Paddle Boating Safety Tips

Not too fast, now

Provided you are not Lance Armstrong or Usain Bolt, your safety concerns on a paddle boat are not going to be speed related. Or perhaps we had better say "high speed" related. You could very well find yourself in trouble in a paddle boat if you need to go faster. Even then, paddle boats easily reaches top speeds without the added muscle of world-class athletes.

Top paddle boat speed has something to do with the paddle size, water displacement and physics. Look it up, it might be interesting. From our point of view, it suffices to say that you shouldn't tire yourself by peddling like mad, if for some reason you are simultaneously in a paddle boat and a hurry. Always try to prevent these two things from happening at the same time. Accidents happen, even on paddle boats In all seriousness, though, paddle boating does require some forethought with regard to safety. You should always wear a life jacket while in any kind of water, be it a lake or river. If you are compelled to remove the jacket and go for a swim, don't stray too far from the shore or paddle boat. And for young children, always have them wear properly fitting, U. S. Coast Guard approved life jacket. Doing otherwise is just not worth it. Some other safety tips for paddle boats include dressing for the weather and bringing an emergency change of clothes. You don't want to be cold out on the lake, risk getting sick, or worse, going overboard accidentally and being stuck with nothing but wet clothes.

Getting along with others on the lake

If you are going to be fishing from your paddle boat, be mindful of your partner and pay careful attention not to snag their lip on your hook. Believe us, it's only funny in the movies. And of course, paddle boats are not for standing. If you're wrangling a fish that requires you to stand, perhaps you should have taken a larger boat. Fishing on a paddle boat, like anything done on a paddle boat, should be a languid, casual activity that requires very little effort.

Finally, and we really can't stress this enough, be aware of what activities are going on at the lake. If there are people water skiing or otherwise using fast moving boats, you need to coordinate some boundaries and stick to them. Make sure everybody knows where the faster boats have a right to be, and keep away.

If you stick to these simple guidelines, pack a lunch, always wait an hour after eating, and don't try anything too foolhardy like taking your paddle boat down the length of Mississippi with aims of landing in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday, you, your family and your friends will be able to enjoy your paddle boat worry free.