What Every Vacationer Should Know About Boat Rentals In Bermuda

By Enid Hinton


When visiting the island of Bermuda, one of the best ways to appreciate its natural beauty and rich culture and history is to view it from the sea. This experience should top the itinerary of any traveler. Some people feel more at ease on an organized tour lead by a knowledgeable guide whereas more adventuresome types may prefer the freedom to explore that comes with private boat rentals in Bermuda.

It can make for a truly memorable time to gather a group of companions and head out on the open sea to take in this uniquely beautiful landscape. If a group rents their own watercraft, they have a fair amount of flexibility in terms of where they go and how much time they spend there, while a tour is limited to a specific duration and points of interest.

However there are some rules which must be adhered to for personal safety and to prevent harm to the boat. Specific rental companies typically have their own set of rules which must be followed, and there are also local regulations for safe boating that will need to be practiced.

Rental agencies will provide renters with necessary paperwork that must be filled out before signing the watercraft over to them, and it normally states what the speed limits are, and the undersigned is agreeing to obey them while operating the craft. There are "no wake zones" in most harbor and pier areas, where the speed cannot exceed 5 knots or leave a wave in the water. Boaters must also refrain from drinking alcohol while driving the boat, doing so is just as dangerous operating a car under the influence.

Choosing to deal only with companies that are licensed and registered is safest. One can look online for customer reviews for any companies they are considering to find out what others have to say about them, and consult the Department of Tourism for listings of reputable rental agencies.

Before the renter heads out on the open water, a company representative will make sure that he or she is familiar with all the boat's instruments and equipment and understands how to use them properly. Hiring a local captain to drive the boat is the safest option in the event that the renter does not feel that he or she can do so, and as an added advantage, this person will likely make the trip even more interesting with some cool facts.

One must also ensure that all safety equipment such as life jackets, and a first aid kit are present and in good working order. Generally having a sense of basic seafaring terms such as the positions on a watercraft like bow, stern, port, and starboard is advisable, and one must not leave without having a working cell phone and emergency numbers for the local marina and police if needed.

Buoys are commonly used to mark safe waterways and indicate direction, so it's necessary to recognize what each type signifies. Typically, they map out where boaters are to travel, the spaces in between two buoys are navigable channels. As one heads out from shore, green buoys with flashing lights will be on their left and red ones on their right, when returning to land, the opposite arrangement is true.




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