The increase in the number of people who want to practice sports or nautical activities and the number of professional skippers that continues to increase, leads us to think that recreational boating is experiencing a significant boom and therefore these figures will increase in years to come. Should more means be put in place to reduce the number of accidents? Is it necessary to tighten the rules for obtaining recreational nautical licensing? Should there be more campaigns to make people aware of the dangers that the sea entails? These and many more questions could be asked to answer the problem of maritime accidents, and try to find solutions to avoid traumatic situations.

The Precautions to Take

Below we are going to give a series of tips to keep in mind, which will help in avoiding maritime or recreational boat accidents:

• As the skipper of the boat, during navigation, you are responsible for the safety of everyone on board.
• Before starting navigation, it is essential to check the weather forecast to avoid risks.
• Identify and check radio communications equipment before you go out and make sure that it conforms to the navigation zones.
• Before leaving, check the safety equipment such as life jackets and rings, fire extinguishers, medical kit, pyrotechnics, etc
• Have a plan of action to know what to do in different cases and circumstances.
• Make sure you have the ship’s documentation on board.
• Check engine, bilge, and bottom cocks.
• Communicate your travel intentions and avoid traveling alone.

Take precautions to avoid accidents, it is in your hand. A good skipper is one who ensures the safety of his crew.

Be On Guard

Whether it is a fishing net, a floating line, the seabed itself, or even a spinnaker that has come loose, every sailor or skipper will have to face situations at some time in their life where various objects can get caught or wrapped around the propellers, rudders or even on the keel itself. The importance or severity of these incidents and the way to solve them will vary depending on how you handle yourself and your ability to be decisive. There is no established procedure to solve these inconveniences that are annoying, and in many cases dangerous. Do your own research to find information on maritime safety courses as well as first aid, which can be very useful when you decide to navigate on the ocean.

Things to Consider

If it is at night, it can help to reduce the brightness of electronic devices (for example the plotter) or even turn off or cover certain electronic devices, since it can ruin our night vision. The most important thing is to avoid and identify the hazard, especially fixed obstacles and possible seafloor debris. If something suspicious that can be caught in the boat is sighted, you should get the precise information of what it could be. If the object is toward the port side, you may be able to tell the direction or the degrees to move away to avoid this obstacle.

Conclusion

If you are caught in a maritime accident; you may need good legal representation from stellar attorneys at the Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor. So, it is in your best interest to make contact right away to get the full scope of how to proceed.