Pontoon Boat Safety Tips

A pontoon or party boat can be a fun and relaxing way to travel out on the water.  These spacious boats hold as many as 15 or so people and can allow for sunbathing, music and partying!  Several months ago after searching through various listings of used Pontoon boats for sale, we found a great deal on one for just under $5500.  The boat can hold up to ten passengers, includes a built-in radio, fish finder, and spacious storage for all sorts of items underneath the seat cushions.  We've found the pontoon boat to be a lot of fun to take out on the lake for journeys to explore different areas and enjoy the relaxation of being on the water.

While pontoon boats are a lot of fun to take on the water, safety should always be a priority.  The last thing you want is your partying to get in the way of safety and cause a hazard to other boaters or even worse an accident on the dock or water.  This article will outline several safety precautions to keep in mind while you're using your pontoon boat.  Safety tips for driving the boat are better learned via a safe boating course, so these will be general safety tips for storing your boat and what to do before taking it out.

On board the pontoon boat it's essential to have a flotation device.  This is in case of a sudden crash or impact, or if the boat flipped.  The flotation device should always be kept out in the open when your boating, just in case of an accident.  Also, make sure to include a number of lifevests, which can be stored underneath the seat cushions on the boat.  Err on the side of caution by having 8-10 of these just in case you have a lot of passengers.  You never know when they will be needed, or if certain passengers are unable to swim.

If your pontoon boat is stored at a dock, it is necessary for it to be tied up to the dock.  At our dock there are four cleats, two in front and two in back of the boat.  It is essential that you properly cleat the lines and that the pontoon boat is fastened securely near the dock.  Otherwise, if it is loose or becomes unattached, your boat may float away and hit something!  When leaving for an outing on the boat, we always make sure one person is on board while one or more passengers are on the dock to untie the ropes from the cleats.  Then the people on the dock safely board as the pontoon boat motor has been switched on.

With many new and used pontoon boats, the key also includes a special clip for the "killswitch" or "dead man's switch" attached by a cord on the keyring.  This clip-on switch provides an important safety function to shut off the boat's motor.  It's very important before even starting the boat that you have this clip in place, so that if your key becomes dislodged or you have to pull it out for an emergency, the motor will shut down automatically.

While out on the water, there are several safety rules to keep in mind.  While I could cover them here, it is generally advised that you have completed a boating or boater's safety course for your area.  Different states have different laws or regulations regarding who is required to have passed a boater safety course before being allowed to even drive a boat on the water.  You can find out more about your particular state's laws and regulations at the appropriate Game and Inland Fisheries website for your state, or your state's gov site.