The Best Way of Making Safe Sailing Maps

One of the most important assets to your boat rental business is of course the boat, but it is also important to remember that however comfortable or nice the boat is, the customer also has to have a good experience. Making the most of your local environment by creating a fun and safe sailing route is essential for providing the best experience to your customers. In the following article we’d like to give you our top tips on how to create a safe sailing map and get the most out of your location.

Taking into consideration safety aspects while planning the sailing route is essential. Your customers have to feel secure during their journey. Very few situations can give a worse reputation to boat rentals than potential boat accidents, thus think about route options that nudge customers to act responsibly and that is 100% safe for beginners. Irresponsible guest behaviour is a serious business risk. At GoBoat our design team has experience in developing maps that serve both as maps and as a preventive entity. Over the years of sharing boats, we have found that it is essential to include the following points in your sailing map.

Shallow water

There is a risk of injuries when boats suddenly hit the ground in shallow water. Spinal cord injuries, slips and falls or damage to the head can all come from shallow water accidents. It can also cause damage to the boat, which might go undetected by beginners or even experienced sailors, causing them to start to take on water onboard.

Heavy maritime traffic

Before you decide to establish all the necessary facilities on your dock, be aware of the maritime traffic. The route can be completely unused but it can be heavily utilised by ferries, container ships or other private boat rentals. Even if your guests successfully avoid dangerous situations with other ships, they may feel unsafe.

Narrow passages

Take into consideration canals, bridges and tunnels as well during the planning process. In many cases, tunnels can be wide enough for two boats but often it’s only suitable for one. In these situations it has to be clearly indicated on the sailing map.

Tides

Tide tables, sometimes called tide charts, can be useful in order to be avoid being cut off by the tide. Inform your sailers about the surroundings and the tide’s direction. In some cases, tides can change the depth of the water by approximately ten meters.

What causes tides?

These are periodic movements of the water caused by the relationship between the masses of the Earth, moon and sun and their distances to each other.

Types of tides:

• Diurnal tides occur when there is so much interference by continents, only one high tide and one low tide occur per day.

• Neap tides occur when the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon are working against each other and we experience moderate changes in water levels.

• Most tides are semi-diurnal or mixed. Semi-diurnal tides are when the two high and two low tides are the same height. In mixed tides, the two high and two low tides are different heights.

• During the phenomena, called spring tides, the sun and the moon are in line with each other, they pull the ocean’s surface in the same direction. This causes higher high tides and lowers low tides.

Local sailing rules

Sailing rules can vary from country to country, thus it is essential to provide a quick briefing to your customers. Even if your guests are experienced sailers, certain parts of the local maritime law can differ from the one in the customer’s home country.

Over the years we’ve seen many wonderful routes being created. It’s always worth pointing out certain buildings, streets or other attractions on the map to give the customer a more immersive experience. The same goes for parks or other natural environments. It’s a great way to see a city from a different perspective. The final top tip is to remember to put toilet facilities on the maps - sailing often takes a couple of hours, so it’s always good to know where the nearest bathroom is!