Prepare Before You Leave For Winter Boating Excursions

When it comes to winter boating, the most important step is to prepare for the weather.

TWRA Wildlife Sergeant Dustin Buttram said that bundling up and wearing heavy layers is key for going on the water during cold weather. He said that the other key to preparing is to wear an inherently buoyant life jacket.

“With inflatables, they’ve very dependable, but we know for a fact that the inherently buoyant life jackets are the way to go,” Buttram said. “A lot of people don’t like to wear them in the summertime because they’re hot. They’re really warm. So in the wintertime, we’re not really worried about that because it can be another layer of warmth without being a hindrance to you like clothing would.”

Buttram said that if you do choose to wear an inflatable life jacket, wear it as the outer-most layer of clothing. He said that in the event it inflates underneath jackets, it can become an added danger.

Buttram said that water levels in lakes change from summer to winter. He said that he suggests planning ahead, as locations you boated to in the summer may not be accessible in the winter.

“All the lakes are down to what we call winter pool,” Buttram said. “So the water is a lot shallower. There are a lot more rocks exposed, there are more logs exposed. You may not be able to travel to the same places that you traveled to in the summer that you would be able to this time of year.”