Child Safety
Ever been out on a pirate ship? How about a naval command vessel, or been captain of a ship that is out on an expedition to uncharted lands? Chances are unless you served in the Navy, you haven’t been on any of these things. In a child’s eyes however, they can do all three in one day when they spend a day on the water. Even if their battle cruisers are just 10 foot long saltwater pontoon boats, they can be the size of a football field in their minds. While the fantasy may differ from child to child, the reality is the same. Even if they are gold winning Olympic swimmers in their mind, they are still young and it is up to you to make sure they play safely when out on the boat.
Of course, safety is important for all ages, regardless of how old you are or how well you can swim. With children though, it is a little more essential due to the fact, not many children know their limits, and that children do have limits. What is a small wave to an adult can be a tidal wave to a child. What could be a quick swim for you, may be an impossible task for your son or daughter. So even if they do complain about it, make sure they follow these quick safety guides.
Discuss Safety: They say that knowing is half the battle, so before setting out for the open waters, discuss safety guidelines with your child or children.
Floatation Vests: Placing a brightly colored floatation vest on a child is a great way to ensure they don’t drown if they fall overboard, and will make them easy to spot quickly.
Don’t Let Them Swim Alone: If you plan on letting your child leave the boat to go swimming, make sure the water is calm, and that an adult is in the water as well.
Observation: The best and simplest way to make sure your child remains safe is to keep an eye on them at all times. You don’t have to follow them like a hawk, just make sure they are somewhere in your range of vision and close enough to easily hear if they need help.
These rules can be applied to adults as well, but usually adults already understand these rules, (keyword usually). As long as you keep an eye on your kids, and make sure they are following these steps, you can let them have their adventures aboard the legendary Black Pearl, even when the pirate ship is really a quality pontoon boat from Fiesta Marine. If you don’t have your mighty vessel yet, you can visit fiestamarine.com for durable saltwater pontoon boats, of sightseerboats.com for a commercial catamaran.