Sober boating and safe boating, are you practicing the right boating methods?

WINNIPEG BEACH, MAN. — Hitting the lake for the long weekend? Do you know all the rules, regulations and tips to stay safe out there on the water?

Sure, the boat is a fun spot to be on a hot summer day. But, without the right safety precautions it can also be a dangerous, and sadly even fatal spot.

Boat safety experts said there are a lot of things to keep in mind before taking off from the dock.

Ted Rankine with the Canadian Safe Boating Council said a recent CSBC campaign focuses on five key messages:

1. Having a life jacket
2. Do not drink and boat
3. Be educated and have a boating license
4. Make sure your boat is mechanically safe
5. Be aware of the temperature of the water

Darcy Lytle has been a licensed boater for about five years and said getting your boating license is extremely necessary. He also said, for anyone getting it, make sure you study those questions because they do mean something out on the water.

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“With a lot of young and inexperienced boaters, common sense isn’t always common. That is one of my biggest concerns,” said Lytle.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "With a lot of young and inexperienced boaters, common sense isn't always common. That is one of my biggest concerns," said Lytle.

Boat safety experts says it’s also important to bear in mind that all is not equal when it comes to alcohol. The way you would feel after having just one drink is doubled or sometimes tripled when you are out on the water.

“A boat is always in motion. You’ve got the wind, the waves that provide a rocking motion in the boat, and you’ve got the hot sun. And when you add those together with drinking on a boat you actually magnify the affects of alcohol,” said Ted Rankine with the Canadian Safe Boating Council.

A life jacket is also not mandatory to wear on the water, but a recent red cross study shows 50 per cent of the fatalities could have been prevented if the victim was wearing a life jacket.

There are rules, and then there are strong suggestions, when it comes to the water, but it is important to keep all in mind, or it could be the difference between life and death.