Safety First: Courses are Being Offered to Hudson Valley Boaters
Boating season is right around the corner for all of us who enjoy hitting the water in the summer. Weather you are boating on one of the many lakes in the Hudson Valley or you are challenging yourself on the Hudson River it is important that you make a plan to be safe.
The Ulster County Sherriff's Department shared today on their Facebook page that their boating safety classes will be starting up soon. So many of us enjoy being out on the water but fun can turn dangerous if you don't know enough about boating safety.
Not only is it important for boaters to learn but it is actually good for all of us to learn how to stay safe on the water in a boat. I have been fortunate enough to have many educated boaters in my life who have taught me a lot about being out in a boat and how to be aware of things that can happen. The one things all of them had in common is their knowledge of boat safety.
In my limited time on the water in a boat I have encounter:
- Running out of wind in a sail boat which then ran out of gas leaving us to have to dock until morning next to a gas pump at a yacht club
- Fog rolling in that became so thick it was actually hard to see other people in the boat. Thanks goodness we has sonar to guide us back to our harbor mourning.
- Running a ground in a fixed keel sailboat at a harbor entrance in Tom's River New Jersey
There some other less interesting moments in my boating experience but like I said the difference was I was on the water with people who knew what to do and had planned for a safe trip no matter what we might encounter.
So before you hit the water this year look into taking the boating safety course that is being offered next month. The classes being offered are starting May 1, 2021. Find out more about registering by clicking here.