Boating is a fun, recreational activity with positive mental and physical health benefits. If you are located close to a water body, such as a lake, river, or ocean, then find yourself a boat and head out to the waters. It is a great hobby to take up on weekends and vacations. Being out in the waters helps you experience beautiful sunsets and calm waters that relieve stress. Bond with fellow boat enthusiasts and make new friends.

Benefits of Boating

Taking up boating as a regular hobby has many health benefits. Studies have shown that the presence of water promotes well-being in humans by relaxing the body and mind, lowering the stress hormone – cortisol, and increasing the happiness hormone- serotonin. The other health benefits include:

Reset your brain : Which is better – Stuck in slowly crawling traffic or cruising along a lake on your boat with the wind in your hair? Taking a break from the usual stress-filled life will help reset and relax the brain. Switch off your devices and leave your worries behind on the shore.

Psychological benefits: The mere presence of water triggers neurochemicals in the human body that promote cognitive, emotional, and psychological benefits. It is described as a meditative state where the mind is calm, and there is a general sense of satisfaction and happiness with life.

Get the sunshine vitamin: Exposure to the outdoors, fresh air, and bright sunlight will help increase the secretion of vitamin D in our bodies. Vitamin D helps build strong bones and balance out hormones.

Physical exercise: Operating a yacht or boat requires stamina and is a great workout. You can also include water sports, such as water skiing, wake surfing, and wakeboarding, to increase the level of physical activity associated with boating.

Social bonding: Boating with family and friends increases interaction. You cannot operate a yacht or a boat without speaking to each other. You will need to work together as a team to handle the boat and reach your destination.

Anyone can boat: It does not require any specialized skill sets. Anybody can take up boating as a hobby. You need not spend hundreds of dollars to buy a boat. Boats of all shapes and sizes are available for rent. You can rent by the hour, for a few hours or a day. There are also boat clubs and peer-to-peer boat sharing to go on your boating adventures. In case you have never operated a boat before, you need not worry since it is possible to hire captains to show you the ropes.

Types of Boats

Various types of boats are available for fishing, cruising, or partying. Depending on the purpose and size, it will accommodate a varying number of passengers.

All-purpose fishing boats: As the name suggests, these boats are used for fishing and have storage space for fishing equipment. Most fishing boats will accommodate up to 5 people. These boats are versatile and can be used for water sports as well.

Bowriders: This type of boat has a seating area in the front, also called the bow. Bowriders are usually used for recreational activities and cruising and can accommodate up to 9 people.

Cabin cruisers: These are boats with living accommodations below the deck. They usually carry up to 10 people and are ideal for short weekend trips along the coast.

Deck boats : These boats have lots of deck space and are ideal for a family or friend group on a recreational boating trip. Deck boats are bigger than bowriders and can accommodate up to 14 people.

Dinghies: These are small boats that can take up to 5 people. They have to be rowed with oars, but there is also an outboard motor.

Ski Boat/ Wake Boat : These boats are built explicitly for water sports.

Motor yacht/ Power cruiser : These are large-size yachts, some with two engines. They can accommodate up to 20 passengers. Yachts up to 60 feet long can be operated by the owner, but longer yachts up to 90 feet long require a professional captain. There are living quarters, including an operational kitchen.

Sailboats: These boats are propelled by the wind and sails. Specialized training is required to operate sailboats.

Pontoon boats: These boats are flat and float on tubes. They are more suited for boating on calm inland lakes during the summer.

Jet boats: These boats are pushed forward by a jet stream of water instead of a propeller turning the water and thrusting the boat forward. Jet boats can cruise in shallow waters.

Take up boating to discover new horizons and aspirations. Improve your mental frame of mind and increase your happiness quotient with this new hobby. Meet new people and make new friends on your boating adventures.