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10 Reasons to do a Basic Boating Course |
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10 Reasons To Do A Basic Boating Course!
By Willie Jones
Boating is a great adventure on any type of boat and is being
enjoyed by many on a daily basis, but with that comes a great
responsibility. It is not mandatory to do a boating course at
this time but there are some very good reasons to get your self
informed about the rules of the road.
1) You will learn about safety equipment and what you are
required to have on your boat before you undertake any boating
excursion. This is very important because what you don’t have
with you could make the difference between being able to handle
a situation or not. Also, that outing for the day could cost you
if the sheriff stops you to spot check your boat and fines you
for not having all the safety equipment required for your
specific boat.
2) You will learn that driving a boat is vastly different from
driving a car. You are dealing with air and water currents. If
you have never docked a boat you may think that it is easy,
until that is, the current is pulling you in the opposite
direction that you want to go. Understanding air and water
currents will help you learn how to dock your boat.
3) Knowing how to work with lines and tying knots is part of
boating. You have to be able to secure a boat properly. If your
boat gets away, it is amazing how quickly the current will take
it out of your reach and you will probably require the
assistance of another boater to help you get to it. So learn
your knots.
4) You will learn what the channel markers mean. We learned the
hard way the first time we went out on a boat and ran aground
outside the markers. We also had no clue what the red and green
markers meant on the poles. This you also learn on the course.
5) There are speed limits on certain water ways but unlike the
roads, they may or may not be posted. Ignorance may not be
enough to get you out of a ticket.
6) Using charts for coastal navigation can be a life saver.
It’s your road map that helps you stay away from the shallows
and shows where all the markers and bridges are, and by using
measurements you can calculate the distance and time it will
take to get somewhere. It can be valuable tool for navigation.
7) Just like on the roads, there is the right of way. On a
boating course you will learn who has the right of way and why.
8) Every boat should have a horn. You may hear one long toot or
2 short toot and so on, and you’ll learn what they mean.
9) There are boating regulations and laws that must be followed
by all boaters, for example, (and I have seen this rule broken
so many times) you are not allowed to sit on the bow of the boat
with your feet hanging over board. There are many more
regulations to learn and not knowing them can cost you.
10) Anchoring a boat is not just a matter of plopping it down
to the sand. There is a mathematical technique applied to
anchoring that has to do with the size and length of your boat.
Knowing how to do this correctly will give you that extra
insurance of knowing your boat is going nowhere until you want
to move it.
There are different ways to enjoy pleasure boating such as the
fast pace of ski boating or the slow pace of a trawler, kayaking
or canoeing. In whatever way you want to do it, it is a good
idea to know the rules of the road. Then you can avoid potential
situations and get on with the fun of being out there with all
that sky, sun, water, family and friends.
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