As summer kicks off, the Florida boating community prepares for one of its busiest weekends of the year.
Captain Stephen Vigilante, the General Manager for SeaTow Tampa Bay, shared insights on the challenges and preparations that characterize the celebratory weekend ahead.
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“This weekend is one of our three biggest weekends of the year,” Vigilante noted. The approach to this peak time involves ensuring a full staff, ready vessels, and even extra boats to manage the anticipated workload of boaters eager to hit the water.
With temperatures soaring, many boaters are tempted to launch without prior checks. Vigilante highlighted key safety precautions, emphasizing the need for boaters to familiarize themselves with their surroundings, understand local waterways, and ensure their boats are seaworthy before setting out. “It’s easy to overlook maintenance when looking forward to a day of fun,” he said, noting frequent issues like dead batteries and mechanical failures that can lead to costly mishaps on the water…