Fall boating presents unique risks with cooler water temperatures and potential overboard incidents, especially for solo boaters. Wearing a life jacket is crucial for buying time to reboard safely, and every boat should have properly sized, functional life jackets for all passengers.
With fewer boaters on the water from late Fall to early Spring, informing someone of your boating plans is vital. Share your destination and return time with a friend or family member and update them when you return. Utilize a sample float plan from the BoatU.S. website for convenience.
Fog can form quickly in fluctuating temperatures, making navigation challenging. Carrying a compass and chart is essential, and while a GPS can help, it’s wise to have backup tools in case it fails due to water damage or a dead battery.
Properly maintain your communication gear, especially your VHF radio. For DSC VHFs, connect them to your GPS/chart plotter and register for a free MMSI number via BoatU.S. Fully charge handheld VHFs and consider the shorter battery life of cell phones when using fishing or charting apps.
It may be sunny when you head out, but a short rain squall and temperature drop with clouds in the afternoon can serve up a case of hypothermia pretty quickly. Be prepared for big swings in the weather with appropriate wear.
In the case of an emergency, be prepared to give your exact location (nearby buoy number, GPS coordinates, etc.) directly to the dispatcher on the other end of the call. Just like when you travel by car, always know where you are on the lake, because every minute could count.
Lake Hartwell Association is excited to announce that our Dock Float Tow Kits are now available to help keep Lake Hartwell clean and safe for everyone!
Loose dock floats can become hazardous obstacles for boaters and pose safety risks around the lake. To help address this issue, LHA has assembled easy-to-use Dock Float Tow Kits that include the materials needed to safely secure and tow a loose dock float to a location where it can be picked up and properly disposed of.
📦 Each kit includes:
✔️ A corkscrew anchor
✔️ A long spike/screw
✔️ Tow line
✔️ Suggested instructions for use
📍 Pick up your Dock Float Tow Kit at:
If you encounter a loose dock float while you’re out on the lake and can safely assist, these kits make it easier to help remove a potential navigation hazard and improve safety for everyone enjoying Lake Hartwell.
A sincere thank you to our partners for helping make this program possible and to everyone who takes the time to protect our beautiful lake.
Throughout the year, different organizations around Lake Hartwell provide Boating Safety Courses to better education lake users and provide them updated information on current law enforcement and other water, dock and marina laws, as well as proper boating etiquette and general safety guidelines. Please check these specific partner sites for updated schedules or special training events, course fees, locations and other requirements:
For more boating safety information, you can download our Navigating Lake Hartwell brochure.
The following LHA Business Members offer free loaner life jackets for children. Please contact them if you have any questions regarding sizes and availability.
If you are in need of boat towing services including on-water boat towing, jump starts, fuel delivery or ungrounding, contact the TowBoatU.S., Lake Hartwell affiliate, Hartwell Lake Services, at (864) 313-0968 for pricing and availability. LHA members receive $25 off their BoatU.S./TowBoat U.S. membership when they join or renew, using the LHA group number.
A BoatU.S./TowBoatU.S. membership also provides discounts for the following:
Hartwell Lake Service also offers boat recovery. Reach out to them today at (864) 313-0968 or online at HartwellLakeServices.com
