Water activities in a weekly boat rental can be fun and adrenaline-fuelled. From watersports, and sailing to swimming, there are endless avenues for fun in your boat rentals. Yet, when in a vast body of water like the ocean, this may have hazardous consequences for inexperienced ones. This is where a life ring comes in handy.

A life ring is a safety precaution used to rescue people in case they fall overboard into the water. This is especially crucial if you rent a yacht for a week on the open water. It’s essentially a floatation device tasked with the responsibility of keeping someone afloat.

If you are sailing with children who don’t know how to swim, a life ring can be easily deployed to keep them above water until help arrives. So, if you have taken overnight yacht rentals and are wondering whether your boat may require a life ring, read along.

Factors to consider before choosing a life ring

Whether on a party boat rental or regular daily boat rentals, life rings are essential to boating activities. There are four things to consider for a life ring in your sailboat rentals; size/quantity, color, durability, and grab ropes.

Size and quantity

The size of the ring and the number of life-preserver rings are crucial factors to consider. The most common size is the optimal marine ring size at 24-inches. Before you rent a sailboat for a week, you should also consider that choosing an oversized ring may not always be favorable.

This is because smaller rings offer greater throwing distances and are also ideal for smaller bodies of water such as lakes and pools. Larger rings are more buoyant but have limited reach and distance. If you are taking your large party boat rentals to rough waters such as the ocean or a bay, a bigger life ring might be the better option.

Durability

Durability is essential to consider before purchasing a life ring. Make sure your life ring is durable, and is less prone to wear and tear. Be especially careful when inspecting the material the ring is made of. If it is of a poor standard, the ring will likely not last long.

Color

Color may be something that is usually overlooked for safety equipment, but this is an important factor for life rings. Before you rent a boat with captain, consider the color of your life ring because its brightness influences its visibility. Life rings should be bright and easily visible, making them much easier to locate.

Grab ropes

Grab ropes are important to consider when choosing the best life ring for your cheap boat rentals near me. This is because they make it easier for a person overboard to grab hold of the ring after it is thrown out. This is a must have if you plan to sail in open waters like the ocean. Ensure that the ropes are durable, can withstand rough waves, and are weather-resistant.

When all these are ticked off, you are well underway to take a boat rental for a week with the family.

What are the various sizes of Life rings?

For most people who rent a motor boat, life rings are available to them in two standard sizes – 24” or 30” diameters. These sizes are suitable for most water bodies, such as beaches, pools, lakes, harbors, and more.

For a 24”diameter, its ring usually measures 605mm and weighs 2.7kg. Its light design makes it easy to take across long distances in a long term catamaran rental. This small frame also allows it to cover a large throwing distance of up to 10 – 15 meters.

These features make it ideal for rivers, lakes, and other smaller water bodies. If these are areas you want to rent a boat near me, then this ring size may be ideal.

For the 30” diameter, this larger ring has a more limited throwing range. This is why it is mainly used in piers, harbor walls, and reservoirs. If your yacht rental near me is sailing here, then this is the better choice. The main advantage of this size is that it has improved buoyancy and it can ideally support multiple rescues at one time.

What else do I need to keep in mind?

A major safety tip to observe in your private boat rentals is to ensure that your life ring has an orange color and features a retro-reflective band to increase its visibility, especially during low light or night time. This is in line with SOLAS 74/83 regulations and safety standards for water equipment.

It should ideally be made up of polyethylene, offering more durability in adverse conditions and lasting longer. You cannot always predict the weather when sailing in your boats for rent by owners.

Storing your life ring is also very important. A robust housing is vital to the durability and usefulness of water safety equipment. They should ideally be made from housing material that is corrosion-resistant, so that they are weather and vandal-resistant.

These are the things to know before sailing in boat rentals from private owners.

Conclusion

Life rings are a crucial part of water safety equipment and sometimes can be the main determinant of survival. Whether you are sailing on private boats for rent or cheap yachts for rent, life rings should be an important part of your itinerary.

This guide has gone through the essential questions and answers to understanding life rings and what to look after when choosing the ideal one.