Prepare your boat for summer

Prepare your boat for summer © Boat Safe Ride Safe

Every accident or incident is unique but all occur due to a series of events, circumstances or failures. Good preparation gives the master of a vessel the best opportunity to make good decisions while on the water.

The video and the information on this page will help you prepare for your next boating trip.

Five things to do before every trip

• Check your vessel is fit-for-purpose and all lights, electrics, ropes etc are well maintained
  
• Ensure you are carrying the required safety equipment
  
• Check the weather and tides
  
• Familiarise yourself with the waterway rules
  
• Let someone know before you go.

Printing out and filling in our 'pre-trip checklist' is a great way to make sure you haven't forgotten to do anything before you leave shore. You can download it here as a PDF or accessible word document:

Vessel pre-trip checklist PDF, 156.8 KB
Vessel pre-trip checklist DOCX, 814.0 KB