Thunderstorms at sea or even on lakes and rivers can be dangerous for boaters. Everyone who’s anyone in boating will tell you that. And by “everyone” we mean the National Safe Boating Council, National Weather Service, and the United States Coast Guard. In other words, people who know what they’re talking about when they talk about boat safety. In this fifth installment of Safe Boating Week, we’ll focus on thunderstorms and why you should totally avoid them. But first…
…Let’s Discuss Safe Boating Week
If you’ve missed our first four installments, you might not know what this event is. Well, Safe Boating Week is an annual event created in 1958 by the United States Coast Guard. Its purpose is to promote safe and responsible boating. This year, safe Boating Week begins May 16. One of the campaign’s main goals is to encourage ALL boaters to wear life jackets whenever they’re on the water. This simple but important act can literally save your life in times of trouble. Other boat safety tips include being responsible with alcohol and knowing the dangers of cold water.
Boaters: Here’s How to Deal with Thunderstorms
We’re going to take many of you back to your high school days. Remember those public service announcement videos (or films) they made you watch? Well, this video is going to have that look and feel, but the boat safety information in it is rock solid. Check it out:
Although that video was brief, it’s packed with a lot of good information. The most important takeaway is that thunderstorms make boating dangerous. High winds create high waves, and high waves can easily capsize a boat. Lightning is another danger. It can electrocute you or your passengers, and also start fires on your boat. It’s another reason to have multiple fire extinguishers on your vessel.
The Biggest Takeaway…
…Boat safety begins on shore. They said it right near the end of the video. This is true for ALL things boating, including thunderstorms. Are you planning a trip on the water? Check your trusted weather sources before you leave the shore. If there’s a good chance of thunderstorms, it’s best to cancel or at least postpone your outing. Does that sound harsh? Ignoring a thunderstorm warning will really teach you the meaning of the word harsh!
While we’re discussing boat safety tips, don’t forget the ones we’ve already shared:
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Always wear your life jacket. Always.
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Have a life jacket for every passenger on your boat.
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Insist that your passengers wear them.
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Attach a GPS personal locator beacon to your life jackets.
More Safe Boating Week to Come
A week is seven days, and we Why? Because we want to encourage you to be safe on the water. And, to be completely honest, we just like talking about boats. Oh, and we carry a full line of marine electronics products in our online inventory. And, our Signal Connect team is a DIRECTV Authorized Dealer. They specialize in marine satellite TV. If you own or operate a yacht or manage an entire fleet of workboats, those folks can help you. Let’s talk about the benefits you receive when you get marine satellite TV from Signal Connect. Just call us at 888-233-7563, or fill out the form below.
