Spending a relaxing day on the water is the dream of every avid boating enthusiast. Still, there are certain safety precautions that you should take to ensure that you avoid short or long-term health problems from overexposure to the sun. Here are some helpful sun safety tips for boaters:
- Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin. For short boating trips, sunscreen with 15+ SPF and UVA/UVB protection may be sufficient. However, especially for longer trips, it is recommended that you use sunscreen products that have between 30 to 50 SPF. Apply approximately one ounce on your skin 20 minutes before going out of doors. Don’t forget to use a lip balm with SPF of at least 15!
- Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours. This is important even on cloudy days; in fact, in some cases clouds will amplify the effect of UV rays, causing them to gain in intensity.
- Wear protective clothing. Long-sleeved shirts, wide-brimmed hats, baseball caps, sunglasses, and other clothing items can protect your skin against damaging UV radiation.
- Exercise caution near the water. Water acts as a powerful light reflector and can increase the effect of the sun’s rays on your skin.
- Seek shade when possible. Whether you use an umbrella or even your ship’s sails, try to avoid staying in direct sunlight for the entirety of your trip. Moreover, remember that UV rays are at their peak between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
If you take the necessary precautions to guard against sunburn and overexposure to UV radiation, then you’ll be able to enjoy your time on the water without worrying about skin-related problems down the road. And don’t forget to fill up before departure! Visit Harbortown Marina – Canaveral for the lowest fuel prices in the area.
