accessories and safety
Life vests Some of the items that could be listed under “Accessories” on your boating equipment list are really not accessories at all. Some things that go along with an enjoyable boating trip are necessities. In fact, many are required by law. One of the first items you should have plenty of: life vests. You may even ask that the dealer include extra life vests as part of your purchase package. But don’t wait for the free ones. Buy as many good quality vests as you will need, one for each person in the boat. A quality, commercially available life vest can cost from $20 for an infant size to $100 or more for the better grade adult vests. This is not an area a boater should try to save money in. A top-quality adult vest will have some style and a great fit. You may want to look for bevelled edges for comfort, but don’t sacrifice safety for looks. Mesh drain pockets increase performance. Here are some basics from the U.S. Coast Guard: Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) These must be Coast Guard approved, In good and serviceable condition Appropriate size for the intended user. Accessibility Wearable PFDs must be readily accessible. You must be able to put them on in a reasonable amount of time in emergency (vessel sinking, on fire, etc.). They should not be stowed in plastic bags, in locked or closed compartments or have other gear stowed on top of them. The best PFD is the one you will wear. Though not required, a PFD should be worn at all times when the vessel is underway. A wearable PFD can save your life, but only if you wear it. Throwable devices must be immediately available for use. (More on safety, lights, bells, whistles later). FUN STUFF (AND OTHER ITEMS) What about those extra items such as anchors and lines, ladders and swim platforms, paddles, boat seats, mooring equipment and so on? Many of these items will be available through the same retailer you got the boat from. But there are dozens of items available through catalog centers, boat supply houses and other retailers. Anchors If you bought a top-quality boat from an experienced dealer, you probably already have a suitable anchor with the right type of line/rope for the job. Make sure you do, however, before you leave with your boat. If you need to replace your anchor and line, a common 5-pound anchor and waterproof line can cost about $40 or $50 dollars. While this may be adequate for smaller boats, the pontoon boat owner may want to consider a heavier anchor and line to handle the bulk of the boat. Boat covers A boat cover is one of the items you should definitely invest in, according to boat manufacturers and experienced boaters. A standard cover for an 18-20 foot ski or fishing boat will probably cost from $120 to $200 dollars. But as with many of these “extra” items, the design and cost are much different for the pontoon or deck boat. A pontoon boat cover made of weatherproof canvas will start at $200 and go up. The polyester pontoon boat cover will be slightly more, though many times the prices are comparable for both materials. Custom covers and those from heavier material may be slightly more expensive. skis If you bought your boat for skiing, you should take the time to talk with a professional at a nearby water sports store. There are different kinds of skis for each purpose. In addition, skis come in various sizes for children, older youth, adults and so on. But just as an example, a good set of skis can cost from $120 to $250 dollars (or even more). You will need the appropriate ski ropes and life vests for this activity as well. Other accessories Here is just a partial list of some of the accessories and necessities that will contribute to a good boating experience: Boat Ladders and Swim Platforms Boat Lights Boat Mirrors Boat Paddles Boat Registration Lettering Kits Boat Seats Buoys Mooring Equipment Stabilizers For the best in boating fun, you should try to anticipate what you will need and want. But most boaters find that they add, and subtract, items over the course of a summer or a year. Many of those with years in the boating pastime urge new boaters to be selective when buying accessories and emphasize that trying to save a few dollars can be costly in the long run. safe boating - lights To repeat advice from nearly every experienced boater, one of the first things a family should probably do when considering the purchase of any boat is have a planning meeting. A few minutes talking about what kind of boat the family wants, and what uses it will be put to, will help eliminate some of the stress and doubt that may come after the purchase is made. This will also contribute to safe boating, because each family member will understand what the purpose of the boat is and what limits will be set for use of the boat. In addition to the required stop lights and tail lights on your trailer, the boat will need certain lights, as required by state law and state conservation regulations. Each state has requirements of some kind for lighting, horns, whistles and other safety items. Most new boats will have all the required lighting. But, as a boat owner, make sure you and your family members understand these rules and follow them. As an example, here are some lighting requirements from the State of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Motorboats of Classes A and 1 should have: A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon. A combined light in the fore part of the vessel and lower than the white light aft, showing green to starboard and red to port, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam of their respective sides. Motorboats of Classes 2 and 3 should have: A bright white light in the fore part of the vessel as near the stem as practicable, so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty (20) points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light ten (10) points on each side of the vessel; namely, from the right ahead to two (2) points abaft the beam on either side. A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon and higher than the white light forward. On the starboard side a green light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten (10) points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two (2) points abaft the beam on the star board side. On the port side a red light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten (10) points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two (2) points abaft the beam on the port side. The said sidelights shall be fitted with inboard screens of sufficient height so set as to prevent these lights from being seen across the bow. One final word of advice for safe ski/speed boating. Don’t overload your boat. This is key. When boat buyers begin to read about and look at ski/speed boats, one of the major elements to consider is how many people will be on board. In addition, buyers should give serious consideration to how many skiers, wake boarders or tube fanatics will be towed behind the boat. It may sound like a worn out phrase, but safe boating is more fun. When boat buyers begin to read about and look at pontoon boats, one of the major elements to consider is how many people will be on board. But just because this is a larger type of boat and the speed you cruise at will be slower than with a ski boat, don’t be fooled into thinking you can invite everyone to “come on board.” Even the pontoon or deck boat is designed to operate safely with a certain number of passengers. |
Sponsored Links:Related Articles:
Boat Covers / Opting For Stearns Boat Covers Private Yacht / The Benefits Of Chartering A Private Yacht Boat Covers / Boat Oar Accessories - Fun Vs. Functional Yacht / Sabre Yachts / Towing And Trailering Boat Rentals / Myrtle Beach Boat Rentals Sail Boats / The Wet And Wild Sunfish Sail Boat Boat Sales / Ultimate Boat At Boat Sales In Reno Boat Tours / Portland Jet Boat Tours / Types Of Boat Sellers / Storing Your Boat / Buying Inflatable Boats Buying A New Boat / Types Of Boats Available Boating / Boating Clubs Sail Boats / Moving On Up: Sail Boat For Sale Also In This Category:Currently Online :9 member(s), 24 guest(s): CookieMonster, DownUnder, JohnnyKnox, Justkeepswimming, LoneBoat, Omnious, ontheplains, RingKeeper, UpThere, Ask Jeeves, InternetSeer.com, Nutch, Slurp Search : |
No comments yet
nevada boating turn high during meet finish setting ls west stop included encouraged introducing lov bank lakes waterways reviews forum small canvas port dealers class dancing magazine rainbow kids skil plans object bass test stearns charters series edge finger historic time river sport process wooden discount tour married adventure hunter sailing