Do you love to spend time on the water? Whether it’s the ocean with its unmatchable views or a lake where you can enjoy a pleasant swim, time spent enjoying the various activities near and on water is one of the best summer activities.
Depending on where you live, you might already be enjoying boating and swimming activities this new year. Let’s suppose you’ve decided to take your enjoyment of the sun and sand to a new level by getting a new boat.
In that case, you’ll likely be inspired to plan as many fun activities as possible. As you prepare for 2023 and think of places you might want to take your boat, you might also consider trying some boating activities you’ve never done before.
Here are five boating activities you and your loved ones could try this year with your new boat.
A Note On Getting Started With Boating
If you’re entirely new to boating, make sure you get some supplies and learn the appropriate safety tips before you try any of the activities on this list. You’ll want to research some safety essentials and get together basic supplies such as:
- Boat covers
- Life jackets
- Anchors
- Emergency radios
Once you’ve got the basics, you can turn to devising all your fun plans!
- Wakeboarding
Most people have heard of water skiing before. Wakeboarding is just as fun, if not more so.
It’s similar to snowboarding, except you’re being pulled behind a boat instead of going down a snowy hill. It may take a bit of practice to learn how to stand up quickly without falling over, but wakeboarding is an ideal activity for teens and young adults looking to get into a new sport.
- Wakesurfing
Wakesurfing is similar to wakeboarding but even less familiar. Unlike wakeboarding and waterskiing, wakesurfing doesn’t entail getting towed behind a boat with a rope.
Instead, the surfer rides a short board in the wake made by the boat. It requires balance and technique. Keep in mind that while wakesurfing can be a lot of fun, it’s only possible with the type of boat that creates a large-enough wake and has a covered motor.
- Tubing and Other Tow Toys
Wakeboarding and wake surfing are ideal boating activities for teens and adults; however, they can be a challenge for children to master. If you have younger kids or aren’t interested in something quite as athletic, tubing behind a boat offers a comparable amount of fun with less work.
All you have to do is obtain an appropriate tow rope, then drive the boat around. The person in the tube gets a thrill ride that’s relatively safe as well as physically unchallenging. There are many different tubes available, so you should be able to find the right size and style for your needs.
- Picnics on the Dock
Depending on where you boat, there’s a good chance you’ll have access to dock areas. Some are only suitable for putting your boat in the water and pulling it back out, but others are designed for recreational use themselves.
In fact, some docks float in the middle of the lake so people can relax on them as well as go swimming. These stages provide the perfect way to jump in the water, swim a little, or even have a picnic. That’s a great alternative when you need a break from the more active options.
- Fishing
Fishing is one of the most popular boating activities. If you’ve never done it, fishing is worth a try.
You don’t even have to care about taking home any fish. You can just enjoy sitting on the water and doing something that demands that you slow down.
Thus, whether you prefer an adrenaline-filled sport or unwinding on the water, surely you can find inspiration among this list of boating activities for your next excursion!
