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The rules of a proper pontoon boats

If you consider yourself a responsible pontoon captain who values safety, you will need to grasp the rules of good boating. Taking the required precautions to follow these regulations will help you to handle your new pontoon boat in a respectful and safe manner. Too many new pontoon boat owners spend too much time planning their adventures and discoveries and too little time practising safe boating practices. You can also use trolling motor to spot-lock trolling motor for pontoon

Pontoon boat sellers will tell you that the Rule of Good Seamanship is the cornerstone for all other boating rules. “Good seamanship,” on the other hand, is dependent on multiple basic guidelines rather than a single definition:

  • Follow all of the rules when operating pontoon boats, unless an extreme circumstance forces you to stray from them.
  • If a collision is unavoidable, minimise the damage by carefully manoeuvring to reduce the force of the contact. Although pontoon boat manufacturers use robust materials, there is no way of knowing how a collision will influence your boat’s buoyancy, so bring lifejackets for every passenger.
  • Ensure that other fishing pontoon boats can see you by outfitting your boat with adequate illumination during low light conditions. Nowadays, manufacturers include all necessary lights in their typical boat packages.
  • You will need to keep a sharp and constant eye out at all times. While many of the best pontoon boats offer completely uninterrupted views, the captain may not be able to see all the way around the boat in other circumstances. The skipper should designate a crew member as a lookout who is vigilant enough to see and hear any other vessels.
  • You must know how to operate a CB or radio communicator, or have a cell phone, and be able to use it within restrictions to communicate with other custom pontoon boats on the lake.

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There are also rules that explain how to communicate audibly between boats by employing horn signals. The horn sounds are organised into clusters of short and lengthy blasts:

  • A short horn blast on a pontoon boat (or any boat) lasts around one second. A single brief horn blast indicates that you intend to pass the other boat on its port side.
  • Two quick honks of your horn alerts other boaters that you’re aiming to pass them on their starboard sides.
  • Three short horn blasts alert other pontoon boaters that you are operating your pontoon boat in reverse gear. Pontoon manufacturers employ outboard motors with reverse gear in almost every new pontoon they produce.
  • Five fast blasts of the horn alerts other captains that you and your crew are either in danger or are unsure about the intentions of a neighbouring vessel.

The rules, while appearing convoluted, serve a simple purpose, to prevent dangerous or lethal collisions between vessels. You must also learn about spot-lock trolling motor for pontoon. You will follow the spirit of the rules and have a good time on your pontoon boat if you apply some prudence, common sense, and attentiveness.

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