This is a Different Kind of Boating Checklist
With the weather warming up and the boats going back into the water, we know that the beginning of the 2017 boating season is just around the corner! We wanted to write this little boating checklist to make sure that everyone was ready for that first day out on the lake. While most boating checklist articles are about ropes, anchors, etc… we wrote this article to cover just about everything else. After all, if you are a member of Carefree Boat Club, you don’t have to worry about the boats and the required safety gear. We stay on top of that our members get to focus on having fun and making memories. Now that April is upon us, it’s a great time to review your check list and make sure you have everything you need.
Life Jackets
No boating checklist is complete without mentioning life jackets. Even though each boat is stocked with life jackets, most of us have our own – especially for the kids. If you have smaller children, it’s a great time to make sure their life jackets still fit! The smaller kids do tend to grow quite a bit during the off-season. The stores are starting to stock up on these kinds of things now, so it’s a great time to pick up another life jacket or two while you still have a good selection.
Lake Bag Supplies
Most of use tend to keep a pretty well stocked “lake bag” with the necessities in it. If you don’t, it’s a great idea to have one. You’ll want to make sure that it is well stocked with sunscreen, a first-aid kit, maybe some emergency snacks or waters, and some Ziploc bags to keep various things dry.
Sun-Screen & Protection
We just mentioned sun screen, but it’s worth one more mention! There is nothing worse than getting out on the water only to realize you didn’t bring enough sun screen, or your bottles run out at the beginning of the day. It’s a great practice to go ahead and replace your sunscreen at the beginning of the season anyway, Another thing – don’t forget a hat or two! Sunscreen is great, but it can quickly disappear due to sweat and lake water. Having a hat handy is a great way to not wind up with your head and ears fried after a day on the water.
Towels & Changes of Clothes
We go through towels like crazy on boating days. Take stock and make sure you have enough. It’s always good to grab a couple new beach towels for the new season anyway just to be on the safe side. We recommend keeping fresh towels and even a packaged change of clothes on any boating checklist.
Sunglasses
Save some headache and eye-strain and make sure you have adequate sunglasses for those that want them. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have a selection of sunglasses that won’t leave you devastated if something were to happen to them. Nobody wants their expensive designer shades at the bottom of the lake! You can find decent sunglasses that don’t cost an arm and a leg – just look for ones that have ground lenses, are polarized, and ideally don’t have cheap coatings that flake off and make it hard to see.
Other Gear
Do you bring your own gear such as wake boards? tow lines? tubes? It’s a good time to check and make sure your lines (if you use your own) are still in good condition. Make sure your board bindings still fit – especially if they are for your kids. Any other floats or lake gear should be inflated and tested for leaks or problems before you get on the water and find out the hard way.
Here’s to a Great 2017 Boating Season!
We hope this short list helps you as you start taking stock of your lake supplies for the 2017 season! As always, we make sure our club members have boats ready and waiting, with all required equipment and safety gear on board. Everyone has their own items though that they can’t live without and now is a great time to make sure everything is ready to go! What other items are in your “essential checklist” for your family boating trips? Feel free to leave them in the comments below!
If you have heard about carefree boat club and are wondering if it might be the best fit for you and your family, click below to find out more information! Our Tri-Cities boat club is a laid-back, family oriented club and we’d love to tell you all about it.
