How To Be Safe Riding Towable Inflatables

You’ve gotten yourself this great new towable inflatable, or you’re looking into getting one, and you’re wondering how to be safe while riding it. This is a good thing to be concerned about anytime you’re about to go out onto the water and with a few simple precautions you can ensure you’ll have a great day out on the water, and many more to come.

The first piece of somewhat unconventional advice is to follow your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right to you, whether it be the weather or the way you’re sitting on your new toy, don’t ignore it. Too often people feel that something is wrong, but unable to put their finger on what it is exactly, they just move forward and try to ignore it. Sometimes you notice things without being able to wrap language around it, and that doesn’t make it a less legitimate concern.

Wear a life vest, and make sure anyone else riding with you is, too! Being a strong swimmer simply isn’t enough. You’re going to be riding along in the boats wake, if you fall in you are guaranteed to be in a strong current. Add to that, it’s very possible for you to hit your head on a log in the water, or bump heads with a fellow rider, and a life vest will keep you afloat if you’re unable to swim. This is a very wise and simple thing to do.

While being a strong swimmer isn’t enough, it still is important. If you don’t know how to swim well it’s not a great idea for you to go out on the water.

An easily overlooked precaution is to look over your tow ropes or harnesses for frays and tears. You’ll want to do this every time you use them and replace them when necessary.

Keep a keen eye out on other boaties as well – busy spaces on the water can be dangerous – again, if your chosen spot feels overcrowded, it may be better to wait until it clears, or choose somewhere else.

Observe the rules of the sea, slow down to 5knots within 200m of the shore. Check your speed when towing someone – it feels very much faster being towed than towing. If you have small children on the inflatable, take it slowly – there’s a lot of fun to be had – it doesn’t have to be at full pace!