Safe Boating Tips for Fourth of July

The Fourth of July holiday is finally here, and we know you are probably just as excited as we are about getting your boat out on the water and enjoying a day or weekend floating and cruising around. Of course, there are also thousands of others who are just as excited as you and will be out on the water as well. It’s crucial that you make safety a priority as you are boating on the Lake of the Ozarks, so we have a few tips to help you stay safe and have a great boating day.


Safety Precautions Before You Hit the Water

With a few steps before you even get out on the water, you can save yourself some trouble when you are far away from home, and your vehicle! Before you get started on your boat trip, make sure you create a float plan and leave it with a friend or relative. It’s important that someone knows where you are headed and when you’ll be arriving back on shore. You’ll also want to check your fuel levels, your engine, check for electrical issues and test the radio and communication devices. Double check that all of the lights on your watercraft are working and in place. This may seem obvious, but check the local weather and see what will be happening when you’re planning your trip. While you can’t plan for everything, and unexpected storms can always pop up, you can know about them ahead of time and save yourself a lot of trouble. Finally, make sure that you have an emergency evacuation plan, and plan to go over it with all of your passengers.

What to Bring With You

There are a few items that can be vital to the success of your trip, so take very detailed measures to make sure that you have these on board before you ever leave the dock.
  • Boat certificate and registration.
  • Towing policy paperwork (if you have one).
  • Personal flotation device (PFD) —with protective packaging removed—for each passenger.
  • Charged and functioning fire extinguisher.
  • Fully-stocked boating emergency/survival kit.

Safety Tips for When You’re On the Water

Finally, it’s important to stay safe while you’re on the water, and we have a few tips to help you do just that. Make sure that you do NOT exceed the number of passengers that are safely allowed on your vessel. You’ll also want to make sure that all of your passengers have the proper, seated positions on the boat while it is in motion. Children need to wear a personal floatation device (PFD) at all times. Be aware that the water patrol is looking for this, and will stop you if you have children on board that are not wearing one. If the adults that are board don’t want to wear a flotation device while they are on your boat, you should at least keep them accessible. Did you know that you are supposed to shut off the engine while passengers are loading and unloading for your watercraft? This includes while you’re engaging in recreational activities like waterskiing, wakeboarding, and swimming.


Boating at the Lake of the Ozarks

Do you own your own boat? If not, the team at Village Marina would love to assist you in finding your dream watercraft! From large boats to wave runners, we have it all. If you don’t have a boat, and you want to go out for the Fourth of July holiday, don’t forget to call BomBay Boat Rental. They are our sister company and provide the best boat rentals at the Lake of the Ozarks. When you’re out on the water and you and your party begin to get hungry, don’t forget to head on down to mile marker 3 for the best food at the Lake of the Ozarks! The Boathouse by Village Marina is newly remodeled and would love to serve you. Happy Fourth of July from our team at Village Marina, we hope it’s a safe one!

Premier boat dealership for Cobalt Boats, Carver Yachts, and Four Winns. 
107 Village Marina Rd • Lake Ozark, MO 65026

Showroom: 573-348-3433

Marina: 573-365-1800


Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on LinkedIn
Follow us on Google+
Subscribe to our channel on Youtube

Location: Lake Ozark, MO, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Importance of De-Winterizing Your Boat

Image
The weather is getting increasingly more beautiful, and if you haven't been out on your boat yet this year - the water is probably calling to you. Before you hit the Lake, though, it's important to take a few necessary steps to get your boat ready for a day on thewater. De-winterizing your boat in the spring is just as important as winterizing it in the fall - and Village Marina is here to help. Here are a few thoughts on the importance of summarizing your boat at the Lake of the Ozarks , and how your local boat service department at the Lake of the Ozarks can help. Make Sure Your Boat is Ready to Hit the Water Having your boat de-winterized is important because if it was winterized, you won't be able to start it right up. Many boat owners have a series of tasks completed on their boat, from winterizing the battery to completely draining the cooling system. These actions will need to be reversed, along with several others. You'll want to have an oil change co
Read more

Find your Perfect Boat at Village Marina!

Image
At Village Marina, we are the exclusive Cobalt Boat dealer in Central Missouri  - but we also offer Marker One, Marquis Yachts, and Carver Yachts. Our dealership gives you a variety of length, styles, colors and models! We are the place to go to find your luxury Lake of the Ozarks Boat . The Cobalt Difference The hull of a Cobalt is 100% gelcoat, which means no tape to tear or fade and no yellowing and cracking. Cobalt spares no expense when making and designing the upholstery for your boat, and they put 10x more effort into making it. Your Cobalt also won't show wear and tear on the carpet with our industry leading Sea Grass, Sandstone and Cesera. They will still look new ten years down the road! And these are just the visual benefits. With aluminum backing on the dashboards, extensive stainless steel structure re-inforcement around the back platform and a mechanic friendly hull around the engine compartment - your Cobalt boat will last you many years of enjoyment! Carve
Read more

Fall Fun From Your Boat

Image
It won't be long before the leaves start changing colors and the weather gets cooler! You still have some time to get out and enjoy the weather before you need to winterize your boat, so here at Village Marina , we've put together some fun boating activities at the Lake of the Ozarks for you to enjoy! Whether you want to stop at a dock and enjoy some fun by land, or stay on the boat all day long - we've got some suggestions. Fall Fun By Land Are you looking for a place where you can dock the boat and get out and have some fun? There are plenty of places around the Lake of the Ozarks where you can pull up with your boat and get out for a good time. From hiking to other adventures - it's time to get your Lake of the Ozarks boat out on the water to enjoy some fun fall days. Here are a few places that we suggest taking your boat for a day on the land and water. Bridal Cave This is a fun family friendly place to head when you want to do something fun on the Lake.
Read more