If you're planning on boating in the winter, be prepared. Dress for the water temperature, regardless of how warm it feels outside. Now that the weather is getting colder, it's all the more important to practice safe boating on the water. These helpful tips are courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Safety website.
  • File a float plan and follow it - Leave as detailed a plan as possible with your spouse, a relative, or a friend and tell them you will check in when you get back to land. If they don’t hear from you, they’ll know to call for help and where to send the rescuers.
  • Dress for the water, not the weather - Water can sap your body heat 25 times faster than air can, so protect yourself from possible immersion, no matter how warm it feels outside.
  • Don't wear cotton - Cotton absorbs water and reduces body temperature much more quickly than other materials. Wear water-resistant fabrics and layers that wick away moisture, and a waterproof outer layer.
  • Fix the boat before you take it out - Do all of your spring commissioning work early, and make the first run a short one close to the dock or launch ramp.
  • Prepare for the worst  - Bring supplies to prepare for an emergency, such as blankets, food, water, warm clothes and communication and location devices. Don’t rely on a cell phone, but if you bring it, keep it dry,and pre-program rescue numbers. Dialing 911 sends you to a land-based emergency system and could delay your rescue.
  • Go over the exact location of all safety gear before leaving the dock - Where’s the ladder, the throwable life preserver, the ditch bag, the VHF radio? If you’re boating with a friend, discuss who’s going to do what if someone falls overboard, and how to make emergency calls.
  • Wear a lifejacket - Especially if you are on a small boat. Lifejackets are critical for keeping your head above water.
  • Always have one hand on a grab rail when walking around the boat - When your fingers are exposed to cold air, they get stiff, and it’s harder to perform fine-motor tasks. When your feet are cold, it’s harder to maintain balance, and bundling up can make you bulkier and less nimble than normal.
  • Always clip on the kill switch - Even when boating with a crew, the driver should always wear the kill switch so the boat stops instantly if anything happens to him.
  • Risk Management - Monitor the weather at all times; at the first hint of bad conditions, start evaluating whether it's time to return to the dock.
For more helpful tips, click to boatingsafetymag.com.