If you’re thinking about taking the family on an airboat ride, chances are, you’ve got some questions. Beyond wondering how much fun your kids will have and the kind of wildlife you’ll see, you’ll need to know just how safe these attractions are. Luckily, you don’t have to personally test each one to find out. Here’s how to make sure you book a tour with the safest airboat ride in the area.
Pick Certified Captains
With an experienced captain at the helm of your airboat ride, safety always comes first. But what kind of experience should you look for in a captain? Other than a license to legally operate the vehicle, make sure your airboat captain is certified through an accredited institution, like the United States Coast Guard. To earn this type of recognition, captains must pass rigorous courses, training, and tests.
Check for Safety Gear
Your airboat tour guide should provide proper gear before you get started, including lifejackets and headsets. Younger passengers or not-so-strong swimmers can wear their lifejackets throughout the tour. For adults who prefer to ride without, however, lifejackets will still remain close by for easy access in case of emergency. Furthermore, to protect your ears from the loud noise during the tour, most captains will pass out noise-reducing headphones.
Read Online Reviews
When searching for the safest airboat ride, you don’t have to test them out yourself. Instead, go online and check the reviews of previous passengers. To get the best picture of just how safe this adventure is for your family, check for reviews from parents and first-time airboat passengers. Depending on which website you use to find reviews, you might even be able to chat more with the people who shared an opinion.
Look for Locally Owned
While commercially owned airboat rides can still be safe, they often operate under far more relaxed regulations when compared to locally owned ones. If you’re looking for a locally owned airboat ride with USCG-certified captains, top-of-the-line safety gear, and an unbeatable reputation, book your airboat ride with Grape Hammock Fish Camp. We’ve taken children and adults of all ages on the waters and across the vast landscape of Lake Kissimmee. To get answers to all of your airboat ride questions, contact us today.