4 Tips for Taking a Small Boat Out on the Open Sea
If you have a small boat that you want to take out to sea, you need to make sure that your boat is equipped to handle the open waters. Here are four things you need to do before you take your boat out in the ocean.
#1 Fuel Capacity
The first thing that you need to keep in mind is the fuel capacity of your boat. You need to make sure that you have enough fuel to go out and back in with some to spare in case you encounter conditions that you are not expecting or in case you get a little lost while out on the open sea. You are going to want to make sure that your engine is full of fuel before you set out. It is also a good idea to have a small built-in tank in your boat for back-up fuel. If you don't have a built-in storage tank, you are going to want to bring a few fuel cans on board with you.
Make sure that you know how far you can get on the fuel that is in your engine and where you want to go so you can accurately calculate your fuel needs and assure that they are met.
#2 Battery Placement
Second, you need to check out where the battery that runs all of your navigation and driving systems is placed. When going out in the open sea, there are risks that your battery could get wet or damaged. The best way to ensure that your battery doesn't get damaged is by making sure that the battery is located in the consoles. You don't want the battery to be in the transom; in that location, it can easily get damaged when you are out on the open ocean.
#3 Self-Bailing
Any boat that you take out into the ocean should have self-bailing capacities. This is extremely important as you are going to get spray from the waves into your boat. If you get hit with a wave, you want to make sure that your boat can handle getting rid of the water from the wave effectively.
#4 Effective Scuppers
You should also not out into the open ocean without effective scuppers. When your self-draining is not working fast enough, you need to have scuppers on board to get rid of any water that gets into your boat. If you are hit with a big wave or end up in a storm, having effective scuppers that work can mean the differences between you making it through the situation at hand and your boat sinking. Even on a relatively calm day, water from the ocean can easily overwhelm a small boat if you are not able to get out fast enough.
Before you take your small boat out onto the ocean, make sure that it has the right equipment to handle being out among large waves. Additionally, make sure that you have the right skill level to navigate the open ocean. If your boat doesn't have the right equipment or you don't feel skilled enough to navigate in the open ocean, either rent a larger boat for going out on the ocean or take a charter out to the open sea.
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