Pontoon Boat Safety
It’s easy to have fun on a pontoon boat, but all that fun can also distract boaters from being safe. From excessive alcohol consumption to failing to wear a life jacket, there are multiple potential hazards on your average pontoon boat. If you want to keep your family safe, you’ll want to think about safety ahead of time.
Below, you’ll find our best tips for staying safe on a pontoon boat. If you have any questions or if you’re still trying to find the perfect pontoon boat for your family, stop by New Jersey Outboards. We’re located in Bayville, New Jersey and we proudly serve the areas of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and Delaware.
Local Rules and Regulations
Every state has its own set of rules governing watercrafts, and some rules are even location-specific. Following these rules is important because many of them are designed for the boater’s protection. Anyone who pilots the boat should have their boating permit. They should also abstain from alcohol and drug consumption. Some areas restrict bringing boats across state lines due to the potential for invasive species relocation. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the applicable regulations before you get on the boat.
Safety Equipment
One of the most important aspects of boating safety is having the right safety equipment. The most essential piece of boating safety equipment will always be a life jacket. Every person on the boat should have a life jacket that fits their specific frame. While some adults are reticent to wear their life jackets, it’s important to keep them on anyway. Make sure to bring along a flag to signal when there’s a swimmer in the water. Even if you aren’t towing a wakeboarder or skier, it’s great to have one just in case someone gets thrown out of the boat.
It’s also helpful to have emergency supplies. Make sure to keep at least one fire extinguisher on hand. It’s often wise to bring some survival supplies if you are boating on a relatively large body of water. Keep a signal flare, a first aid kit, a GPS signal beacon, a space blanket, and a fire starter on hand. If you are good with your hands, it’s worth bringing along a small toolkit and some spare parts so that you can repair basic problems should they arise.
Weather Concerns
Tracking the weather is extremely important to staying safe on a pontoon boat. Pontoon boats aren’t especially well-built for handling deep surf. If the weather forecast calls for high winds and precipitation, reconsider going out on the water. If you see a severe storm moving towards your location, head back to the shore and wait it out. You don’t want to get caught far out at sea when a major storm arrives.
Keep the Party Low-Key
Pontoon boats are notorious party locations. Many young people are prone to mixing large amounts of alcohol with pontoon boating. Well, this isn’t a very good idea. Alcohol lowers a person’s ability to accurately judge hazards and it inflates their sense to try stunts or enter high-risk situations. It can also impair a person’s motor skills so much that swimming becomes a problem. And that’s just alcohol! Drugs can introduce all sorts of unusual problems to the boating experience. If you keep everyone sober, you’ll keep them much safer.
Staying safe on a pontoon boat requires a little bit of preparation and vigilance while you’re out on the water. If you are still seeking for that perfect pontoon, stop by New Jersey Outboards. Our Bayville, New Jersey location proudly serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as the states of New York, Connecticut, and Delaware. Give us a call or stop by today!