Take To the Sea—Safely
No matter how experienced you are, have everyone review boating safety rules and practices before leaving the dock. Here are a few basic safety tips to help you boat responsibly and enjoy your time on the water.
Always check local, route and destination weather and water conditions before departing to ensure it’s safe to go out.
Operate at a safe speed at all times, especially in crowded areas. Steer clear of large vessels and watercraft whose ability to stop or turn might be limited.
Be aware and respectful of buoys and other navigational aids, all of which are there to ensure the safety of all boats in the area.
In case the primary operator is incapacitated and someone else needs to get the boat back to shore, make sure that one passenger besides the skipper knows the boat’s operations well enough to get it back to safety.
Tell a family member or the marina staff about your trip’s destination and duration. Include: everyone’s name, address and phone number; the boat type and registration information; and the types of communication and signal equipment onboard, such as an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).
Make everyone wear a life jacket. Regulations vary by state, but children under 16 and all watersport participants must wear one.
Because almost half of all boating accidents involve alcohol, designate a sober skipper before leaving the dock.
Maintain fresh-air circulation throughout the boat. Educate all passengers about the symptoms of CO poisoning and where CO can accumulate.
To avoid electrocution, never swim in a marina or in other areas where boats are connected to shore power.
Drivers should always wear the lanyard with the boat’s engine-cut-off switch. When people are in the water, monitor the propeller area. Be extra careful around boats towing skiers or tubers.
Let Arlen House Marina be your choice for docking your boat in the Sunny Isles/Miami Beach/Hollywood area. We accommodate private boats that are 25 to 80 feet long. Arlen House Marina is in a protected inlet and has 24-hour security. We’re at 275 Bayview Drive in Sunny Isles Beach. Contact us 305-772-1432 lacostamgmt@hotmail.com.