Boating Safety Tips

The sun is shining, there's a warm breeze blowing, the scent of magnolias fill the air, and the chirps of birds are music to your ears so it must be time to put on your bathing suit, pack the coolers, and get ready for a day out on the water in your boat.

Here are some important Safety Tips to remember this summer, courtesy of Green Boating:


1. Make sure all children wear life jackets whenever they’re on the boat or near the water. Kids are fast and they can be overboard in the blink of an eye. Don’t count on being able to keep kids safe by “keeping an eye on them” at all times.

2. Make sure there is a life jacket on board for every adult. Never take on more riders than you have personal flotation devices to accommodate. At the beginning of the season, make sure each adult has a life jacket that fits properly. Replace any that no longer fit or are in poor condition.

3. Don’t drink and drive a boat. For the same reasons you don’t get behind the wheel of a car after drinking alcohol, you should never operate a boat under the influence.

4. Check your safety equipment regularly. Fire extinguishers, safety lines, anchors and other safety equipment should all be checked to make sure they’re in proper working condition.

5. Take a boating safety course. Consider taking a safety course and having other adults and older children in the family taking a course. This is the best way to learn how to avoid collisions with other boats, handle sudden changes in weather, and deal with any unexpected emergencies that could occur on the water.  Boater's Safety Courses are required to obtain a Florida Boater's License and beginning in 2014 they will be required in Georgia, as well.

If you would like to attend a Boater's Safety Course through the United States Coast Guard, please contact Heidi, as we do have them at The Club a couple of times a year and we can give you the contact information for courses outside of the gates.