Safety Tips for Boating at Night

Boating at night provides a whole new way to appreciate being out on the water. At the same time, there are many risks associated with nighttime boating. Use this list of safety tips from Clews and Strawbridge to ensure that you and all your passengers get home from your nocturnal boating trip safely.

Invest in Navigation Tools

Navigation equipment is important to have on hand no matter what kind of boating trip you are enjoying, and it becomes even more important when it comes to boating at night. Reduced visibility can make navigating based purely on what you can see almost impossible. That’s why you should bring along a GPS, chart plotter, compass, and whatever else you need to find your way. 

Plan your Route

We highly recommend that you plot out your boating route ahead of time to make your nighttime boating experience safer and easier to manage. Stick to familiar territory if possible, and occasionally take a second to confirm your current position. Be on the lookout for obstacles like buoy markers, rocks, and shallow areas. Make sure that your lighting system can provide you with enough visibility to see where you are going and what you’re doing, as well as keep you visible to other people who might be on the water. 

Share Lookout Duties

Tired lookouts make mistakes, and mistakes are costly. Have everyone on the boat take turns being lookout and make sure that everyone on the vessel stays aware of possible obstacles and other boaters. 

Follow Safe Boating Practices

Finally, play things extra safe when boating at night. Observe any and all marine traffic rules and take things a bit slower than you normally would. Everyone in the vessel should be wearing proper safety gear, and the boat’s operator should be fully alert. 

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