Learning how to swim is literally a life-saving skill that is much more highlighted if you ever fall overboard. Knowing how to float, breathe underwater, and move in the water could help you get to shore or at least stay afloat long enough to be rescued. And if you’re aspiring to be a boater, it’s assumed to be the pre-requisite skill to have. But a lot of people have wondered and contested about this.

Now the question lies, is it necessary to know how to swim if you want to be a boater?

The Importance of Swimming

It’s a no-brainer that swimming is a valuable skill. If you ever fall overboard your Quintrex Territory Legend or whatever boat you’re on, you could float in the water to swim safely back (if it’s anchored) or to a nearby shore.

If any of your passengers onboard falls into the water and doesn’t know how to swim, you can rescue them and take them to safety.

Aside from the fact that swimming keeps you from drowning, swimming can also enhance your boating experience. You’re not intimidated to jump in the water and explore aquatic life or cool yourself on the vast ocean or lake without any worries on your mind. Plus, you could exercise your body through swimming.

Learning How To Swim

If you’ve never learned how to swim before, and you’re embarrassed to admit it or intimidated to learn it, it’s totally understandable. Learning how to swim, even as an adult with no prior experience, is fairly straightforward. It may be difficult at first, but with proper guidance from your instructor and consistent practice, your body and mind will be comfortable enough to be able to swim without any difficulties.

Breaststroke and backstroke are simple swimming strokes you can easily learn. Consider taking private lessons with an expert swimmer since they can give you personalised advice to improve on your skills.

How to Stay Safe Regardless If You Know How To Swim Or Not

While it’s safe to say that swimming is a big advantage for a boater to have that skill, it’s not compulsory to know how to swim before you own a boat. By following all the safety tips and taking extra care and vigilance in your surroundings whenever you go boating, then there’s no danger of falling overboard your boat.

Here are some tips to always stay safe on the water, whether you know how to swim or not:

• Stow lifejackets and PFDs and a throwable flotation device on board every time you go out on the water. Every vessel should be equipped with enough lifejackets to fit everyone on board snugly.
• Always check the weather forecast to avoid bad conditions. If the weather threatens to rain if it’s too windy or if the waters are rough, postpone your trip. It’s best to prioritise safety always so you don’t have to say sorry later.
• Throwable floatation devices are used just in case you need to throw a lifeline to anyone who falls onboard and is struggling to stay afloat.
• Be sure to include plenty of visual signalling and lighting accessories on your vessel. If you’re boating at nighttime or if you happen to chance upon foggy conditions and someone falls overboard, you’ll need to use flashlights and visual signals to guide them back to the boat or signal for help in an emergency.
• Audio signalling is also important to signal for help and provide audio warnings to the vessels around you. You can get these devices in your local marine shops.
• If you are operating a vessel, consider implementing some behavioural changes to improve the safety of your entire group. For example, try to avoid larger or faster vessels to reduce the possibility of collisions.

Remember, just because you don’t know how to swim now doesn’t mean you can’t go boating or enjoy the experience. You can always have a great time out on the water as long as you’re careful and mindful in your time in the water.