Most bikers have ridden at night. Sometimes you can’t avoid it, or maybe you just enjoy it! It can be pretty, with city lights or starry skies and the open road – but it can also be extremely dangerous. Night riding is not impossible, you just need to make smart choices and be cautious on the night roads. 
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The number one cause of nighttime accidents is a lack of visibility. Beyond the obvious lack of sunlight, riders experience impaired depth perception vision impairment due to fatigue. When riding with decreased visibility, try the following: 

• Lower Speed. Slow down. Follow the night riding common rule-of-thumb: never outride your headlights. For example, if your headlights shine to the tree line, make sure you can stop before you pass the tree line. This will prevent you from riding too fast into an unseen object or hazard.
• Adaptive Headlights. Standard headlights provide minimal illumination. Adaptive LED headlights provide a brighter view of the road with an intuitive mechanism that compensates for turns. The angle of the headlight shifts to illuminate the lane in front of you, not the other side of the road.
• Visor Wipes. Smudges, dead bugs and dirt on your helmet can cause obstructions in your vision when riding, especially at night. The debris on your visor will refract the light of oncoming traffic, inhibiting your eyesight. Keep a travel size pack of wipes on your bike so you can clean your visor. You never know when you might need to ride and night.

There are other hazards to consider when riding at night. If you live in the country, animals such as deer are more likely to make an appearance at night. Be cautious and watch out animals crossing the road. Country and city riders alike should be vigilant for inebriated drivers, especially on the weekend. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, "Forty-eight percent of motorcyclist deaths in 2018 occurred on weekends, and those deaths were more likely to occur after 6 p.m. compared with weekdays." Proactive driving, additional lighting and slower speeds will help keep you safe when riding your motorcycle at night.

Source: https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/tips-for-riding-at-night.asp

It's the holiday season again – that special time of year when you brighten your home with colorful and twinkling lights. Although decorating with electric lighting helps you create a cheerful atmosphere, it also brings an increased risk of accidental fire.
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Here are some important safety tips to help you avoid electrical fires, overloaded circuits and other holiday fire hazards both outside and inside your home.

Outside lights

• Always buy lights and electrical decorations bearing the name of an independent testing lab, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation and maintenance.
• Never use seasonal lighting outside your home unless it is specifically labeled for outdoor use.
• Connect outside lighting to a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupting (GFCI) outlet. If you don't have a GFCI outlet, contact a qualified electrician for proper installation.
• Never secure the wiring of outdoor lighting with staples or nails – or place lights on sharp hooks or nails.
• Do not close doors or windows on extension cords, or mount lights in any way that can damage the cord's wire insulation.
• Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. Never overload extension cords.

Inside lights

• Keep kids and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.
• Unplug all holiday lighting before leaving the house or when going to bed.
• Make sure the lamps do not rest on the supply cord or on any wire.
• Avoid covering lights with cloth, paper or any material that is not part of the lighting.
• Throw away any lighting that shows cut, damaged or frayed wire insulation or cords. Also discard lights with cracks in lamp holders, loose connections or exposed copper wire.
• Virtually all holiday lighting is provided with overload fuse protection. A blown fuse indicates an overload or short-circuit situation. When this occurs, unplug lights from the outlet immediately and replace the blown fuse.
• If the replacement fuse blows, a short circuit may be present. Either throw the light string away – or return it to the retailer if new.
• Take the lights down when the holidays are over. Seasonal lighting is not intended for permanent installation or use.

Christmas tree safety

• When lights are placed on a live tree, be sure your tree is fresh and well maintained. Never purchase a tree with dry or dropping needles.
• Keep live trees as moist as possible by giving them plenty of water every day.
• Choose a sturdy tree stand designed not to tip over. Make sure the tree stand is well secured and stable before putting on the lights.
• Always use safe tree lights that have been tested by an independent testing laboratory.
• Inspect lights carefully. If a string of lights has worn, frayed or broken cords, or loose bulb connections it should not be used.
• Place the tree at least three feet away from any heat source. Try to position it near an outlet so cords don't have to run long distances.
• Do not position the Christmas tree where it may block exits.
• Never use electric lights on a metal tree.
• Buy artificial trees only if they are labeled as fire-retardant.
• Make sure larger tree lights have some type of reflector rather than a bare bulb.
• Keep an eye on children when they are near the tree and do not let them play with the wiring or lights.
• Store matches and lighters up high, out of the reach of children.
• Safely dispose of the tree when it begins dropping needles. Don't keep dried out trees in your home or garage, as they are highly flammable.
• NEVER attempt to burn a dried out tree in your home's fireplace. It may burst into hard-to-control flame instantly.

Candle fire – Beauty or a beast?

• The warm glow of holiday candlelight is beautiful, but can be a severe fire hazard. Since December is the peak month for candle fires, put safety first when lighting any holiday candle. Here are a few safety tips to observe.
• NEVER use candles to decorate your Christmas tree!
• Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials.
• Extinguish all candles when leaving the room or going to sleep.
• Don't place candles in windows, where blinds and curtains can close over them.
• Use sturdy candleholders that won't tip over easily and are large enough to collect dripping wax.
• Remember, a candle is an open flame and can easily ignite nearby combustible materials – such as clothing, books, paper or any flammable liquid.
• Keep candlewicks trimmed to one quarter inch and extinguish taper and pillar candles when they are within two inches of the holder. Votive candles should be put out before the last half-inch of wax starts to melt.

Candles and children

• Keep candles up high and out of reach of children.
• Do not use candles in places where they could be knocked over by children.
• Never leave a young child unattended in a room with a lighted candle.
• Don't allow children or teens to have candles in their bedrooms.
• Store candles, matches and lighters up high – out of children's sight and reach.

During power outages

• Try to avoid carrying a lit candle.
• Don't use a lit candle when searching for items in a confined space.
• Never use a candle for a light when checking pilot lights or fueling equipment such as a kerosene heater or lantern.

Sources of holiday lighting information and web links

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

When traveling in an RV, you may find it helpful to have a vehicle available for a run to the store or a short excursion without having to pack up all your gear and maneuver your rig through crowded city streets. Many experienced RV owners tow a car or truck for the convenience of having a more compact vehicle on hand. Here are the different options for towing and tips on how to do so safely.


Four Wheels Down (Toading, Dinghy Towing or Flat Towing)

This is the most popular method for towing a vehicle behind an RV, which involves attaching a tow bar and letting your vehicle roll behind the RV on its own four tires. Benefits of this method include minimal, if any, impact on the gas mileage, handling, and wear and tear of your RV; the equipment needed to attach a car by a tow bar is cheaper than purchasing a dolly or flatbed trailer; and you don’t need a separate trailer license. However, there are a few drawbacks. Not all vehicles are equipped to be towed on four wheels so check the owner’s manual, manufacturer’s guidelines and mechanical capabilities of your vehicle before investing in this option. In addition, though this shouldn’t add miles to your car’s odometer, it will cause wear on the car tires.

Two Wheels Down (Dolly Towing)

For this method of towing, a dolly attaches to the back of your RV and the vehicle rides with two tires up on the dolly and the other two tires down on the road. Any front-wheel-drive vehicle can be towed this way. Plus, you won’t damage your car’s transmission or increase mileage while it’s in motion. The downsides of this method is that a quality dolly trailer is expensive; you may need a separate license for the dolly; it could be difficult to store at a campsite; it puts wear on the two car tires that are down; and it adds weight to the capacity of your RV. If you’re thinking about choosing this option, calculate what the overall weight will be (before purchasing the dolly) to ensure your RV will be able to handle it.

Four Wheels Up (Flatbed Trailer)

The third option for towing a vehicle is with all wheels up on a flatbed trailer that’s attached to the RV. Any vehicle can go on a flatbed trailer as long as it can be secured and as long as the trailer is built to handle the weight of your specific vehicle. Before purchasing a trailer, decide what vehicle you’re going to bring with when traveling and then compare trailer options based on the amount of weight they can haul. Similar to dolly towing, the drive shaft is off the ground so you won’t rack up mileage. Also, with this method, your tires won’t endure any wear and tear. Disadvantages of four wheels up is you’ll have the extra cost of the trailer; you may run into storage issues at campgrounds; and the weight of a flatbed trailer will use up a lot of the weight your RV can carry.

Whichever method you choose, it’s important to take extra precautions when you tow a car behind an RV. Here are some basic safety guidelines to follow:

• Practice driving while towing the vehicle before you go on a long drive for the first time.
• Inspect all wire, cable and chain connections every time you make a stop.
• Obey the speed limits for towing in each state.
• Check for road construction and plan your route in advance.
• Avoid towing in deep sand and gravel, or in icy or snowy conditions.
• Keep a minimum five-second interval between you and the vehicle in front of you.
• Check your tire pressure often.
• Avoid tight turns as it puts pressure on the tow bar.

If you’re new to towing, hopefully this gives you a better idea of what method to choose for your next adventure. Have a safe and happy trip!

Source: https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/options-for-towing-a-vehicle-behind-your-rv.asp

Some people have trails or areas where they can ride their Off-Road Vehicles at home, but others may have to take their ORVs somewhere else to ride. For instance, many people take their Golf Carts with them when camping or haul their ATVs and UTVs to designated riding trails. To get your ORV to these places, you'll probably want to tow it with a trailer. If you've never towed an ORV with a trailer before, follow these steps to keep your ORV from moving around or falling off!

1. Connect and secure the trailer to your towing vehicle. Be sure that your vehicle is fit for a trailer and can tow the weight of your ORV. The trailer size needed will vary based on the type of ORV you're hauling. Attach the ball of the hitch to the hitch of the trailer. Fasten all latches and secure them with a pin or lock, and don't forget to hook the chains!
2. Lower or attach the loading ramp(s). Some trailers have built-in ramps that either lower or fold away. If your trailer doesn't have either of these, I'd suggest purchasing a portable ramp suitable for your ORV. Lifting an ORV onto a trailer is dangerous — especially if you're alone.
3. Slowly drive the ORV onto the trailer. Once the ramp is secured, either put the vehicle in neutral and push or slowly drive the vehicle onto the trailer. If you go too fast, the wheels could spin and slip. Don't forget to wear a helmet!
4. Establish proper weight distribution. Place the ORV toward the front of the trailer (closest to the towing vehicle) so that about 60 percent of the weight is at the front. Make sure your parking brake is on once you've got it in the right spot!
5. Strap it in. Use ratchet straps to keep the ORV in place while you drive. Do not attach them to your axels, suspension or any other non-sturdy part — these parts could bend from the pressure of the straps. Check your owner's manual for recommended places to attach straps on the vehicle. Connect the straps to built-in hooks on the trailer, then tighten the straps so the ORV is sturdy and will move as one with the trailer.
6. Raise or remove the loading ramp(s). Now that the ORV is in place, put the ramp away. Place it inside of the bed of the truck (if this is your towing vehicle), or secure it in the trailer — you'll need it when unloading the ORV.
7. Hit the road! You're all ready to head out on your adventure. If you haven't driven a trailer in a while, refresh your memory on the dos and don'ts of towing and take it slow!

Sources:
https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/towing-an-orv-with-a-trailer.asp
https://www.golfstorageguide.com/how-to-tow-a-golf-cart-on-a-trailer/
https://www.tires-easy.com/blog/towing-atv-trailer-tires/

No matter how much you enjoy being on the water, suffering from nausea and fatigue on a boating excursion might make you wish your feet were planted on land. According to Montavit, about 10% of the population is extremely sensitive to motion sickness, with another 75% subject to occasional motion sickness. This travel illness can take a nice trip out at sea and turn it into a nightmare, but don't fret, I've got the answers for you. Here's some useful info on sea sickness so you can have a fun day out on the waves!

Why do I experience sea sickness?
Sea sickness is defined as motion sickness that happens on the water. The inner ear becomes unbalanced due to the rocking motion of a boat or ship and can have side effects like a cold sweat, upset stomach, fatigue, and/or nausea and vomiting.

6 Methods to Cure Sickness

1. Situate yourself in the middle of the boat. The middle of the boat has the most stability and will not feel as topsy-turvy as the back, front and sides may feel. If your boat doesn't have a place to sit in the middle, the front is the next best spot.
2. Steer the boat. Even better than sitting in the middle or front, having control of your surroundings will help control your nausea because you will be able to anticipate those major turns and wave maneuvers.
3. Find something stable to fix your eyes on. Finding something stable like the horizon to fix your eyes on will help restore some equilibrium, since your brain will recognize the stillness and calm your inner ear.
4. Talk to yourself. Although you may look silly, a study has shown that "verbal placebos" have been effective in preventing sea sickness. Telling yourself that you are not seasick has been proven to help, as well as learning breathing techniques to calm your stomach.
5. Ginger is a natural remedy for nausea, so look for foods and drinks with ginger in it to keep your nausea at bay. Ginger-ale and ginger cookies may be of help.
6. Use over-the-counter medication. Sometimes, no matter what you try, all other preventative measures don't seem to work just right. Talk to your doctor about preventing nausea from motion sickness with medications like Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) or the Scopolamine Transdermal Patch, which will curb the nausea and get you back out on the water.

Above all else, try to avoid thinking about your nausea and focus on other things. Stay active to distract yourself and help pass the time. Enjoy your trip out at seas, and comment below if you have found any other remedies that help curb your motion sickness.

(Source: Wikihow)
Source: https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/curing-sea-sickness.asp

You may tend to overlook your roof, but it's actually the most important component of your home - and the most vulnerable. It protects you from the elements like rain, snow and sun, but roofs don't last forever!

I didn't really think about the importance of roofs until recently when my friend and her husband bought their first home. It was built in the late 40s, and since she moved in she's been saying how badly her roof needs replacing. Of course, that was five months ago, and work has still yet to be done. I then thought to myself, is putting off the project really going to affect you that much?

The answer is, yes!

So — I began to research how one would go about replacing or repairing a roof.

The first order of business: understand the relationship between the age of your roof and its life expectancy. According to the Good Housekeeping magazine, shingle roofs should last between 20-30 years (if you have a different type of roof, such as metal or clay tile, you may have to follow different rules). If your home is new or the roof was recently replaced, you should be in the clear. However, it doesn't hurt to do a checkup after getting hit with severe weather like a hailstorm, ice and snow or crazy rain.
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If your roof is getting close to its 30th birthday, keep your eyes open for warning signs that tell you it's time for a revamp. Here are a few things to look out for:

• Loose shingle tabs
• Cracks in shingles
• Broken or missing tabs
• Buckling or curling shingles

• Shingles covered in moss or algae
• Majority of granules worn off tabs
• Sunlight is shining through the attic
• Extensive leaking

Whether you're a "sailor" who's going out to sea on a pontoon, speed boat, or sailboat, there's something special about being behind the wheel, cutting through the waves. However, I don't want your day to be ruined by forgetting the most essential items needed for your trip out at sea.

That's why you should follow this checklist cleverly titled the Sailors Scroll for Stocking Your Seaboat and never forget another important item again:

• PFD (Personal Flotation Device or Life Jacket): You will need at least one PFD for each person on board. Children under 13 are often required by law to wear a flotation device while on a boat. See what your state has to say about these PFD requirements.
• Whistle: Blow on the whistle while wet to make sure it still works through the water!
• Water: No matter how long you intend to stay out, bring a full supply of water for each sailor on board to ensure that you'll have access to clean water in case of the unexpected.
• First Aid Kit: You never know what the waves will bring while out boating. Make sure you always have a stocked first aid kit on board to tend to the small accidents as well as the big.

And don’t forget these other items:

• Boat registration
• Anchor
• Jumper cables
• Signal horn
• Fire Extinguisher
• Rope
• Bucket
• Spare clothes

• Razor blade or Swiss knife
• Flashlight
• Blanket
• Toliet Paper
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Food

Enjoy your day out at sea! Did we miss anything on our list? Comment below!

I am guessing I'm not the only one who doesn't want to share their home with eight-legged strangers. When I see those creepy spiders crawling across my floor I immediately feel like I need to check under every chair, table and rug for the rest of their families. Of course, in the part of the country I live in, the spiders are harmless, but that doesn't stop me from feeling just a little uneasy when crawling friends start taking over my home.

It's starting to get warmer out and that means that my home is beginning to be infiltrated with spiders! Because of that, I feel the need to share some tips and tricks for keeping those creepy, crawly creatures out of our homes:

Outside:

• Seal and cover cracks. Walk around your house and think like a spider. Cover the gaps around the house and especially around doors. Check whether screens and windows are repaired. Air vents need to be covered in hardware mesh and cracks sealed in the foundation.
• Clean up the perimeter. Clean up or move any leaves, woodpiles, or other debris next to your house. Spiders don't like wide open spaces, but they love dark nooks and crannies.
• Get rid of their paths. Trim any shrubs or stray branches that are touching the sides or roof of your home. These are a direct path for spiders.
• Spraying isn't the answer. According to the University of California's Integrated Pest Management Program, pesticide control is difficult and rarely necessary. Spiders are very resilient and you've practically got to fire the spray right at them. Instead, just clean up anything around the base and sides of your home.

Inside:

• Clean up your act. Allowing things to build up, like a stack of newspapers or a pile of shoes make perfect homes for spiders. Try to hang up or put away whatever you can.
• Vacuum their hiding places. Vacuuming up webs and dust leaves little room for spiders to feel comfortable. Spiders love hiding in webs and dust.
• Caulk. Caulk around doors and windows to keep the spiders outside and you safe and warm inside.

Whether or not you have eight-legged roommates trying to move in, it won't hurt to follow the above steps to deter any little creatures from trying to make your home their home!

Sometimes I am amazed at how distracted I can be while driving. Before I worked here at Foremost (in my opinion, a very safety conscience company) I never realized how distracted I really was. Just last week, I asked myself a series of "have you ever" questions:

• Have you ever arrived at your destination without really paying attention to how you got there because it is so routine?
• Have you ever picked up your phone while you are driving, if only to check the time?
• Have you ever looked down at the radio while changing stations?
• Have you ever read billboards fully while driving?
• Have you ever been so involved in a conversation on the phone that you forgot to make your turn?
• Have you ever turned around to look in the back seat at your child talking or sleeping?
• Have you ever reached for something in the back seat while driving?
• Have you ever looked in the mirror to groom yourself for a second while driving?

Enough said. This list could go on and on, but the fact is, I answered yes to all the above. (I'm guessing some of you did too?). I'm not proud, but these are small things that we do as drivers that could end in disaster. I've learned through the past year that all I should focus on while I'm driving is... driving. I can't say I'm perfect, but I've come a long way from the text crazy, distracted driver I once was.

So, to practice what I preach, here are some statistics from Distraction.gov to prove why distracted driving is so dangerous:

• Research indicates that the burden of talking on a cell phone - even if it's hands-free - saps the brain of 39% of the energy it would ordinarily devote to safe driving.
• Our youngest and most inexperienced drivers are most at risk, with 16% of all distracted driving crashes involving drivers under 20. But they are not alone. At any given moment during daylight hours, over 800,000 vehicles are being driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone or driving distracted.
• Using a cell phone while driving - whether it's hand-held or hands-free delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.

Check out these powerful and touching stories about distracted driving, and think twice before you pick up that cell phone while you are in the driver's seat.
Source: Sometimes I am amazed at how distracted I can be while driving. Before I worked here at Foremost (in my opinion, a very safety conscience company) I never realized how distracted I really was. Just last week, I asked myself a series of "have you ever" questions:

• Have you ever arrived at your destination without really paying attention to how you got there because it is so routine?
• Have you ever picked up your phone while you are driving, if only to check the time?
• Have you ever looked down at the radio while changing stations?
• Have you ever read billboards fully while driving?
• Have you ever been so involved in a conversation on the phone that you forgot to make your turn?
• Have you ever turned around to look in the back seat at your child talking or sleeping?
• Have you ever reached for something in the back seat while driving?
• Have you ever looked in the mirror to groom yourself for a second while driving?

Enough said. This list could go on and on, but the fact is, I answered yes to all the above. (I'm guessing some of you did too?). I'm not proud, but these are small things that we do as drivers that could end in disaster. I've learned through the past year that all I should focus on while I'm driving is... driving. I can't say I'm perfect, but I've come a long way from the text crazy, distracted driver I once was.
So, to practice what I preach, here are some statistics from Distraction.gov to prove why distracted driving is so dangerous:

• Research indicates that the burden of talking on a cell phone - even if it's hands-free - saps the brain of 39% of the energy it would ordinarily devote to safe driving.
• Our youngest and most inexperienced drivers are most at risk, with 16% of all distracted driving crashes involving drivers under 20. But they are not alone. At any given moment during daylight hours, over 800,000 vehicles are being driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone or driving distracted.
• Using a cell phone while driving - whether it's hand-held or hands-free delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.

Check out these powerful and touching stories about distracted driving, and think twice before you pick up that cell phone while you are in the driver's seat.
Source: Sometimes I am amazed at how distracted I can be while driving. Before I worked here at Foremost (in my opinion, a very safety conscience company) I never realized how distracted I really was. Just last week, I asked myself a series of "have you ever" questions:

• Have you ever arrived at your destination without really paying attention to how you got there because it is so routine?
• Have you ever picked up your phone while you are driving, if only to check the time?
• Have you ever looked down at the radio while changing stations?
• Have you ever read billboards fully while driving?
• Have you ever been so involved in a conversation on the phone that you forgot to make your turn?
• Have you ever turned around to look in the back seat at your child talking or sleeping?
• Have you ever reached for something in the back seat while driving?
• Have you ever looked in the mirror to groom yourself for a second while driving?

Enough said. This list could go on and on, but the fact is, I answered yes to all the above. (I'm guessing some of you did too?). I'm not proud, but these are small things that we do as drivers that could end in disaster. I've learned through the past year that all I should focus on while I'm driving is... driving. I can't say I'm perfect, but I've come a long way from the text crazy, distracted driver I once was.
So, to practice what I preach, here are some statistics from Distraction.gov to prove why distracted driving is so dangerous:

• Research indicates that the burden of talking on a cell phone - even if it's hands-free - saps the brain of 39% of the energy it would ordinarily devote to safe driving.
• Our youngest and most inexperienced drivers are most at risk, with 16% of all distracted driving crashes involving drivers under 20. But they are not alone. At any given moment during daylight hours, over 800,000 vehicles are being driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone or driving distracted.
• Using a cell phone while driving - whether it's hand-held or hands-free delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.

Check out these powerful and touching stories about distracted driving, and think twice before you pick up that cell phone while you are in the driver's seat.
​

Source: Sometimes I am amazed at how distracted I can be while driving. Before I worked here at Foremost (in my opinion, a very safety conscience company) I never realized how distracted I really was. Just last week, I asked myself a series of "have you ever" questions:

• Have you ever arrived at your destination without really paying attention to how you got there because it is so routine?
• Have you ever picked up your phone while you are driving, if only to check the time?
• Have you ever looked down at the radio while changing stations?
• Have you ever read billboards fully while driving?
• Have you ever been so involved in a conversation on the phone that you forgot to make your turn?
• Have you ever turned around to look in the back seat at your child talking or sleeping?
• Have you ever reached for something in the back seat while driving?
• Have you ever looked in the mirror to groom yourself for a second while driving?

Enough said. This list could go on and on, but the fact is, I answered yes to all the above. (I'm guessing some of you did too?). I'm not proud, but these are small things that we do as drivers that could end in disaster. I've learned through the past year that all I should focus on while I'm driving is... driving. I can't say I'm perfect, but I've come a long way from the text crazy, distracted driver I once was.
So, to practice what I preach, here are some statistics from Distraction.gov to prove why distracted driving is so dangerous:

• Research indicates that the burden of talking on a cell phone - even if it's hands-free - saps the brain of 39% of the energy it would ordinarily devote to safe driving.
• Our youngest and most inexperienced drivers are most at risk, with 16% of all distracted driving crashes involving drivers under 20. But they are not alone. At any given moment during daylight hours, over 800,000 vehicles are being driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone or driving distracted.
• Using a cell phone while driving - whether it's hand-held or hands-free delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.

Check out these powerful and touching stories about distracted driving, and think twice before you pick up that cell phone while you are in the driver's seat.

Source: https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/distracted-driving-dangers.asp

Warm weather has come early in some parts of the country, making boat owners itching to get out on the water. I speak from experience, since I inherited a boat and will be putting it on the water this summer. It has been unseasonably warm in my part of the country and I can't wait for it to become the appropriate time to ride the waves. However, our marine product manager, Brad Seeley, has reminded me that there are many things I need to do in order to get that beauty ready for the season.

If you are struggling with the pre-launch boat preparation, here are some great tips from Discover Boating to help get that ride out as soon as possible.

• Inspect the fuel system for any leaks or damage. Ensure the engine, exhaust and ventilation systems are all functioning properly. (You may want to run the motor out of the water first.) Also, it's recommended to change the oil before your first run of the year.
• Check the belts, cables and hoses. They can become brittle and may crack or swell during the winter.
• Inspect electrical connections for cleanliness or tightness. Charge your battery and have it tested to ensure it can hold a charge. Electrical systems should be regularly inspected by a qualified technician.
• Check all fluid levels; change the engine oil, oil filter, and drive lubricants, if these tasks were not done prior to winterizing your boat.
• Inspect propellers for dings, pitting, cracks and distortion. Be sure to clean the hull, deck and topsides and make sure the drain plug is securely in place before every launch.
• Check your safety gear! Make sure your life jackets are in good condition and that there are enough on board for all potential passengers. Be sure on board fire extinguishers are the correct class and are fully charged.

A couple hours before your summer launch could save you huge headaches later. After researching this topic, I picked up a couple of my own tips. A lot of boat owners say to have extra plugs on hand, just in case. Also, brushing up on a boater's safety class is always a good idea and if you have a Foremost policy, you may be eligible for a discount.

Get prepared to enjoy this boating season and leave the rest to the water.