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Houseboat Rental Guide Fundamentals
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Blocking Old Man Sun's Rays |
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A sunburn can ruin your boating
holiday. It can cause swelling and even blistering not to
mention the pain and the increased chances of skin cancer
later in life. Fortunately, sunscreen can save you from all
this. Children are especially susceptible to the damaging
effects of the sun's rays. When you consider the amount of
time children spend outdoors, it is easy to see why they get
about three times more exposure than adults.
Around 80 percent of UV skin damage a person experiences over
a lifetime happens before the age of 20. It only takes one
blistering as a child to cause trouble later in life... The
Skin Cancer Foundation reports that the sun is responsible
for about 90 percent of all skin cancers. Research indicates
that regular use of a sun block with a sun protection factor
(SPF) of 15 during the first 18 years of a child's life can
reduce many types of skin cancer by 78 percent.
Adults need protection too and there are many things to consider
when choosing a sun block. For example, is it waterproof?
- a must for a bareboat or houseboat holiday. Are you on medication?
-this can effect your skin's sensitivity to the sun. How long
does the sunscreen last? - you may need to reapply every four
hours. Are you allergic to sunscreen? - hypoallergenic products
are available. |
Exploration and Hiking |
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Should I allow my children to go exploring
on shore after we have moored? Exploration and children go
hand in hand. It would probably be difficult for you to keep
them from going out on their adventures, but you can make
sure you educate them about what to do and how to be safe...
Make sure they go out in pairs. Boating can be a lot of fun
if it's not interrupted with a trip to the hospital. |
How to choose a bareboat or houseboat |
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This is much simpler when you book through
Holidays Allover... We have indexed the bareboats and houseboats
of all the main rental operators in Queensland by location.
Our web pages cover where to go, what to do, when to do it...
our pictures will help you visualize the area where you're
headed.
All Queensland boating areas are year-round. Consider the
type and size of boats on offer... use our "compare"
function... Are they older or newer? What amenities do they
offer? What is the price? Don't be afraid to compare one boat
against another. You may discover a better deal or a boat
that suits your particular needs better. |
Remember your shades |
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When it comes to shopping for a new pair of shades,
fashion usually wins over function. Being a boater, you understand
the importance of a good pair of glasses when you're on the
water. The sun and glare off the water can be merciless on your
eyes, so it is important to pay attention to UV-blocking lenses
which are available. If not careful, a consumer can get stuck
with eye wear that offers something less than full protection.
To get the best protection, you will have to pay more than five
or six dollars... and buy glasses with UV protection for both
adults and kids alike... Look for eye wear that provides both
function and form.
The concerns about safety during the summer months, however,
are not exclusive to adults. Children need protection as well.
Children probably spend more time outdoors during the summer
months than anyone else. An ophthalmologist warns that baseball
caps, sun bonnets and sunscreen aren't enough; children should
wear sunglasses because their eyes have more difficulty filtering
light than adults' eyes do. Now that spring is on its way, the
spotlight is turning to outdoor activities and fun in the sun.
Doctors do warn about too much exposure to damaging solar |
PWC and children |
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Are your children at the age when they want to
ride personal watercraft (PWC)? What information do I need to
know? You need to remember that a PWC is a boat, and you and
your children will be the captains. Those who operate these
craft are legally in command of a powerboat and are bound by
all boating rules as well as the laws and traditions of safe
boating.
Things you need to know:
· Equipment; Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) are required
for each person on board. Make sure that your child's PFD is
a properly fitted and approved PFD.
· It is your
responsibility as a parent to make sure your children know and
follow local laws and ordinances regarding the use of watercraft.
These machines add hours of fun to your vacation, but make sure
you set up rules for the children when riding PWC so that everyone
remains safe and has a great time. |
How to navigate your houseboat |
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Navigation is a concern for houseboat rental
operators, and knowing how to move about the waterway in a
smart and safe way is important. The saying goes, if you now
how to drive a car, you can drive a houseboat. This is true,
but you will agree, when you are in an unfamiliar place it
is still easy to get mixed up, even with a map. There are
a couple of ways to get around lakes and estuaries. As you
only travel during the day, you will probably be able to do
most of your traveling with the object in sight. You should
also be able to read and understand your charts, just in case
you forget one of your landmarks. This may occur after a lot
of travel on the lake, especially if you are experiencing
the lake for the first time.
So, here are a few tips to help you get around as you enjoy
your wonderful houseboat vacation:
- First, orient your map to your starting location
- Review the Legends on the map
- Know or have reference to your aid-to-navigation system.
Aid-to-navigation systems are defined as any device external
to a vessel intended to assist a navigator to a determined
position and to warn of any troubles. These visual aids
assist you in your boating, but you also need to supplement
them with charts. Depending on which waterway you will be
traveling down, make sure you understand the visual aids
and your charts, so you can move about the waterway in a
smart way. A book called “Beacon to beacon”
distributed by Coastwatch Publications covers the coats
from the Tweed River to Bundaberg.
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Waterproofing your gear |
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Taking the personal watercraft and the runabout
out from your houseboat to explore the lake is great fun. But,
keeping an extra set of dry clothes, jewelry and other items
in a safe, dry place is often hard to do; so having a duffel
that is totally waterproof is important. If you happen to be
out sporting around on the watercraft and need you wallet or
keys, it's nice to have a fanny pack that will keep them dry.
Such bags are water-resistant and use a three-roll, water-tight
closing system to ensure dryness inside. They also have an electronically
sealed seam. |
Swimming |
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Houseboating and swimming go hand in hand. But
remember, whenever you are swimming at the back of the boat,
the boat needs to be shut down. This means everything, the engine
and the generator. These items produce carbon monoxide that
lingers under the semi platform. Also, a running engine creates
a chance of someone accidentally putting the boat in gear. Propellers
vs. your body is no contest. It could be very serious, so make
sure everything is off and the key is out of the ignition. |
Houseboats and children |
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When you're surrounded by 360 degrees of water,
there are four sides of dangerous territory for the young
ones. Don't be foolish enough to hear yourself say, "I
just left him for a few seconds," after a tragedy strikes.
Keep all children in life jackets, even inside. Lock all gates.
Shut all doors. Don't let the kids out of your sight.
Houseboats are big and have the capability of carrying two
or three families. With this many people and all the activities
going on, a child could go unnoticed for a time. The way to
fix this problem is to setup a buddy system. Wherever the
child goes, so does his buddy.
The houseboat which you rent may not have a VCR and television
on board. If not, you may want to rent one. Having this equipment
gives you something to help maintain the children's attention
while you move from dock to your destination, thus eliminating
the worry of them falling off the boat while under way. The
buddy rule applies for everyone on or off the boat - even
adults. Whenever you go on a hike, or for a ride on the personal
watercraft, or for a swim, make sure you are accompanied by
your buddy.
It is a good way to keep everyone safe, and if by chance
you do have trouble, you'll have someone to assist you. It
is surprising how children will pick up on the buddy system.
Once you set is up, make sure everyone follows the rules -
including you adults. It's amazing what a good example will
teach a child. Houseboating is fun, and by having a buddy
system, everyone involved can enjoy the trip. |
How to arrange your houseboat holiday |
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The key to any successful trip is
planning, and it's no-different with a houseboat holiday. First,
get familiar with all the boats in the area you are planning
to take your holidays. Luckily for you, this web guide serves
that purpose. Next, decide what time of year you wish to go
and what part of Queensland you want to see... Our web search
will tell you how many can come, what will be provided for your
trip and how much it will cost. After evaluating this information
check with us about available dates and go have a ball. Keep
in mind that you may need to make your decision up to a year
in advance. |
How to get the most out of your houseboat
holiday |
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When you have made all your houseboating
decisions about where and when you are going, you will want
to make sure you are prepared to have fun. Relaxing is one of
the best ways to get the most from your holiday. Going houseboating
is a time to get away from it all. You should not have a care
in the world to worry about, just be able to get out and enjoy
the scenery around you. Another thing to do is rent and outboard
for your dingy. It is not that expensive, and they add hours
of enjoyment to your holiday. Finding a secluded cove will provide
a great place to swim as a family. Most houseboats have a swim
platform off the back, add some inflatable mattresses, footballs
and frisbees. The beauty about houseboating is the boats are
big, so generally 8 to 10 people can fit. This allows two or
three families to go in together and pay for the tip, thus giving
you a lot more people to have a great time with. Depending on
where you go, you might have opportunities to go hiking, golfing
and horseback riding. |
How to get ready |
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NOW that you have selected your holiday spot,
you need to get all the necessities together. First, make
a list of items which you are responsible for bringing. This
will vary depending on the company your boat will be hired
from... and this will be specified in our houseboat details
page. It will be specific on what is and isn't supplied for
your trip. To start with, you need to see if bedding and linen
is provided... if not, you will need to bring your own. Then,
you will need to prepare a menu. Decide what type of food
you are going to eat and what it will take to prepare it.
Pots and pans, plates and utensils are included on the boat.
Plan on getting the bulk of these items before you arrive.
It is much cheaper to get the food at a supermarket than at
a marina store. Bring items such as a flashlight, ice, portable
radio and some games. If you happen to be out for a full week
and move around a lot, make sure to plan your refueling points,
both for the houseboat and any other powered equipment. |
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Oceanic
bareboat liability insurance
