For the perfect week end get away for family or even the single person, there is nothing that can beat spending some time on the water. This is why so many people enjoy speed boats. With a speed boat you not only get all the fun of water sports, but you also get to go fast. Fast enough to out race many of the worries and pressures that the work week has gifted you with.

Whether you water fun happens on a lake river or even the ocean there are some safety rules that all boaters should know. Most of these safety rules are more than just rules, they are the law. There is some equipment that all boat owners should keep tucked under their boat covers until they are needed. The first and most important is for every person on the boat there should be a personal floatation device. In states that do not have safety laws for boats, there are federally mandated laws that state that any child under the age of thirteen is required to wear a personal floatation device. Use only floatation devices that have been approved by the coast guard. These floatation devices will have a tag on them stating they are the type approved by the coast guard.

All boats that run after dark or in low visibility situations should have navigation lights.
Even if you order your boat straight from the showroom floor, does not mean that your boat comes equipped with the lights even if the floor model has them. Always check to make sure you know what equipment your boat is coming with.

If you should decide you want to install your own lights then you should become familiar with the lighting requirements for boats. These are not the same as cars.

The boat should be equipped with colored lights. You will need a red one for the starboard side,( the right side of the boat, facing forward) a green light for the port side of the boat(left side)

For times when the lights are not enough, when visibility is really bad or you are stopped, you will be required to use a horn or whistle. A prolonged blast every two minutes will ensure that you are not run down while visibility is so poor.

Another item you should have is a fire extinguisher. All gas powered boats are required to have a fire extinguisher. The foam fire extinguisher is the best choice for use with a speed boat. Before using, read the instructions and follow them carefully should you need to use the extinguisher.

Every speed boat should have visual distress devices. These are flares, smoke flares and meteor rockets. These devices should be clearly marked with an expiration date. Keep them up to date and make sure you are familiar with how they work. There should be at least three of these on board and they should be of the type that the coast guard has approved.

Another handy device to have on your boat is a VHF radio. The channels 16 and 22A are the channels associated with the Coast Guard and used only for emergencies. Do not use these channels to chat with other boats, this is against the law and you could receive a fine. Use the term, “mayday” for emergencies, if you only need to contact the coast guard then say, “Coast Guard”. Someone monitors these channels all the time; you will receive the help you need. Using the radio in case of an emergency is better than trying to use your cell phone. These channels are a direct link to the coast guard and help.

There are many other rules of safety you should know about boats before you hit the water in one. Consider taking on of the many water safety courses to insure your fun is uninterrupted by an emergency. This way if an emergency does happen you will know what to do to save lives and ensure the safety of all the passengers on your boat.

Author Bio: Jack Labens works for Empire Covers, a leading provider of boat covers, truck covers, car covers, and other vehicle covers and accessories. Empire Covers can be found online at: EmpireCovers.com or at their blog EmpireCovers-Blog.com .

Category: Recreation
Keywords: speed boat,speed boats,enjoy speed boats, speed boat covers, boat covers