What should you do if caught in severe storm conditions while boating?

Bad preparation for boating trips and negligence of boat maintenance can lead to unsafe boating experiences, resulting in injury and loss of life.

You, as a boat operator, have to understand the importance of demonstrating lifesaving equipment and providing safety instructions to your guests.

You should also be able to describe and complete pre-trip planning and preparation requirements.

Before the weather gets foul like this, make sure you know where shelter is in the areas you are boating.

Checking navigational references to identify places to take shelter in event of foul weather.

The wind direction is reported by the direction from which it originates.

For example a northerly wind blows from the north to the south, resulting in the waves moving from north to south too.

In the event of foul weather (such as a strong wind warning), do you know where all the protected places to anchor, moor or tie up are?

Such as, marinas and harbours, bays and inlets.

Marinas and harbours will have dockage areas for you and are usually well protected by breakwater.

Bays and inlets are sometimes popular for provincial parks and usually have mooring buoys or protected anchorage somewhere.

At any rate, you need to check marine charts or guides to figure out where good places to shelter from foul weather are.

For example, let's say you are traveling up the world famous Desolation Sound in British Columbia and it's getting late in the day and southwest winds are picking up.

You may have to quickly find a small bay (with good anchorage) in the northeast corner of an island somewhere so you are protected from SW wind and waves.

On the other hand, if Environment Canada says that gale force northeast winds are in the forecast, then that means the wind and waves will be going towards the southwest.

Therefore, you might have to quickly find shelter in a bay in the southwest corner of an island.

It's up to you to know the waters you are cruising.

That's because finding well protected shelter can save lives.

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