Watching Gilligan's Island even once will have you wondering how anyone would have ever gotten on that boat in the first place. However, there are some valuable things you can take away from watching an old show such as that, especially when you are considering taking your own three-hour tour. A crewed charter should have more than what the S.S. Minnow had, to be sure, so check with your captain and crew on all of the following.

Make Sure Your Boat's Crew Are Experienced

Everyone on your charter boat should have at least several months to a year's worth of training and experience. More is preferable, since you never know what will happen on the high seas. With all the technology charter boats have today, it would be difficult for a squall to sneak up on your excursion without the captain knowing, but it is still important that the crew be ready and capable to handle anything. Clearly, the Skipper was not so lucky with Gilligan.

Make Sure Your Boat Has More Than One Way to Communicate

Most charter boats have sonar and radios for communication, but it helps to have other ways to communicate too. Ask your captain if he or she has any backup methods to call for help in the event that the radio does not work or becomes damaged. Cell phones may or may not work out on the ocean unless you are within range of a government watercraft, oil rig, etc. A hand-cranked backup radio is another option. The castaways sure could have used any of these options had they existed or been on board back then.

Make Sure Your Captain Has Emergency Supplies on Board

Emergency supplies consist of a really good first aid kit, several gallons of fresh water (because you cannot drink sea water), and lots of non-perishable food items in case the boat somehow gets stranded. Fishing poles to fish for food also help, as do nets. Blankets are essential at night, in case it gets cold, although there should be enough room down below deck to sleep if it gets too chilly.

Even though you are only planning a three-hour tour, act as though it may be much longer and err on the side of caution.  Verify with your captain on the day of departure that there are adequate emergency supplies on board before you even set foot on the boat. If nothing goes wrong with your chartered trip, great. If you are as unfortunate as the passengers on the S.S.Minnow and find yourself on an uncharted isle, you will be glad you have everything you need. For more information, contact a charter like Serenity Ventures LLC.

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