Relaxing in your canoe on a beautiful calm lake, fishing for the perfect fish is a very enjoyable and peaceful pastime that is enjoyed by many. Or maybe taking your kayak down a white water river braving class four rapids is more your style? Inflatable boats or Zodiacs are a lot of fun cruising in the ocean, slamming through the surf as well!

No matter what your personal preference is, enjoying small boats on the water is a lot of fun and can be exciting and relaxing all in one trip, depending on what you prefer. But no matter what type of boating you enjoy, you should be aware of some fundamental boating safety rules before you head out.

Pay Attention To The Weather

No matter if you are going for a paddle along the shore line of a local lake or a wild cruise through the ocean surf you should pay close attention to the weather report of the area that you are going.

Out on the water, the weather can change very quickly causing a whole host of problems to small boaters. It is very important to look at the short term weather report if you are going on a day trip to see if the weather forecast is calling for rain or any other major disturbances.

Rain storms can be a lot worse on the water than they are on land. A small rain storm can quickly turn into a very frightening experience if you are in a small boat such as a canoe, kayak or rowboat. Very small boats do not have as much stability and can be capsized or flipped much easier than larger boats. Also, there is nowhere to escape from the rain on a small water craft which means that you will become wet and cold much faster.

It is also a good idea to look to the sky as well as the weather report. Of course it is important to look to the weather report for the official weather; however the weather can turn around very quickly around water so it is a good idea to look to the sky. If you see some black clouds forming quickly and filling the sky, you may want to avoid the water that day or keep a very close eye on the sky.

Don