12 Tips on How to Be a Good Catamaran Captain

Introduction

Being a catamaran captain can be a challenging job, but it’s also extremely rewarding. By following these tips, you’ll be able to make sure that your time on the sea is spent exploring and enjoying nature rather than worrying about how to avoid hurting something or someone.

Learn to identify coral and starfish.

This may seem like a silly suggestion, but it really is a good idea to do this. I promise!

Coral is not a sea star or a crab. These are two different types of marine animal life that you will encounter on your adventures at sea. Coral can be found in many colors, shapes and sizes—and it’s both living and inanimate! It’s important for catamaran captains to know what coral looks like because if you run over some while sailing your boat, you might damage the hull of your ship (or even sink it). As captain of the boat, being able to recognize coral will help ensure that no one gets hurt when exploring new areas under water or navigating through them safely with other boaters nearby.

Avoid dropping anchor in or near coral, or starfish.

It is important to know that coral and starfish are part of the ecosystem, so it’s best not to drop anchor in or near them. If you do drop anchor, be careful not to damage the coral or starfish.

Always get off the boat after snorkeling.

Always get off the boat after snorkeling. While you’re on the boat, make sure you have everything important to you with you, so that when it’s time to get off, there won’t be any delays. This means having your fins and mask off and in a safe place before you exit the water; having your life jacket on; making sure that sunscreen is applied all over (don’t forget about behind the ears); eating a healthy lunch and drinking plenty of water.

Keep the noise down once ashore.

Keep the noise down once ashore.

Unless you’re in a group of people who have been living together for a long time, it’s necessary to be respectful of other people’s privacy. This means that cats are quiet on the beach and make sure your music isn’t too loud so as not to disturb wildlife or other guests. After all, we want everyone on board to feel comfortable!

Learn to navigate the boat before you leave port.

You can learn how to navigate a catamaran. It’s not as hard as some people think, and it’s definitely something every captain should know. Navigation is a skill that will help you stay safe while sailing on your boat. Not only that, but there are so many other benefits from knowing how to navigate! For example:

Learning how to navigate allows you more freedom when planning trips with friends and family members who don’t have much experience sailing themselves. You won’t need to worry about getting lost all the time if everyone on board knows what they’re doing!
Knowing how to use navigation tools will make it easier for you when talking with other boaters or potential clients/customers who want their boats cleaned regularly by yours (yes, this happens).

Buy a good hat and wear sunscreen.

If you’re going to be on the water, it’s important to wear a good hat. Your head and face are the most exposed parts of your body, so it’s crucial that you protect them from the sun. A hat with a wide brim will keep your neck shaded as well.

Secondly, always wear sunscreen! The sun is strong in South Florida and it can do serious damage if not properly protected. A good rule of thumb is to apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going outside and then reapply every two hours (or sooner if it rains). Make sure that you’re getting enough coverage—even on cloudy days! Don’t forget about your hands and feet too—these areas are susceptible to dryness when exposed for long periods of time without protection from lotion or other moisturizers. And don’t forget about wearing shirts with sleeves! It may seem counterintuitive at first but there’s no better way than keeping those arms covered up by wearing long sleeves even though we’re talking about being outside on boats all day long.”

Make sure children are wearing life jackets.

If a child doesn’t know how to swim but will be in the water, they should wear a life jacket.
If the child can swim, they should still wear a life jacket.
Even if you are an excellent swimmer and feel confident that you could never become disoriented or confused in the water, it’s still important to wear a life jacket at all times when on your catamaran. This is because accidents happen very quickly—and without warning—and this time around next year (or maybe even later today), you may not be as fit and healthy as you are now!

Drink plenty of water, no matter what the temperature is, and avoid overindulgence in any alcoholic drinks until you’re back on land.

If you do drink alcohol, don’t drink too much because that’s dangerous to your health. Also, if you drink too much water it will dehydrate (you).

Get back to your catamaran early and tell crew members when you plan to return at night so they can come look for you if necessary.

Make sure you and your crew members know the plan for getting back to the catamaran at night. If you’re not back by dark, expect to be left behind (or possibly even washed overboard). The crew will probably wait until you get back, but if something happens, they’ll need to know what time they should come looking for you.

Don’t feed the fish or other marine creatures, even if they seem very friendly.

Just because the fish seem friendly, don’t feed them. They are wild animals and will bite you if given the chance. A bite from a sea lion or other large mammal is even more serious than one from a fish, but both can be dangerous and painful. Don’t get too close to marine animals as they may become aggressive once they smell food in your pockets or hands.

Keep trash off the beach and out of the water.

Don’t litter.
Don’t feed the fish.
Don’t feed the birds.
Don’t feed the animals in the trees and bushes, or in your neighborhood back home, either.
Keep trash out of waterways and off beaches by keeping it on board until you’re ready to dispose of it properly ashore (and not just in that little baggy thing someone on your boat left).

Be good to the environment, wear your lifejacket, and always tell deckhands when you’re leaving the ship so that they can keep an eye on you for safety reasons

This is a must. You may think you’re above this and that it’s too much work, but it’s not. It will save your life someday and if you don’t do it, someone else will have to clean up later. This might be the most important tip in this whole post!

Conclusion

If you’re a catamaran captain, I hope these tips will help you become even more excellent at your job. The world needs more good catamaran captains!