One of the best parts about boating is the freedom it offers for travel and exploration. If you’re an adventurous boater, your trip does not have to end when the sun goes down. Many boaters choose to anchor and sleep overnight, enabling them to wake up and pick up where they left off the next day.
If you are planning an overnight boating adventure, read these five tips for sleeping onboard.
1. Find a Protected Area
Even if you’ve been paying attention to the weather, overnight conditions can be unpredictable. It’s not uncommon to encounter an unexpected rainstorm or high winds overnight. The last thing you want is to have a sleepless night out on the open sea. Try to find a protected area, like a cove, that will offer some cover while you sleep.
2. Anchor Properly
When you anchor for the night, take extra care to ensure your anchor is secure. If your anchor becomes dislodged overnight, you can drift miles and miles away and find yourself in a precarious situation. Get a second pair of eyes when lowering the anchor and do some testing before turning in for the night.
3. Pack Warm
Despite advancements in boating technology, no boating quarters are 100% weatherproof. Even in the warmest of climates, temperatures can drop overnight, and you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared. Pack extra blankets and clothes for layering to ensure that you can stay warm overnight.
4. Come Prepared
When sleeping overnight on a boat, you may have to put in a little extra effort to get a quality night's sleep. Add some sleeping products to your boating essentials, including:
Frequent boaters say that these items are simple but can make all of the difference in getting a good night’s sleep onboard.
5. Have Realistic Expectations
While some people can sleep without issue on a boat overnight, it’s just not the case for everyone. Don’t go into your overnight excursion assuming that you’ll sleep peacefully through the night. If you usually require six to eight hours of sleep, it’s best to build in some buffer time to your sleeping schedule onboard to account for lower quality sleep.
Dock Overnight at a Kenosha Marina
If you are looking for a safe place to sleep onboard, you can always find a trusted space in one of the many Kenosha marinas. Whether you are looking for a place to dock for a day, a permanent dock, or boats for sale in Kenosha, you can find it at a local marina.
