Spring Aboard With Boating Education

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators is promoting their Spring Aboard campaign during the week of April 17-24 2016, when boaters who enroll in or complete a course will receive discounts and / or incentives from participating course providers.

Safety should always be a top priority when heading out on the water, whether trolling on a deep-sea fishing boat or paddling whitewater rapids, and nobody knows this better than Guidefitter’s own Robert Price.

As a guide, it’s Price’s job to make sure that everyone enjoys their day on the water and makes it home in one piece. But that can be easier said than done.

“Water is always changing, and at any moment things can go bad,” explains Price.

“Be prepared to deal with those things, because they can and do happen.”

“If you’re a reputable raft company, you should always require your guides to do a swift water rescue course,” which he explains is valid for three years. “Once you get certified, every year you should do the more advanced course because you utilize more skills, you build on the skills you first learned and it allows you to get out of increasingly difficult situations.”

As with any trip, preparation is a key component to having a successful adventure.

“Its important to be on the water early, before the season officially starts for your company. Be out there, be comfortable, be practicing things,” says Price. “The more confidence you have on the water, the more your clients are going to trust you and that plays into them having a better time.”

For more information on the NASBLA Spring Ahead campaign, visit their website www.nasbla.org/boatingcourse or contact your state’s official parks and recreation department.