There’s very little denying that the most fun activity on the water is good old fashioned towable tubing. There’s just something so satisfying about getting onto a tube that’s been tied to the back of a boat, and just letting that sucker drag you behind, skidding across the water. And while for the most part, it’s one of the safer activities you can partake in on the beach besides sunbathing (and even then, there are serious consequences for not properly applying sunscreen) there are still some safety tips you should keep in mind when getting on a towable tube for boats. While these may boil down to simple common sense, we could all use a bit more of that in our lives.
1. Read The Directions
Too many people, not just boaters, see the instruction manual as a piece of fluff text in the box. It’s just hook up and go, right? Wrong. The directions are in there for a very good reason, so please take five minutes, at most, out of your day to read them to ensure you and your family’s safety when riding one of these things. Reading the instruction manual is the safest option.
2. Tow The Line
The inflatable is only the first step, the next step of ensuring a safe tube ride is choosing the right tow rope for the job. Some inflatables will come with their own rope, but when one doesn’t you need to be extra thorough about finding the right one. Not all tow ropes are built to haul everything, some are too weak, others are too strong etc. Ideally, pick a rope designed for hauling inflatables across water, and be sure to look at the strength of the rope. The last thing you want is for the rope to snap and for you to go flying off with the raft.
3. Insist On PFD’s
PFD’s are a fancy word for life jackets, and other water safety equipment. Even if you do everything right, it’s possible for accidents to happen out of nowhere. As such, ensure and insist that everyone is wearing the right safety equipment. Also make sure they’re wearing any fastening hardware that comes with the inflatable, as there is probably a very good reason that it’s there.
These are very basic, non-intrusive means of ensuring safety for everyone, so don’t worry about forgetting. Chances are you’ll think of doing most, if not all of these three steps just by virtue of having common sense. But a refresher course never hurt anybody.
