JENSEN BEACH, Fla. — Playing on the waterways is why we live here. Discover the ultimate boating checklist for a safe and fun-filled day on the water.
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Below are some ultimate tips from Sea Tow in Jensen Beach:
- Have your Coast Guard-mandated equipment (life vests, flare gun, fire extinguisher)
- Check all the gear on your boat
- Make sure your batteries are working before you get into the water
- Make sure you have enough fuel before getting into the water
- Make sure your drain plug is in (BEFORE YOU GET INTO THE WATER)
- Make a checklist before you leave home
- Charge phones
Today we went out on a Sea Tow boat on the Indian River in Jensen Beach and met up with Captain Colby Schindel. He helps out boaters from Boca Raton to Sebastian.
"Most of the issues we run into are breakdowns. People run aground, people run out of fuel, batteries die. They've been out fishing all day, or at the sandbar, the batteries go dead," Schindel said. "We offer assistance to go, either help them get running or tow them back to their Marina, their house, the boat ramp."
It sounds like much of what Schindel told me could be prevented, if you just prepped a little bit before going out.
"Proper preparation is absolutely important. That's why it's good to have a checklist [at home before] you go on the boat, before you put the boat in the water, something to just go over, put touch and feel everything," he said. "Make sure you have all your safety gear, everything, all your equipment that you would eat for the day."
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