If you’re keen to take to the water but have never sailed before, then you’ll likely be wondering about how to navigate a boat. The most important concern when it comes to boat or yacht navigation is, of course, safety.
Many factors come into play when it comes to ensuring the safety of everyone on board. Making sure you or your skipper can handle the boat is obviously a top priority. Then, you’ll need to check regarding local regulations where you’re going, get insurance cover, find out if you should bring any safety equipment, and file a float plan.
You can also get ahead by downloading any apps for sailing navigation that could be useful, and keeping up with the weather forecast ahead of, and throughout, your trip. A sailing safety course might also familiarise you with boat navigation rules, and help you to hone that yacht safety checklist.
As well as these navigation tools for sailing, common sense factors can also be important.
To make sure you have rental boat safety completely covered, why not follow the ten simple steps outlined below.
A step-by-step boat rental safety checklist
1. Choose a Boat That Suits Your Needs & Experience (Or Hire a Skipper)
First and foremost, choosing a vessel that you can steer safely across the sea is paramount. Otherwise, you might need to call in a professional, by hiring a skipper for the duration of your trip.
While you might be able to hire a boat without a skipper’s licence in some countries, do make sure you would feel completely safe when navigating your way through stormy waters before doing so.
Checking what licence you need according to the type of boat and destination can help you make up your mind about what sort of boat you want to rent. As well as whether or not to hire a skipper.
Of course, you also need to think about what sort of boat suits your party – and your intended route and ports of call.
2. Review Local Rules & Regulations
Countries set their own rules when it comes to sailing on their seas. You therefore need to check any local regulations that apply to wherever you’re headed.
There are several sources of reliable information you can use. One is the charter company you’ll be hiring the vessel from. As they’re likely to be locally based, they can usually help when it comes to outlining any rules and regulations you should be aware of.
Official government websites can also be a dependable source of information, as they are the ones responsible for setting the rules in the first place.
Plus, you can call upon one of the Borrow a Boat holiday planners whenever you need further information.
3. Check What Insurance You Need
Insurance cover is necessary when you hire a charter boat or yacht. By law, adequate charter boat insurance cover should be in place. This will protect the boat owner, the skipper in charge, and the renter.
Insurance will typically cover any damage the boat sustains during the rental period. This could be due to an accident, or an unforeseen event like a storm or other natural disaster. Personal belongings on board the boat may also be covered – it’s worth checking if this is the case when you take out this sort of cover.
If the boat is damaged, then you could be liable for costs. This will usually be up to, or equal to, the maximum security deposit paid.
Before going ahead with the rental, make sure the owner or charter company has proper cover in place. Don’t be afraid to ask for proof, and about what’s covered and your potential liability. Checking the terms and conditions can also clarify your position, as well as what to do if there is any damage to the boat.
Don’t forget that you will also need regular travel insurance cover for the duration of your holiday. This is necessary to cover cancellation, curtailment, medical emergencies, theft, and more. Make sure the policy you choose covers sailing before going ahead with a purchase.
4. Consider Taking a Safety Course
Whether you intend to take the wheel yourself or would like to know more about what a skipper really does, taking a boat navigation safety course can be a very good idea before setting sail.
What’s available varies by country. In the UK, the Essential Navigation and Seamanship course is the go-to, and is overseen by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).
No experience is necessary, and there is no minimum age requirement. You can take the course in the classroom, or online. Expect to spend around 16 hours completing it in a classroom setting, or eight to 10 hours if studying online.
This course is intended as a basic introduction to safety and navigation. It’s suitable for anyone that’s new to sailing, as well as experienced inshore racers or keelboat and dinghy sailors.
Course content includes weather forecasts and tidal awareness, safety, visual and electronic navigation, anchoring, charts and publications, pilotage, engine checks, buoyage, passage planning, and the “rules of the road.”
Find out more, or locate a training centre, on the RYA website. They also have a list of more challenging courses.
5. Weather Forecasts and Tidal Information
The RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship course covers weather forecasts and tidal awareness for a good reason. It’s essential to understand what the weather and tides might have in store for your trip. And how to handle anything that comes your way.
You’ll need to check the weather forecast before you go – and get regular updates while you’re away. It’s important to make sure any tidal predictions or anticipated currents fit with where you’ll be sailing and when.
The RYA advises checking more than one app or website for guidance, and to treat forecasts as an indicator rather than a given. Weather forecasts are more accurate the closer to the time you get. Five days before will be less accurate than three days ahead, for example.
You can catch the shipping forecast on BBC Radio 4 four times daily, and on Navtex 518kHz twice per day. Met Office gale warnings for force eight and above are also broadcast on Radio 4, at the first possible interval.
There’s also various weather and tidal apps and websites you can use.
6. Download Useful Boating Apps
Sailing apps can help both rookie and experienced sailors to stay safe. Here are some of the most useful and popular options.
Weather and tides apps
- Windy: Wind, weather & wave alerts & forecasts (free)
- Tides Chart: Track local tides (free)
- Windfinder: Local wind conditions (free)
Navigation and tracking apps
- VesselFinder: Live vessel tracking (free)
- Anchor Watch / Alarm: Position alert & logger (free)
- Navily: Marinas & anchorages (free)
- Marine Traffic: Live traffic updates (paid)
- iNavx: Handheld chartplotter (paid)
- Savvy Navvy: For navigation (paid)
General sailing apps
- KnowWake: Local services on land (free)
- Animated knots: Learn nautical knots (paid)
- SeaHelp: Boat breakdown service (paid)
7. Check If You Need To Bring Any Safety Equipment
Your rental vessel should be regularly inspected and well maintained. You should also have a safety briefing before setting sail.
What needs to be on board to ensure the safety of all passengers and crew varies according to the country. A complete list of boat safety equipment will typically include items like an anchor, a compass, a first-aid kit, hand flares, life jackets, mooring ropes, navigation charts, navigation lights, oars, a torch, and more.
If in doubt about what you might need to bring, ask the charter company directly or contact a Borrow a Boat holiday planner for guidance.
8. Don’t Consume Alcohol If You’re Driving The Boat
It takes the average person around one hour to fully process one unit of alcohol. Even a small amount of alcohol can have a potentially huge effect, slowing your reaction time and impairing your judgement. This makes accidents more likely.
The laws regarding alcohol and skippering a boat can be confusing – and rather vague. However, this doesn’t mean that you couldn’t be prosecuted if you were found to be drunk in charge of a vessel.
If there was an accident and it transpired you’d been drinking, then you might not be covered by the charter boat insurance. Nor your own travel insurance. Either way, imagine the physical and psychological consequences, if you or someone else was injured due to consuming alcohol while skippering.
The best policy is to avoid drinking alcohol altogether if you’ll be steering the boat.
9. File a Float Plan
So what is a float plan, if you’re not familiar with the term? A float plan is an outline of your sailing itinerary. It includes your expected time of return, and should be left with someone responsible.
If you do not arrive at your destination within an agreed period after the anticipated time, the person holding the float plan can notify the authorities, such as the coastguard. It’s therefore imperative that you notify the float plan holder of your safe arrival. Otherwise, precious search and rescue resources could be wasted.
A float plan should include a description of your boat and any safety equipment on board. Most importantly, it should state where you will arrive, and when. It should be filed with the marina, or a trusted family member or friend.
There is no set format, but you can find free templates online which may be helpful. Including a photo of the boat is also a good idea.
10. Don’t Forget Sunscreen!
Sunburn is common among those who spend time on boats. Why? Well, the wind can mean you don’t feel the powerful rays burning your skin until it’s too late. Another reason is that the water reflects light, thus intensifying the effect.
For these reasons, always wear a medium to high protection formula, depending on your skin type. Ensure this is waterproof, and provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Reef-safe formulas can also safeguard the environment.