Authorities Urge Boating Safety, Namely in Bennington Pontoon Boats

Where will you be on your next vacation? When you’re out boating, hopefully not in the lakebed.

As of late May, 2014, there have been more than enough boating mishaps over the past couple of weeks for the Missouri State Highway Patrol to remind the public of safety in the water. Regardless of the type of boat you’ll be operating, the duty of every boat owner couldn’t be any clearer. According to KTVO’s Ashley Hoak:

“Nationwide, approximately 500 people drown each year from recreational boating crashes. Eighty-eight percent of those people were not wearing a life jacket.”

If you don’t like wearing life jackets while boating, you should at least carry enough jackets on the boat for emergencies. Children under seven, however, are required by law to wear one at all times.

A Sound Boat

Life jackets are only one part of a broader boating safety doctrine. Your boats must be kept in good working condition before going to the water. Unfortunately, experts say signs of problems can be tricky most of the time; since the boat spends its time on water, some corrosion is common. You may need to bring it to a service center for a better look.

For good Bennington pontoon boats, steer clear of even the slightest obstructions in the water. Its pontoons aren’t designed to take serious punishment and may take in water with a fine hit. Don’t take to the water without patching the crack up. If it happened in the water, race to shore quickly.

On the matter of cracked pontoons, prioritize this when looking for good Bennington pontoon boats for sale. Don’t pay for something that doesn’t appear as advertised.

Courtesy Inspection

Before setting sail, ask for a courtesy boat inspection. This free service can be conducted by the State Highway Patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard, or U.S. Power Squadrons. If your boat passes all vessel safety checks (VSC), it will get a safety decal. However, failing the VSC doesn’t mean it won’t be allowed to set sail.

A VSC can help you identify safety issues with the boat, which you can take to a boat dealer like White’s Marine Center that also fixes boats. You can probably handle supplying the boat with a fire extinguisher and enough life jackets. For structural damage and engine failure, however, it’s up to professional hands.

Avoid being a statistic in boating accidents. Practice boating safety as if your life depended on it.

(Source: “Missouri State Highway Patrol urges safe boating,” KHQA, May 20, 2014)