It's summertime, and storage units in Miami Shores, FL, are busier than ever. Folks are all smiles as they retrieve vacation gear and hot-weather tackle. If you're getting ready to pull your favorite watercraft out of boat storage, take a few minutes to refresh your boat safety IQ with these six tips.

Check Weather and Plans

A beautiful sky in the morning doesn't guarantee sunshine all day. Pay attention to area weather reports. Check water condition forecasts including wind and currents. Once you're sure of smooth sailing, share your plans with someone on land. Let them know where you're headed, who you're traveling with, and when you expect to return.

Check Safety Equipment

Before towing your trusted craft out of boat storage, make sure the basics are on board. USCG-approved life jackets are a must, especially for kids under 16. Most boat storage units have plenty of room for stocking these essentials:

• Navigation lights and day-shapes
• First-aid kits, emergency air horns and distress flares
• Required number of fire extinguishers according to boat size

Stress Safe Behavior

Make certain everyone understands to stay away from boat propellers when they're in the water. This is especially true for first-time tubers or skiers. Don't allow anyone to board or exit the boat while engines are running.

Play by the Rules

Whether you're on the lake, cruising a river, or crossing the bay, always respect established rules of the water. Stay away from larger vessels. Stay on the lookout for swimmers and small craft like jet skis and kayaks. Playing by the rules helps everyone play safer on the water.

Always Have a Backup Skipper

Don't be the only one on board who knows how to handle the boat. Bring along someone who can fill in for you in case you're injured or become sick. Otherwise, you risk stranding craft and passengers out on open water.

Don't Drink and Navigate

It's illegal to drink and operate a boat in all 50 states. The legal limit that applies to drivers on the road applies to the skipper navigating a boat. Don't risk your safety or endanger the lives of others out on a beautiful summer day.

Enjoy the Water

When you head for boat storage, keep our tips in mind. When you want the best storage units available in Miami Shores, FL, keep us at the top of your go-to list. Everyone here at Safeguard wishes you a wonderful summer.

Whether you cruise along East Tremont and Pelhelm Parkway or sail a skiff across Eastchester Bay, City Island is waiting to brighten up your summer. Beat the heat with cool fun, fill your plate with fresh seafood, and get your feet wet. Retrieve your favorite water gear from self storage in Bronx, NY, and head for our borough's fishing village.

Sail Back in Time

Here at the far western end of Long Island Sound, it's easy to picture a rich history built by fishermen, sailors, and dockhands. City Island treasures its colorful past, and you can stroll right through it at the Nautical Museum. Located in the island's original public school building, this venue is a special step back in time. Carefully curated exhibits include old photos, original maps, and models of different ships that sailed the harbor more than 100 years ago. Museum staff also host wonderful walking tours around the island. 

Dine Deliciously Casual

It's easy to feel right at home when you're dining with locals who love to share the borough's freshest seafood. Set your sights and your appetite for any of these island specialties:

• Lobster rolls
• Sauteed scallops
• Fresh stuffed flounder
• Crab cakes
• Deep fried shrimp
• New England clam chowder

 Local fishermen keep the island's restaurants stocked with the freshest catch every day, so you can always find seasonal favorites on the menu. It's casual, delicious dining – especially when you enjoy it at a shoreside table.

Launch Summertime Fun

Do you like to sail, kayak, or ski? Or are you happier on the shore casting your luck into the bay? Folks who love it all stay prepared for everything with nearby storage units. Water sports around City Island range from high-end yacht races and competition rowing to boat rentals and pier fishing. Just keep your gear in self storage, and grab what you need before you head over the bridge. It's summertime, as well as time to become a part of the cool sea life here on City Island.

Stash Your Skiff

When you have a summer destination surrounded by a scenic shoreline, you have a great escape from busy city life. When that sweet spot is City Island just a few miles away, your gateway to warm-weather fun is always wide open. We're nearby, too, on East Tremont with top-notch storage units in Bronx NY. Whether you want to stash your skiff or park your poles, Safeguard is just around the corner.

If you're an aspiring sailor, Bridgeview, IL, is the perfect place to call home. It's just a 30-minute drive from the Chicago Park District 59th Street Harbor, and it's equally close to the Chicago Yacht Club. Bridgeview offers a friendly environment and a great community to help you get the most from your seafaring adventures. However, when winter winds start to blow, you'll need to find an overwinter home for your boat. Your driveway isn't the ideal place, and if you live in an apartment, it's not even an option. In most cases, self storage is the best solution. Obtaining a storage space is simple and affordable, and your boat will be in a comfortable place.

How to Prepare Your Boat for Winter Storage

Careful preparation of your boat before winter storage ensures that it's in perfect condition when you're ready to sail again. Here are a few tips to help you get your prized vehicle ready for its winter nap.

• Top off your gas tank, and add gas stabilizer to reduce the risk of condensation. Operate your boat in water for 15 minutes to allow the treated fuel to reach the engine.
• After removing your boat from the water, immediately remove the bilge drain plug.
• Clean your boat thoroughly. Wash the topside, bottom and deck, and add a coat of protective wax. Clean all windscreens, spray hoods and Bimini tops. Be sure all surfaces are completely dry before storing; this will help prevent mildew growth.
• Clean refrigerator lockers, and leave all interior lockers open to increase ventilation.
• Repair any paint blisters and other visible signs of damage. Untreated cracks can get worse during the storage period.
• Change your engine oil, and replace all filters.
• Check all hoses, clamps and belts. Clean strainers, and leave thru-hulls open.
• Flush your coolant system with water. Add antifreeze if needed.
• Treat the propeller shaft with corrosion-resistant metal protectant.
• Drain your water heater and fresh water tanks.
• Seal exhaust flaps with duct tape.
• Remove your boat's battery, and clean all battery terminals.
• Cover your boat with a tarp or boat cover and throw in some moisture-control sheets.

Trust Safeguard Self Storage with Your Summer Vehicles

Safeguard has been storage boats, RVs and other sporting vehicles since 1989. With help from easy online tools, you'll be able to determine your needs find the perfect size space unit in minutes. To learn more about storage options in Bridgeview, IL, contact Safeguard Self Storage today. 

It is finally time to take your beloved boat out onto the Bayou State’s beautiful and plentiful waterways, and you will not be alone as your watercraft will be joined by more than 300,000 others. With all of those boats on the water, it is important to make sure that you are safe out there.

One of the most important things that you can do is ensure that you have the required safety equipment on board. For example, there needs to be at least one serviceable personal flotation device for every person on the boat. Other safety equipment that should be on board includes distress signals, fire extinguishers and navigation lights.

It is also important to ensure that your boat is operated safely once it is on the water. It is illegal and dangerous to weave through congested traffic or to operate a watercraft in a reckless manner.  Also, be courteous to other boaters by not creating wakes and also avoid fishermen and swimmers whenever possible.

Obviously, make sure to not drink and drive as the dangers and penalties for doing so while operating a boat are similar to those involved with driving a car while under the influence.

Once you are finished having fun on the water, it is important to have proper boat storage, Safeguard Self Storage would be glad to help you out. If you are looking for Baton Rouge LA storage, a Metairie LA storage unit rental, Marrero storage units or a Harvey self storage, Safeguard can help you protect your investment with boat storage. We offer a total of eight convenient self storage locations, six in the New Orleans Metro Area and two in Baton Rouge. 

When you are ready to utilize boat storage, it is important to make sure that you get a space that will be large enough to comfortably fit your boat and trailer. Your watercraft should also be fully supported whenever it is out of the water. Important areas to focus on here are the bulkheads, engines and keel. In addition, scrubbing its decks and hull and ensuring that it is not stored with any barnacles, gunk or slime will help your boat remain in top shape for as long as possible. 

Once your boat is cleaned and ready to be stored, find a Safeguard Self Storage location convenient for you. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will happy to help you store your boat in an enclosed storage unit or in one of your outdoor storage lots so you can use it for many summers to come.