Tag Archives: safety

Summer Boating Safety Guide – Do’s and Don’ts

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Spending a hot, summer day riding a boat out on the water is a match made in heaven, but one important thing to keep in mind when boating is everyone on board’s safety – it should be a top priority. When at the lake, a nice, relaxing day can turn into a bad situation very quickly if the proper safety precautions aren’t put in place. At Motor Boatin’, we want everyone on the water to not only have fun but be safe throughout the day.

Boating Do’s:

  • Life vests: When boating during any time of the year, it is important to have life vests on the boat as they can be the difference between a life and death situation. It is important to know that it is a North Carolina law that anyone 13 AND under MUST be wearing a life vest while the boat is moving.   
  • Pay attention: In the summertime, crowded waters are more common. Everyone is out on the water enjoying the beautiful weather so paying attention and keeping a watch out for others is essential. For more tips on how to navigate crowded waters, check out our blog post here.
  • Take a course: If you aren’t 100% fully confident in your boating skills, consider taking a course to sharpen your boating abilities and to feel more at ease when out on the water. Take a FREE boating safety course here.

Boating Don’ts:

  • Drinking and boating: When on a boat, the person driving the boat should not be drinking at any time. Alcohol impairs your vision and can hinder the way you drive a boat, much like when driving a car. This is not only important for your own safety but also for all the riders on board, so don’t make these decisions that could affect the lives of others.
  • Overcrowd the boat: Going on the boat with a bunch of family and friends is fun, but make sure to keep the boat’s capacity regulations in mind. Overcrowding the boat can be bad for many different reasons. First, it can affect the balance of the boat. Second, having too many people on a boat can be very distracting for the driver.

When boating in a safe manner, it is bound to be lots of fun. Spend the summer right and grab some friends and rent a boat today!

Diving into the Best Practices for Boat Safety

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To ensure a long, fun-filled day out on the lake, safety must be a number one priority for all individuals looking to ride or operate any type of watercraft. At Motor Boatin, we know and understand the importance of boating safety.

Here are five tips to ensure the safety of all passengers onboard:

  1. Take a course: At Motor Boatin, a lot of our boaters are beginners. This is why safety courses can be extremely helpful. They can help boaters feel more comfortable and confident when out on the water. Here is a free online course.
  2. Know how to properly use life jackets: Life jackets can be the difference between life and death. Even the most experienced swimmers should consider wearing a life jacket. In North Carolina, children under 13 are required to wear an appropriate life vest when the vessel is underway.
  3. Don’t overload the boat: Parties should always follow the specified person limit when deciding how many individuals will be on the boat. It is especially crucial to not gather at the end of one side of the boat. This can cause the boat to flip and people to potentially drown, therefore, it is extremely dangerous to overcrowd the boat.
  4. Avoid alcohol: Operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol is illegal. It can severely affect your sense of judgement and is one of the leading causes of boat accidents. Keep yourself and your party safe by just avoiding alcohol altogether when operating a watercraft.
  5. Regularly check the hourly weather conditions: It is important to check the hourly weather conditions in the nearby area because as a storm approaches, so do unsafe boating conditions. Remember that, at Motor Boatin, rentals can be rescheduled before reservation date with no penalty. Going out on the water during an extreme storm is not worth risking your life.

Safety always comes first! If you feel like venturing out on the water for the first time, reserve a rental from Motor Boatin today. Our goal is to make everyone feel confident when boating. Contact us for more information.

How to Safely Enjoy a Day Out on the Boat

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The newest term in all of our vocabularies is… social distancing. One of the biggest questions we have been asked at Motor Boatin’ is, can one rent a boat and social distance safely? The answer is yes! But there are some very specific ways to stay socially distant while on the water.

4 ways Motor Boatin’ is promoting social distancing while renting boats are:

  1. Families Only: We are trying to rent our boats only to couples, families, and groups that have already been together through the stay-at-home order. We don’t want a large party on a boat, or any additional spread of the coronavirus happening on one of our boats.
  2. Regular Cleanings: After each boat is rented and comes back in, it gets a thorough cleaning and disinfecting. Our cleaner is a commercial grade disinfectant approved by the CDC to kill all viruses, whether it is the coronavirus or something else.
  3. Time Spacing: We are spacing out our rentals to ensure that there is no rush during our cleaning process or potential spread between boaters.
  4. Spacing on Land: While on the boat, all boat renters have enough space between them to cover the social distancing requirements. However, on land and on the docks, we are requiring our guests keep at least 6 feet apart as well. Spacing out our rentals limits the number of guests that are on the docks at any given time, as well.

If you are cooped up and need to get out of the house, we would love to help out your family!  At Motor Boatin’, our rentals will make the time on the water a memorable one. Take a moment now to reserve one of our quality rentals for this weekend.

5 Helpful Spring Cleaning Tips for Every Boat

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Spring is here and warmer weather is on the way. Time to get the boats ready for the season with some spring cleaning tips from Motor Boatin’. Our boats are always kept up to a high standard of cleanliness and safety regulated for boat rentals.

Get a boat ready for spring by cleaning:Spring Cleaning Tips for Every Boat in North Carolina

  • Boat upholstery: Use the right type of brush to address stubborn dirt. Do research on the best cleaners for each type of upholstery. Using the correct materials helps shorten the cleaning process while also making sure the cleaner used is not causing damage.
  • Windshields: Use window cleaning solution with a soft cloth to clean off window stains. The cloth helps to prevent streaks. Clean windshields when it is cooler outside and the windshield is out of direct sunlight.
  • Deck: Use a hose and a boat cleaning solution for the boat deck. Measure out the correct proportion of water to cleaner. Use a brush to get difficult dried on dirt and stains out.
  • Exteriors: Use a hose with a nozzle that propels more water over a larger surface, but it is NOT a pressure/power washer. If it is the type of hose that already mixes in the cleaner, measure out the proportions correctly. Use buckets with a water and cleaning solution and a sponge to get to harder to clean spots. Rinse throughout the process to prevent the sun from drying the cleaner’s solvents onto the boat. Use soft and absorbent towels to dry off the boat. Use the appropriate wax and wax amount to seal the boat against the sun’s rays and water’s corrosive properties.

As always, it is good to have a cleaning kit on board for messes and spills. Keep some cleaning wipes, window cleaner, paper towels, and cloths for quick fixes. For more tips on keeping boats clean and ready for spring, contact Motor Boatin’.