Malta Boating Forum
Safety At Sea => Safety Tips => Topic started by: Administrator on 12 March, 2010, 03:13:50 pm
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Basic Boating Safety Tips
Boating safety is a very important issue. It is easy to ignore safety warnings and equipment until the one time that you may need it.
Being well equipped and prepared is the first step to good boating safety. Below is a list of safety equipment that should be a minimum on all boats.
Remember - each state, government and country has different rules relating to minimum safety equipment required and boating safety standards. Please check with your local authorities as to what you must have on your boat.
Please use the list below as a guide and consider adding to your boat anything on the list even if your government may not require you to have it. And remember, safe boating requires ongoing maintenance, responsibility and good judgement.
- Life Jackets (Minimum of 1 per person correctly sized)
- Flares (Replace after use by date)
- Bailer/Bilge pump
- Compass
- Marine Radio
- Fire Extinguisher (Maintain it at correct pressure and refill or replace as needed)
- Anchor (Suitable anchor for where you will be boating)
- Mobile Phone (Great secondary emergency tool)
- Visual Distress Signal
- Signaling mirror
- Water (Fill half way so it can float to the surface and replace once a month)
- Duct tape (Great for quick fix ups and repairs)
Below are some additional boating safety supplies that may be usefull on your boat. This equipment is not always required (but they certainly are usefull in an emergency situation).
Look what and where you use your boat for and choose the safety equipment you require accordingly.
- EPIRB (Choose appropriate model for your circumstances)
- Offshore Flares (Parachute Flares etc.)
- Life Raft (Suitable for how far offshore you intend to travel)
- Life Ring
- Tool Kit
- Fresh Water Maker (Expensive but great for cruisers and liveaboards)
- First Aid Kit (Great for any boat)
- Safety Blanket (Good for getting attention and keeping warm)
- GPS Fish Finder (GPS for location, Fish finder for maintaining a safe depth)
- Safety rations (Good long life food like Jerky, Biscuits, Beans, Nuts etc.)
- Jumper and Beanie (Hypothermia is a big killer and you lose the majority of heat from your head so it is vital to keep warm even in tropical conditions)
- Secondary backup motor
Remember, for equipment to work effectively it must be in good condition. Many items have a used by date so replace as needed. You can keep the older equipment on board as spares in an emergency.
Keep a good visual look out on your equipment and considering doing a full check of safety equipment monthly or before you go out on the water each time.
Keep on board only what you may need. There is no point storing a liferaft if you only use your boat in rivers and estuaries.
Also make sure that all the equipment is accesible and easy to find in an emergency. Make sure everyone on board knows where to find the safety equipment and how to use it.
Consider making an escape plan so if you need to get off from the boat, everybody knows how to get off in a timely and efficient manner and what to take with you.
The Admin