Your Survival Guy’s boat, Tom Sawyer, is in the water and will be ready to go after I load up more gear this weekend. It’s chilly this morning, 50 degrees at my house, which means it will feel much colder down on the dock and out on the water.
Funny, it was in the low 70s on Wednesday, which is unusual for this time of year. It was a long, cold winter. It will take a little longer for the water to warm up. But I’m excited for the season.
One exercise I perform at the beginning of every season is to think about how well prepared I am if something goes wrong. I always consider myself a boater first, the captain if you will, and then a fisherman or harbor tour guide, for example. Not the other way around. I tell my family, you need to be a boater first, and then you can enjoy whatever activity you’re doing.
Before we leave the dock, I always get my guests familiar with the vessel so they understand the seriousness of what we’re doing. “Here’s the man overboard throw bag,” for example. I show them where the lifejackets are, the first aid kit, VHF after doing a radio check, kill switch for the engines, and other essentials. Before we shove off, I tell them not to worry about fending off if I get too close or bump into another boat. “It’s only a boat,” I tell them.
As a rule of thumb, if the weather is iffy at the dock, it will be more than iffy away from the dock. Which is why if it’s a tough call to stay tied up rather than “go for it,” I stay tied up. It’s always the right call, even if I know “we could do it.” Peace of mind and comfort aren’t just for investing.
Action Line: I hope you’re gearing up to get out on the water. It’s only Memorial Day, but summer flies. Let’s keep in touch. I’ll be monitoring channel 16 on the VHF, or email me at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com.
Originally posted on Your Survival Guy.