Monday, January 19, 2015

What Every Vacationer Should Know About Boat Rentals In Bermuda

By Enid Hinton


The fascinating island of Bermuda offers visitors a diverse wealth of natural beauty and an intriguing history and culture to discover. Many agree that one of the best ways to experience these aspects is to tour the island by sea on either a group tour lead by a local guide, or independently on one's own nautical adventure which can be done through 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.

When renting boats, one must expect that there will be some safety rules which need to be followed as to avoid personal injury or damage to the watercraft. Normally the rental company will specify all of these requirements along with any general regulations imposed by local authorities at the time of the transaction.

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.

It's always best to only rent boats from registered, licensed companies. Consulting Bermuda's Department of Tourism is a reliable way to find out which companies are professional and ensure a safe experience for their customers. Online, one may also come across some customer reviews for helpful feedback.

Before setting sail, a company representative will familiarize the customer with all of the boat's equipment and instruments. If the renter does not believe that he or she can safely operate it, then it's best to hire a local, experience captain to do so instead. Not only is this the safest option, but also a good opportunity to learn some interesting facts about the island one would otherwise not know.

The renter should be sure to locate all important safety equipment such as a first aid kit and life jackets, and confirm that they are in good working order. Being an expert sailor is not necessary, however being familiar with standard seafaring terminology such as positions on the boat like port, starboard, bow, and stern is helpful, and it's imperative to have a working cell phone along with emergency numbers for police and the local marina.

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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