohio, boating is big!  In fact boating in Ohio is so big that the state has recently committed over four million dollars toward expanding and improving boating access at thirty different sites all over the state.  With so many beautiful bodies of water, boating in Ohio is a wonderful experience.

You may be surprised at how many places there are where you can enjoy boating in Ohio.  Here are a few of the most popular destinations:

* Lake Erie – one of the most beautiful of the Great Lakes, this has long been a popular boating destination as well as a great place to fish.  There are many boat ramps to get onto the water and many beautiful islands to visit on your boating trip.

* The Ohio River – located in the southern part of the state, this river also has multiple places to launch your boat.  In October, there is a festival called the “Tall Stacks” where vintage riverboats take to the water and provide a party atmosphere – all on the water!

* Cuyahoga River – this river is located in the heart of Cleveland.  Fishing is good on this river.  The area called “The Bottoms” has lots of great tie-ups and restaurants to enjoy.

* Muskinghum River Parkway – provide picnic grounds, campsites, and excellent fishing.  June is when the Zanes Trace Commemoration Festival is held and gives a historical perspective on this great stretch of water.

* Buckeye Lake – has 3,300 acres of beautiful water.  They have no limit on the amount of horsepower on this lake and have a sweet corn festival every fall that any outdoorsman will enjoy!

There are also numerous other lakes for boating in Ohio as well as many national parks with some great scenery.  Fishing abounds in Ohio with some prized bass being caught on a regular basis.  Boat fishing is especially great in Ohio with some excellent shoreline home to catfish as well as carp.

Ohio is undertaking a huge advertising campaign promoting the boating and fishing in their state.  They feel they have so much to offer for recreational boating that the rest of the country needs to hear about it as well.  Regular visitors to Ohio tend to agree.

Boating is Ohio is a sport that is just growing in popularity.  Take the time to check out this beautiful Midwest state and all it has to offer for your boating excursions.  Some say once you’ve been boating in Ohio, you won’t want to go anywhere else.  Find out for youself!

Boating in England

When considering a boating vacation, many people think of tropical locations.  However, the truth is you can have a great time boating in England.  There actually are many bodies of water where you can have a great time boating in England.

Many barges and canals are places where you can enjoy the English countryside from the beauty of a “narrowboat”.  Lots of companies offer guided excursions down the water allowing you to enjoy jolly old England from the comfort of these luxury vessels.

Boating in England is really a lot like boating in the States.  It’s a relaxing, fun vacation taken at a slow pace.  There are actually over two thousand miles of waterways from wide canals to narrow ones and even some pretty good sized rivers you can enjoy.

Your best bet for boating in England is to hire a boating company who will give you a guided tour.  They will be able to point out interesting tourist attractions and give you information about their beautiful country.  

You can also rent your own narrowboat and commandeer it down the waterways.  People who have done this type of vacation report that it’s one of the most satisfying boating trips they’ve ever been on.

One of the advantages to boating in England is you can experience complete freedom.  There are many, many places you can stop along the canal and visit a neighborhood pub or a five star restaurant.  You can moor your boat and explore the countryside on foot.  Life on the water can be quite idyllic.

You may also want to explore boating on England’s River Thames.  This river is mostly non-tidal and runs through some beautiful places.  The Thames does have locks to go through, and you must be patient when traveling through the locks.  They can take quite awhile to get through, but just sit back and enjoy the scenery while you wait!

If you want to travel the River Thames, you should be aware that this is one of the most popular waterways in England, so the boat traffic could be heavy at times.  Also, all boats that want to travel this water must be registered.  Not registering your boat could cause problems with the water constable.

Boating in England is a great chance to experience one of the most beautiful places in the world.  Consider taking the time in the spring when the greenery is bursting into life and the hillside is green and lush.  We think you will find that boating in England is an experience second to none!

Boating Holidays

When we speak of boating holidays, we aren’t referring to a day set aside to celebrate everything boating – although many boating enthusiasts would probably like a holiday like that!  In Europe and many other places, vacations are referred to as holidays, so a boating holiday is essentially a boating vacation in Europe.

There are many wonderful boating holiday destinations around Europe.  England is a great place to enjoy a boating holiday.  They have miles and miles of canals where you can take a narrowboat up and down the water enjoying the beautiful countryside along the way.  Narrowboats are like cabin cruisers with sleeping quarters and spacious places on deck for sightseeing.

One great part of taking a boating holiday in England is the availability of water side pubs where you can pull up to, tie off at a dock, and enjoy some old-fashioned English delicacies as well as some fine ale.  Just be sure you don’t overdo it lest you become a dangerous boat captain!

You may want to also look into an Irish boating holiday.  Many say that cruising Ireland’s rivers and lakes is an experience never to be forgotten and often repeated.  Not only is the Irish countryside some of the most beautiful in Europe, there are many shore side places ripe for exploring including woods and castles open to the public.

There are many towns and villages along the way, and the local people are well-known for extending hospitality to visitors.  The local shops and pubs on the waterways where you can find some great local entertainment found nowhere else.  The fishing in Ireland is also excellent with some prize-winning trout, perch, and salmon readily found along the way.

Boating holidays in the beautiful country of France also are among top choices for avid boaters.  French waterways travel through some of the most varied countryside in Europe with each region steeped in its own particular culture, history, and architecture.

The real France is found on a leisurely cruise along the French rivers and canals.  On a boating holiday in France, you can see vineyards, chateaus, and quaint villages far from the usual tourist haunts.  You can sample gourmet delights in beautiful country inns or feast on board your boat in the open air with some of the finest wines in the world.

Boating holidays in Europe are easily planned as there are boat rental places everywhere along the European waterways.  Europe is a beautiful place, and when you plan a boating holiday in this beautiful part of the world, you’re sure to have memories that you will want to share for lifetimes to come.

Boating Fun

Boating is way more than a fun way to enjoy nature and the water.  There are all sorts of ways to have fun boating.  Think outside of the box and explore new ways to have fun on the water.  

Of course, boating is fun.  But when you have your family and friends along for the ride, the fun becomes massive!  If you have a pontoon boat, this is a great opportunity to throw a party on the water and let those you care about enjoy boating as much as you do.  Even if you own a speedboat, your friends and family will have a lot of fun taking turns on board as they enjoy water sports like skiing and tubing.

Part of boating is doing so responsibly.  If you are captaining your vessel, avoid drinking alcohol.  It can impair your judgment and can cause an accident.  As you can imagine, THAT would not make boating fun!

Boating fun is easy to find when you enjoy your time on the water with your family.  Keep a positive attitude and teach those around you what you are doing.  Point out interesting sites on your trip.  Liven the atmosphere with some boating trivia or boating songs.  You might be surprised to see how much those around you will enjoy your trip when they see you enjoying it as well.

Part of the fun in boating is enjoying the scenery as you glide across the water.  Don’t let that pass you by.  Take the time to watch as nature passes you by.  Notice the color of the trees, pay attention to any wildlife you might see, find unique sights that you don’t usually see.  It might sound a little hokey, but we think you will find that noticing nature is definitely a big part of boating fun.

Water skiing, inner tubing, wake boarding, and fishing are all fun activities you can do while boating.  In fact, many boat owners wouldn’t think of owning a boat without having a ski rope or a fishing seat.  Find the joy in these activities and fully embrace that joy.  See the joy in the faces of those around you as well.  That can be amazingly satisfying as you watch other people with smiles on their faces.

Having fun while boating is easy.  Boating is an activity that should take you away from the stresses of everyday life.  So sit back, relax a little, laugh a lot, and experience fun like you’ve never known – all while boating!

Boating Forums

Why should you join a boating forum?  There are many, many reasons why a boating forum is a great place to join.  There are tons and tons of websites devoted to the sport of boating.  Members of these sites are more than happy to share their love of everything boating as well as things they’ve learned that might help you.

Boating forums can be found everywhere on the Internet.  Membership is almost always free, and the things you can learn from boating forums can be invaluable.  You may want to consider joining a boating forum that concentrates on a specific area of interest such as a geographical location.  Or, you could just join a forum that caters to the type of boating you are interested in.

Just as with other Internet forums, boating forums are filled with all sorts of people who love boating just as much as you do.  These people are often happy to share information with fellow members including the best places to travel to, boat care tips, fishing information, and much, much more.

There are many people who report that they have met lifelong friends in these forums.  It can be fun to virtually meet people and then make plans to meet in a group at a specific boating destination.  Of course, you should never make plans to meet someone alone, but if there is a group trip planned, you could find that you are opening yourself up to a whole new world of camaraderie and fun.

When you become a member of a boating forum, you’ll first need to sign up with a user name.  To protect your anonymity, make the name something that has nothing to do with your real name.  If you choose to, later, you can reveal your real name to members.  Create a password that is unique and that no one will be able to easily deduce.

When you are new to a boating forum, resist sharing any personal information.  While many of these forums are safe and easily navigable, you just never know who is online behind that posting!  Practice common sense when posting and when answering posts.  When you are completely comfortable, you can consider revealing your “true identity”, but use caution in doing so.

Boating forums are excellent places to learn new things and make new friends.  You can also share what you’ve learned so other people can take in your tips.  Boating forums are great places, just be sure you are staying safe just as in any online forum.  Then enjoy what you will learn and put that information to use on your next boating adventure!

Boating Equipment

Boating equipment can be a wide and diverse subject.  When you take up the sport of boating, the amount of equipment you need is as complicated or as simple as you want to make it.  But the basic boating equipment that everyone needs includes a boat and a trailer.

The boat, obviously, is a no-brainer.  You have to have a boat in order to participate in the sport of boating.  But your most important piece of equipment is your boat trailer.  It’s essential that you match your boat trailer to your boat.  This will depend on the size of your boat mainly, but there are other considerations to be thought about as well.

What is the size of the vehicle you will be using to tow your boat on the trailer?  There are some lighter weight trailer models that can accommodate vehicles with less horsepower.  Ideally, you’ll want a four-wheel drive truck that can handle both the boat and the trailer easily.  But if you just have a small truck, look into a lightweight aluminum trailer that is easily towed by a smaller truck.

The type of boat you choose is also dependent on your vehicle.  Most people choose their vehicle first and then their boat.  If all you have is a smaller truck with little horsepower, you won’t want a 30 foot power boat traveling behind you.  Handling will be difficult, and you run the risk of harming others on the roadway if you don’t pay attention to this big detail.

So, you’ve got your boat and you’ve got your trailer, what other type of equipment will you need in your boating adventures?  Your boat must be outfitted with a life jacket for every person aboard, fire extinguishers, some type of sound emitting device (your mother-in-law doesn’t count), and adequate lighting for night boating.

Two other essential pieces of boating equipment would include a two-way radio as well as some type of navigation device like a GPS system.  When you are on the water, you don’t want to risk becoming stranded and not having any way of communicating with the outside world or being able to find your way back to shore.

If you will be participating in water sports, the boating equipment will differ from pleasure cruising.  For water sports, you’ll need a tow rope and some skis or an inner tube for tubing.  

What type of boating equipment you need will really depend on how you’re going to be using your boat.  Decide for yourself what’s important to you and then go buy your boating equipment, but be sure you have the basics as outlined above!

Boating Course

When you decide to take up boating as a hobby, there’s nothing better you can do for yourself than taking a boating course to learn everything you need to know about before you get on the water.  A good boating course will teach you more than just how to steer a boat, it will teach you everything you need to know about safe and responsible boating.

A good boating course will, of course, begin with a lesson on operating your boat.  It should show you all of the major parts of your boat, your boat’s engine, and your trailer.  The boating course should take you through how to haul your boat and safe ramping procedures.

Rules of the water are essential in all boating courses.  Just like on the roadways, you need to practice safe procedures when you go to pass a slower boat and be able to signal appropriately.  You should know how to boat at a safe speed and how to dock as well.

Boating safety is the most important part of an effective boating course.  Most boating accidents are caused because captains have not taken a boating course.  These boating courses will show you all aspects of boating safety and how to practice this at all times for the good of yourself as well as your passengers and others on the water.

You can find certified boating courses in many places – often nearby.  Check with your local marina and ask about what type of boating courses they offer.  Their boating professionals will often conduct boating courses at many times throughout the season.  It can be the most responsible thing you do as a boater when you take one of these courses.

Many boat dealers will have the “inside track” into boating courses that are offered in your area.  They’ll be happy to share this information with you.  All you have to do is ask!

Look online for some boating courses that you can do from the comfort of your own home.  Most of these boating courses will have you study different modules that have to do with all aspects of boating.  At the end of each section, there will usually be a quiz.  At the end of the course, you will have to pass a comprehensive exam on all material at which time you will be deemed a certified boat operator.

Taking a boating course will make it easier for you to obtain your boat license.  You probably wouldn’t go and take a driver’s license test without studying a little bit first.  The same holds true of getting a boating license.  Take a boating course, and the test will be a piece of cake!

Boating courses are valuable troves of information that will help make you a better boater.  Seek one out and reap the benefits.

Boating Clubs

No matter where you are located, you will most likely have a boating club nearby.  There are literally thousands of different boating clubs that you can join.  A quick Internet search brings up over 100,000 boating clubs throughout the world!

To begin with, boating clubs are great places to meet people who share the same interest in boating that you do.  People often join boating clubs for this specific purpose.  Boating is an almost obsessive sport.  When you know others who share that same passion, you’ll fuel that fire in ways you never knew possible.

Boating clubs will also sponsor social events like boat shows that you can participate in.  Social gatherings are great places to exchange information with other boaters and share your own knowledge.  You can really learn so much about this sport just by talking with other people!

It doesn’t matter what kind of boating you do, a boating club really is for you.  Compare boats with other people.  You may learn about a different style or brand of boat that you want to check out and even buy.  Maybe you’ve got a 16 foot power boat and have always wanted to try a cabin cruiser.  Find a fellow member who has the cabin cruiser and see what he or she has to say about that particular boat.

Many boating clubs offer members discounts on boating equipment and even on boating trips.  They say that membership has its advantages.  When you’re an avid boater, that’s certainly true with a boating club!

You can get boating lessons too in some clubs.  Like golf clubs, there is usually a pro around to answer questions and teach techniques.  If you want to learn about boating or brush up on some of the things you’ve gotten rusty at, just ask the pro!

Many boating clubs have their own “clubhouse” usually located on a body of water.  They’ll let members ramp for free and take advantage of the water with no additional charges.  The cost is usually included in membership dues.  The club house may even have a gourmet restaurant for members to enjoy.

The benefits of joining a boating club are far-reaching.  You will meet new friends, learn about boating more in-depth than ever before, and find new, exciting ways to make your boating experiences even more fulfilling than they already are.  We’re willing to bet there’s a boating club near you.  Find it and join today – it’s well worth the price!

Boating Charter

If you don’t own a boat, but are yearning to experience a boating vacation, a boating charter is the way for you to go.  You can charter a boat either with or without a captain depending on your experience level and what type of getaway you want.

A bareboat boating charter is when you simply rent a boat and will captain it yourself.  Most places who specialize in bareboat charters will give you a quick boating course so you know how to operate the vehicle and know the rules of the road when it comes to navigating the waterways.  As a general rule, it’s not a good idea to get a bareboat charter with no boating experience at all.

The advantage to a bareboat boating charter is that if you do have some boating experience, you will be able to captain a boat that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to own.  That means a cabin cruiser or even a yacht.  If you’ve always wanted to go yachting, a bareboat boating charter may very well be the way for you to go.

When you do a basic boating charter, you are hiring the boat as well as a captain to operate the boat.  The movie “Captain Ron” comes to mind for this author!  The best part about a basic boating charter is that you can sit back and enjoy the boating experience without having to worry about – literally – anything else.  Well, except for the folks in that movie!

When you book a boating charter, be sure it’s with a reputable company who has adequate insurance as well as enough experience to insure you of a safe and satisfying getaway.  Choose a boat that’s within your budget, but don’t be afraid to splurge a little.  After all, this is a boating getaway for you; why not enjoy it to the fullest!

Have you always dreamed of getting away to an exotic location but want to incorporate your love of boating with that trip?  Charter a boat once you arrive.  Then you can really have the vacation experience of a lifetime.  There are very few places you can go where you won’t find a boating charter company ready to book you on a cruise along the water.

Your trip can be a simple day trip up and down a river or it can be a week-long excursion where you can whale watch, swim with the dolphins, or just sit on deck and enjoy the scenery.

Boating charters are easy to come by and an amazing way for you to have a boating vacation that will be a memorable experience for years to come.  Check out boating charters online before you book and then enjoy your trip!

Boating Blog

If you love boating and want to share that love with others, why not consider starting your own boating blog?  It’s easy, fun, and lets you pass on your experiences to others who might enjoy the same things.  A boating blog is as simple or as complicated as you choose to make it.  Here are some tips to get you started.

You first need to find a place to post your boating blog.  But don’t worry; there are plenty of blog hosting spaces on the Internet.  You could join the phenomenon of My Space where there is plenty of room for both blogging as well as telling about you and your love of boating.  Another good blog space is www.blogger.com.  

Another option for your boating blog is to create your own web page.  This is easier than you think it is as many web hosting places like tripod.com will offer free tools for building your web site and will give you basic web space for free!

When you start your boating blog, introduce yourself.  Be careful not to reveal too much personal information such as your last name, a specific address, or things like that.  You will have all sorts of people viewing your web site – even bad ones – so be careful what you tell people.

Take some pictures of your boat.  Tell a little bit about it.  One blog on the Internet has a description of the boat from a first person viewpoint which we found to be quite interesting.  Tell about her features, what her name is, and where she likes to go.

A good boating blog will have a personalized touch speaking from experience.  Write about places you’ve been on your boat and what you recommend (or don’t recommend) to others as far as boating destinations.  You may also want to write about your dream boating trip as well as places you want to go to in the future.

By all means, share your boating expertise in your blog!  Have you learned a valuable lesson about boating safety?  Got a tip on engine maintenance?  Know about a great, secret place you want to tell others about?  Write about it!

Consider putting an e-mail link in your blog.  You can even invite people to sign a virtual guestbook.  You never know who you might meet!

You don’t have to be a professional writer to start and maintain a boating blog.  All you need is a love of boating and desire to share what you know.  Boating blogs are modern day captain’s logs.  They are everywhere and are awfully entertaining!  Start one today!

Boating Accidents

Every year, the United States Coast Guard compiles information regarding boating accidents in the United States.  These studies are very comprehensive and are based on accident reports filed by boaters who have been involved in boating accidents.

There are certain regulations that the USCG has set forth regarding the reporting of a boating accident.  You must report the accident under the following conditions:

* A person dies

* A person is injured and requires medical treatment other than first aid

* The damage to a vessel is more than $2,000 or there is a total loss of a vessel

* A person disappears from a vessel and circumstances indicated there may be a death or an injury

It’s a good idea to report the boating accident within the first forty-eight hours.  Regulations differ as to the required time frame, but a responsible boater will take care of the situation as soon as possible.

In the year 2005, there were 267 fatalities directly attributed to boating accidents.  Of those fatalities, seventy percent of them were due to drowning, and eight-seven of those who drowned did so because they were not wearing their life jackets.  

The most reported boating accidents were the result of collisions with another vessel.  However, capsizing and falls overboard were also among those most reported and contributed also to the drowning fatalities overall.

Overall, carelessness, reckless driving, operator inattention, excessive speed, and operator inexperience were the most prevalent contributing factors to boating accidents.  That is why the Coast Guard highly recommends all boaters take a certified boating safety class as well as qualified boating instruction classes.

The most common types of boats involved in boating accidents were open watercraft, personal watercrafts (Jet Skis), and cabin motorboats.  There was a marked increase also in sailing accidents, houseboats, and fishing boats.

Alcohol was also shown to be a huge contributing factor in boating accidents.  Impaired captains were shown to have a larger incidence of the possibility of accidents because of lack of judgment, inattention, and reckless behavior.  In fact, one-fourth of all boating accidents could be directly linked to the consumption of alcohol by the driver.

Boating accidents can be prevented rather easily if more people would take boating safety classes and receive proper boating instruction.  Because of the various factors that are involved in boating, it can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing.  If you want to be a responsible boater, they way to prevent boating accidents is to stop them before they start.  Get educated and then put that information to use – all the time!

Boating Accessories

When you are looking for boating accessories, you may become overwhelmed at the amount of products that are available.  Are you wondering just what kinds of boating accessories you really need?  The truth is that answer is really up to you.

To begin with, you need to make sure that your boating accessories include all of the required equipment as outlined by the United States Coast Guard.  Those boating accessories include:

* Fire extinguishers

* Life jackets for each person on board

* A sound device like a foghorn, a whistle, or a bell

* Adequate lighting for night boating

You will also want to have some type of two-way radio for communication with those on shore in the event that you become stranded.  While this is not a mandatory boating accessory, you really won’t want to be without this while in the middle of the water.

As far as other accessories for boating, the rest is your decision.  How will you be using your boat?  If you will be participating in water sports, look into a pair of water skis and a slalom ski as well as a strong tow rope.  Inner tubing just requires a reliable tube with handles and that same tow rope.

Some people think that an essential boating accessory is an on-board stereo.  If you will be entertaining on your boat, this can be a great addition.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a boat stereo, but you may find that the extra investment is well worth your enjoyment!

Recreational boating accessories can run the gamut from fishing gear to nice sunglasses.  If you think you will want to park in one of the proverbial “party coves” that exist on many bodies of water, you will want to have an anchor lest you drift away from the party!

If you will be traveling on large bodies of water, a boating accessory you may really need is a navigation system.  Today, many GPS systems can be found relatively inexpensively and they can save your life should you become lost or mixed up while on the water.

If your boat has separate below-deck living quarters, you will want to outfit that with some cool boating accessories.  Well, they’re not necessarily boating accessories specifically.  What we’re talking about here is a coffee pot, a microwave, and maybe even a television with a DVD player.  If you will be bringing your kids along, these devices could be life savers!

Boating accessories can be found in many places.  Your best deals will be found online.  Shop around and outfit your boat so it reflects you and how you want to use your boat.  Then enjoy!