Safety First – Eight (8) Ways To Stay Safe During Outdoor Water Sports

With summer just around the corner, many people are starting to look forward to spending their days out on the water – enjoying swimming, boating, water sports, even just being out in the sunshine. As with every sporting activity, there need to be basic rules and guidelines established so that everyone who participates has a great time, and yet takes necessary precautions for the safety of those involved.

Below are some things that you can do to ensure it’s always a great day at the lake or beach!

1. Explain The Safety Rules To Everyone In Your Group

One of the best ways to avoid accidents and injuries is to make sure everyone in your group clearly understands the safety rules. So if you are driving around in a boat, or pulling a skier or towable float, make sure everyone knows what you expect of them. It is better to have the safety talk with participants even before you leave the dock or the shore area.

2. Check The Weather Forecast

Sometimes sports enthusiasts are so excited to get in the water that they forget to check the weather forecast for that day. As any experienced sports participant knows, bad weather in a lake or ocean can be dangerous. Heavy rain, strong wind, lightening, etc. can cause serious risk to swimmers and boaters. So make sure you check the weather the night before and the morning of your excursion. It’s always better to postpone your water sports day than to risk have an accident or injury due to bad weather. The National Weather Service, along with NOAA, provides this information, based on your location. A link to their site is provided here.

3. Wear Sunscreen

Make sure you wear sunscreen before you go boating or participate in outdoor water activities. It sounds simple but wearing sunscreen can significantly reduce the risk of a painful sunburn and future damage to your skin. Many dermatologists recommend using a sunscreen with a high SPF rating for maximum protection. Also, if you are going to be in and out of the water, they recommend using a sunscreen that is waterproof for many hours. Otherwise, you should reapply sunscreen each time you get out of the water.

You can also wear protective items, such as swim shirts and pants, hats, and sunglasses, for additional protection. It’s especially a good idea for children, as their skin is much more susceptible to sunburn.

4. Make Sure Anyone Going In The Water Can Swim

Anyone participating in a water sport should know how to swim. Just relying on a life jacket (as discussed below) to protect you is not good enough. You should have proper instruction in basic swimming techniques. You will feel more comfortable in the water, and for young children, this can help them to overcome their fear of the water. You and your family can take swimming lessons from community centers, or local YMCAs. A link to the aquatic programs offered by the YMCA is provided here.

5. Wear A Life Jacket

It sounds like common sense but many people surprisingly fail to wear a life jacket while boating or involved in other outdoor water sports. It is well documented that a life jacket can save your life. More than half of fatalities that occur while boating could have been prevented if the individual had been wearing a life jacket.

Children should always wear a life jacket when they are out on a boat. Several states have begun to pass state laws that require all children under the age of 14 to wear life jackets while on a moving boat. Adults can set a great example by also wearing life vests. Regardless, there should always be extra life jackets on board.

6. Keep An Eye On The Kids

In addition to the previous items discussed, whenever children are involved in boating or water sports, adults in the group should actively be keeping an eye on the youngsters. Depending on the age of the children, it is best to have an adult specifically assigned to certain children. Kids can become fearless and forgetful when they are playing in the water. They are unable to judge a dangerous situation, and have very little concern about their own safety, much less others around them.

7. Don’t Drink Alcohol When Going In The Water

Drinking alcohol when you are going to do any type of water sports activity is not recommended. When someone has been out in the sun drinking alcohol, they can become disoriented, dehydrated, and unable to respond appropriately to a critical situation. People that have been drinking may tend to take risks that put themselves and others in possible danger. So if someone in your group has been drinking, make sure that they do not go in the water or participate in a water sports activity.

8. Stay Hydrated

The main liquid you should be drinking is water! It’s important to stay hydrated when you are outside working or playing. Otherwise, your body will lose more fluid than it is taking in, and you will become dehydrated. If you begin to feel sick from being dehydrated, stop and rest, get in a cool place, and drink lots of water. You may need to seek immediate medical attention if the case is severe.

So keep these basic guidelines in mind, and go have fun in the sun! It’s time to enjoy this time of the year!

About The Author

Jane Warren is an avid outdoor water enthusiast who enjoys swimming, diving, boating, towable tubes, and just about anything else related to outdoor water sports. Out of this love of water sports, Jane started the website TowableTubesDirect.com, where she provides information, and reviews, on water sports equipment including towable tubes and related accessories. Some of the brands she has reviewed include Sportsstuff water tubes, Airhead, Aquaglide, and Rave Sports. One of Jane’s personal favorite towables is the Sportsstuff Super Mable Tube.

Jane and her husband Jim spend most of the winter months in Grand Cayman. During this time, Jane is able to scuba dive almost every day. Her highlight, so far, has been a shark dive, which was exciting and educational! She also swims every day, and competed in her first mile swim last year. They have lots of family and friends that come to visit, so there are lots of water activities for all to enjoy.

She also understands how important it is to practice safety in water sports. Her family has personally experienced the loss of a family member in a boating accident. As with any activity, “safety first” is part of the sport.