Boating safety

Before setting off in your boat you should ensure that you are safely equipped and ready if any problems should arise. By being covered by Insuremyboat.co.uk, you will be covered for £3 million of third party and passenger’s liability.

You should first establish that your boat has a Boat Safety Certificate (BSS); this is a boat version of a cars MOT, only more in-depth. It will make certain that all electrical, gas and fuel systems pass before the boat can be eligible for a cruising licence and allow to pass down UK inland waterways. New boats (up to around 4 years old) will be issued with a Declaration of Conformity rather than a BSS. The certificate will last 4 years, at which you will need to have a re-examination.

It is now deemed necessary to know what to do in a man overboard situation, and basic procedures can be learnt at The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) courses. You will not only be shown what to do should the situation arise but also to prevent man overboard from happening in the first instance. It is also recommended that before going out on any boat, due care and attention should be made to safety advice and emergency procedures, again this can be obtained from the RYA or The Royal National Lifeboat Institution.