Ok, here's my question:

How can I make the lifeguard career properly playable in Sunlit Tides?

I guess first of all, I need to change the lot type of the existing beaches, seeing that none of them actually include the ocean, and then I have to create beaches of my own (which include part of the ocean) using the Create-a-World tool.
I did that and it worked insofar that my lifeguard Sim went to my self-created beaches for work. The problem is that none of the other Sims going to those beaches went for a swim and just waded around in the water instead. I assume that is because the wather is too shallow.

So I assume I need to make the water deeper. Can anyone tell me how deep the water needs to be at least and how steep the slope has to be? How large does the lot need to be and is there a specific beach:water ratio needed? Are there specific areas that are suitable for the generation of a new beach (I had it once that my Sim wanted to jetski back home from one of my selfmade beaches and all she did was skiing away from the beach for a bit just to turn around, go back shorewards, turn around etc. in a never-ending circle. No idea if that was because I added the lot or if that would've happened regardless)? Anything else I need to bear in mind?

Thanks in advance!

did you place this "lifesaver" seat on the beach? Lifeguard cannot guard the life if is not seating properly

Sims are starting to swim when the water is about theirs chest height, a bit more or less (like in real life, mostly) - about 1.5 meter for YA A - which may be ... 6 stair-steps down? Or... about 10 clicks "lower terrain" tool? I'm not sure.

I never did figure out how to make that career work in Sunlit Tides. It was very boring watching my Sim just scan the beach and water all day so I moved her back to IP.

If someone figures out how to make the Lifeguard career work properly outside IP, they get extra cookies!

I think you have to place the Lifeguard Chair on the lot where you want your lifeguard to go. I placed one on the Moonlight Falls beach once, and played with a lifeguard sim. He performed all the actions of the lifeguard career just fine. The routing's weird on that lot, however, so it took forever for him to rescue a sim from drowning.

I think if I remember right Sunlit Tide's beaches are pretty shallow. The water has to get deep pretty fast so the sims are more likely swimming in deep water to drown and also for the life guard to get their in time otherwise they're just tip toeing in the water too long. Try it at a pool and see if it works there. Then it might just be a water depth issue. I think it also has to be during summer time only but I'm not sure.

No, it's not necessary, lifeguard carreer can work just fine without the chair, I tested it. I think all you need is a lot set to "Beach", and deep enough sea water. My lifeguard sim worked on the Bridgeport beach, too, the pre-made beach lot had great traffic while my lifeguard worked there, sims even arrived there by boats, it was fun to watch.

Ah, that's good to know! I don't play with the lifeguard career often, so it's nice you don't have to use that chair. Man, I always forget Bridgeport has a beach, now I want to try out that career in that world, lol.

Premade beach? So you mean there will be drowning Sims even if the beach lot doesn't touch the sea?

Sorry, I never played as Lifeguard before either and I'm trying to gather information if Sims could just work as one in premade beaches that don't touch the sea normally or not.

I checked my Bridgeport beach yesterday for you (I haven't played this 'hood for a while), and it touches the ocean with its edge, so it has ocean water inside the lot. Then I checked the vanilla Bridgeport (like a "new game") and the default beach doesn't. So it means in my Bridgeport I must have rearranged the premade beach sometime years ago, which I didn't remember. I wouldn't even think to assign a lifeguard on a beach that doesn't touch the ocean, although, as one of the comments states in this topic: "I had a sim with a lifeguard career in Bridgeport and he goes to the premade beach that is without an ocean included in the lot just fine." So maybe it is still possible.
I would test it in my actual (custom) neighborhood where I'm playing now but it has a beach edged with ocean water too, sadly, so not suitable for testing.

Oh, hehe. Thanks! It means a lot to me. I lied about never playing as a Lifeguard before. I once did a playtest about Lifeguard though. I made him work in a vanilla world where its beach doesn't touch the ocean. I only tested for few days, but there was never any drowning Sims to rescue. So whenever someone states that the profession can work fine in vanilla non-Isla Paradiso, I have doubts and want a confirmation about this. Anyone can make this statement by confirming it with recollection, and not actual checking in the game.

Yeah, I seem to be bull-headed about this, but I mean, no one can be so sure, right?