Have Fun & be Safe: Enjoy your Pontoon Boat Responsibly

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Enjoy Your Pontoon Boat Responsibly
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• Spending an afternoon aboard your pontoon boat
  enjoying the water, the sun, and your friends and
  family is an amazingly fun time. However, it also
  elevates the risk of injury. We have put together
  a quick safety guide of the 7 things you should
  remember when you venture out onto the water.

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Equipment Needed

• U.S. Coast Guard-approved lifejacket for everyone
  on board children must be fitted properly
• Functioning boat lights with extra batteries,
  test before leaving the dock
• First aid kit
• Flares
• Fire extinguisher
• Maps
• Cell phone

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Before Setting Sail

• Make sure to do these few things before heading
  out onto the water
• Notify someone where you are going and what time
  you should be back.
• Teach children and adults safety information
  theyll need to know.
• Review the local laws and regulations for
  additional requirements.
• Do one last equipment and personnel check before
  setting sail.

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Traffic, Speed, and Seating

• Be sure to follow the rules of the water
• Pay attention to the correct direction of
  traffic, in many places its counter clockwise,
  but double check with the local authorities.
• When leaving the dock know what your no wake
  zone is.
• Remember to always keep in mind which boat has
  the right of way.

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Keep A Look Out For Clouds

• No matter what season you are heading out onto
  the water, be very attentive to the weather. Keep
  a radio on board to receive warnings. Choppy
  water, lightning flashes, and major shifts in
  wind can all signal that a storm is on its way.
  If the weather turns for the worse, get off the
  water as soon as possible.

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Leave The Booze Off The Cruise
Dont drink and drive. It is illegal to operate a
pontoon boat while under the influence of drugs
or alcohol. The effects of drinking can be
exacerbated by the sun, wind, noise, glare, and
vibration of the boat.
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A Lifesaving Jacket

• As we said before, there should be enough
  lifejackets for each person aboard. The following
  are people who should be wearing a lifejacket
• Any child under 12, make sure it fits properly
• Any person participating in water sports
• Any time local laws require you to do so

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Be Mindful Of Cold Water

• People arent made to withstand cold water for
  very long. Remember that the colder the water the
  more dangerous it is to fall into. If the boat
  capsizes or a person is thrown overboard into
  cold water, the body can have as little as two
  minutes before some muscles begin to stop
  working. Get back to the boat as soon as possible
  and get help if someone has prolonged exposure to
  cold water.

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• If you would like more information about our
  pontoon boats or boat safety please visit
  http//www.manitoupontoonboats.com/

Manitou Pontoon Boats is the industry standard
for pontoon innovation with our patented V-Toon
technology. Pontoon boats with V-Toon technology
deliver the comfort and ease of a pontoon while
also providing the speed and handling of a boat.
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Summary

• A day on your pontoon boat can be fun, relaxing,
  and thrilling, but when youre on the water you
  need to pay extra attention to safety. We have
  compiled 7 different things that you should
  consider while having a blast on your pontoon.