Are you brand-new boat owners? If you’ve just recently acquired your own boat for the first time in your life, welcome to the club! Boating is a wonderful way to spend your downtime relaxing or having fun on the water. It’s not all fun and games, though, as owning a boat comes with quite a few responsibilities if you want to get the most out of it.
Here are a few important tips for brand-new boat owners to be safe on the water while enjoying yourself to the fullest.
Get Boat Insurance ASAP
Owning a boat is just as big an investment as owning a car or house, and you wouldn’t dream of owning those without proper insurance. Boat insurance covers the obvious risks of owning a boat, including damages and the like, but there are some unique aspects to boat insurance as well. Fuel spill protection and boat towing on the water are just two examples of how boat insurance protects you against issues you may not face anywhere else but on a boat.
Perform Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
One of the key tips for brand-new boat owners is to fully familiarize yourself with how to clean and maintain your boat properly. Boats need maintenance just like cars do, with regular checkups for oil and specialized filters. You’ll also need to have an expert check certain components, such as your propeller and tilt systems.
Important Note For Brand-New Boat Owners
Cleaning your boat is essential to its long-term health. Cleaning the exterior prevents corrosion from the surrounding water, and cleaning interior components prevents smaller components like pumps or drains from getting clogged with grime or dirt.
Acquire Necessary Boating Equipment
Some equipment isn’t just important because of how useful it is; it’s also necessary to avoid legal issues in some cases. You must have proper safety equipment on your boat if you want to legally pull out from the dock. This includes life vests, throwable flotation devices, and fire extinguishers.
You may also want to consider how many boat batteries you want to have charging based on how frequently you want to take your boat out. Your battery is your lifeline when you’re out on the water, so always ensure you have a fully charged one ready to go.
Understand Boating Safety and Etiquette
The boating world has its own unspoken rules and safety precautions that you’ll want to familiarize yourself with. You’ll want to ensure you’re giving other boaters a wide berth when you’re moving. Additionally, you don’t want to post up too close to someone else’s boat or property. Authorities out on the water won’t cut you any slack just because you didn’t know that you broke a rule, so it’s a good idea to brush up on the regulations beforehand.
