How to Prepare for Your Weekend on the Lake

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The sun is shining, the weekend is here and it’s time to hit the lake! You’ve packed your cooler and sprayed the kids down with sunscreen, what else could you be missing? While boating is a great summer past-time, the water fun can be dampened by being unprepared. Here are some tips from Firstmate Controls on how to effectively prepare for a fun and safe weekend on the lake!

Float Plan 

A floating plan is a document that boaters should fill out prior to their day on the water that includes information like: who the passengers are, vessel identification, planned destinations and a general timeline. An easy way to do this is to leave a float plan with the vessel information with someone you trust and then you can just call and update them when taking the boat out with the specifics regarding passengers, destination and time. While a float plan may seem like a lot of work, it’s always smart to be cautious while planning a day out on the water. You can even find easy downloadable float plans online so that you can easily create one.

Checklist 

Another handy tool that should be used to prepare for your time on the lake is a checklist. With different boats and situations come a new list of things that should be in boats. Here are some items that should be on every boater’s checklist:

• Life jackets (Well-fitting ones for every passenger.)
• Dock ropes
• Boat fenders and buoys
• Fire extinguishers
• Extra fuel
• Boat documentation
• Map for body of water
• Navigation lights
• Distress signals

Plan Ahead  

Along with the checklist and float plan, boaters should take a couple more precautions before heading out on the water. First, make sure to check the weather right before you go out. Being aware of future weather conditions can help prevent being caught in a situation that may impair your driving ability. In addition, it is important to check that your boat is functioning properly before heading out on the water. This includes checking that the engine is running smoothly and that the boat has plenty of fuel.

Safe Boat Lifts

Finally, a large part of boat safety is being able to get on and off the boat safely. At Firstmate Controls, our remote controlled boat lifts do just that. Instead of jumping on or off boats while they are still up in the air, our remote controls allow users to raise and lower their boats to ensure that passengers are safe. For safe boat boarding and docking, call Firstmate Controls to order your remote controlled lift system today.

Boat Lift Controls You Can Count On!

Firstmate Controls 
130 Century Commerce Loop
Labadie, MO 63055

Phone: (866) 570-9707

Follow us on:   Facebook    Twitter    LinkedIn
Location: Labadie, MO 63055, USA

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