101 things a new boater should know?
 

Okay guys, so I have been lurking on here for a while now, and joined recently. Still, I figured it would be next summer before I found a boat, well much to my suprise I found one and just got it home and had it out for the first two days this past weekend. That being said, it became apparent that I have MUCH to learn about just about everything!!! So I was hoping all of you with years of experience would be willing to write down some things that every new boater should know or perhaps some words of advice that you had to learn the hard way lol. Also, I would appreciate any good literature ideas as far as things I should read.

Thanks in advance,

Seth

Congrats!!!! Got a picture? :)

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/c...-new-boat.html

Thanks!

first thing, good luck with the new ride.......looks like a perfect boat to have a ton of fun and make many great memories with........

second I'll start the list of 101 things to learn about boating and I am sure I and others will have 1001 things they can put on this list.......

1......Never pull up to another boat or a dock at a higher rate of speed then you would want to hit it at.......

To Do
 

Take a Power squadron course, or coast guard aux. has one aswell! Good Luck! Enjoy! GMG

2.... Another 12 pack STILL wont be enough

3. The Coast Guard loves rule # 2

Congrats!

4. Most boating accidents occur AFTER dark, and are alcohol related.

Congrats!

For not wanting to repeat one's self, may I refer you to this thread:
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/b...-question.html

:)

+1

The switch marked blower is not meant to keep you cool... well then again maybe it is, you will stay cooler if you don't go boom. :evilb:

Always make sure the plug is in.... Sounds funny and dumb, but have seen more than one "chinese fire drill" at the launch while people try to get the boat back out before it sinks.....:lolhit:

When rafting off another boat, Always raft in the same direction. Stern to Stern.....

Things One Should Know
 

If you've never taken the time to show the wife how to back a trailer in a no-stress environment, please don't send her up to get your truck and trailer at 5pm on a summer Sunday afternoon while the ramp is rockin' only to then start yelling at her because she's doing it all wrong.

If they've never backed a trailer before with limited visibility on their own, they will do even worse when there's an anxious audience where all members have car horns.

Congrats on the boat!! Have fun -

:coolcowboy:

Here are my fav three rules for crew
Allways bring more of your favorite beverage then you cane drink in a day.

Bring clothes for all weather

Bring cash because I don't except american exspress



(Capt) allways wear your tether kill switch.

Docking - its not a timed event and no one is holding a stopwatch. Take it at your own pace and screw the opinions of eveyone wathcing.

Wear your lanyard AT ALL TIMES when underway. Wear it on your wrist and in time your brain will be wired to know when its not on the same way you know when you are not wearing a seat belt in a car.

Get a good set of fenders with covers (or bumpers if thats what ya wanna call 'em) for rafting.

when rafting its best to tie the stern first and keep them lined up across the row. Tie it snug then do the bow

do frequent systems checks when the boat is on the trailer. Nav lights, stern and 360 lighting should be bright and functioning. Keep the lenses clean and clear.

This is my biggest pet peeve :D



learn how to properly tie a few simple knots. these work well on there own and its not necessary to endlessly loop a spaghetti mess on top of them

cleat hitch - my very biggest peeve lol . . . . know it . . . learn it . . . liv it :D

http://www.netknots.com/html/cleat_hitch.html

clove hitch, the proper way to tie to a post for short term docking. This can be done with just the loops thrown over the post with practice.

http://www.netknots.com/html/clove_hitch.html

bowline - very handy and easy to untie

http://www.netknots.com/html/bowline.html

anchor bend - just a good one to know cuz anchors are expensive

http://www.netknots.com/html/anchor_bend.html

When taking a leak off the back of your boat, first thoroughly scan for the Water Patrol in all directions. Once a female officer just smirked and continued on her way (my buddy commented that she didn't see anything worth pulling over for :angry-smiley-038:). Another time I was boarded and had to go through the whole safety check thing and was then scolded for not being more discreet.

More correctly phrased - "Never approach a fixed object any faster than you'd want to ram it."

And a few more:

When presented with multiple launch ramp lanes to choose from, never choose the one with a Bayliner in it.

The time it will take the idiot in front of you to launch his boat is inversely proportional to the size of the boat. (Jet Skis take forever)

The time it will take the idiot with the Bayliner in front of you to retrieve his boat at a launch ramp is inversely proportional to the number of miles away the fast approaching tornado is. (The closer it is, the longer he will take.)

Your chances of doing something truly stupid at a launch ramp are directly proportional to the number of people watching you and / or how much you want to impress your new lady friend.

And make sure you have enough ropes to tie off properly rafting/docking up, with a spring line! Actually, have MORE than enough rope. Have your bumpers and ropes on and ready BEFORE you pull into the dock. Oh, and also have them on and ready before you back the boat into the launch! Its annoying when people back into the launch and then start puttin on lines and bumpers! Good luck and happy boating!

gps - use for reference only and not as a main source of navigational aid. I suspect many night time accidents are caused by captains getting fixated on the screen and becoming complacent with night time navigation skills. Contrary to what you may think as a new boater, night time navigation is actually better with lack of visible lighting around you. IE make sure cockpit lights, dash lights and anything else in you vision range is turned down or off. Your 360 lighting and stern lights should not be visible to you while under way and this may take some adjustment. Docking lights (headlight lookin things if ya have 'em) should be left off while underway, these are for docking and are illegal if used while under way.

Learn how to use a map and compass, if you loose a gps in open water you then have no reference to where your at.

I will echo (again) the USCG boating safe seamanship course. &/or Powersquadron course.
Have Fun!

Tools and tool boxes - heres another little tip i came up with years ago when trying to determine exactly what tools i should keep on the boat. This takes time to perfect and will change from boat to boat. Start with a basic set of what you think you need. When you work on the boat weather it be on the trailer or at the dock use only tools from this set. Through time add things as necessary and pull things that arent used. In time you will have pretty streamlined set and not near as much as you would think.

Spares - keep an extra fuel/water filter and also a water pump impeller kit. I keep a small spare electric fuel pump as well.

plenty of life jackets and make sure everyone can swim . extra cell phone battery,flares day and night, epipen or benadril you never no when a bee or jelly fish will sting you

Definitely bring DOUBLE the amount of beer you expect you need. If you and a buddy normally drink a case (while you have a sober driver of course) at a BBQ, bring two.

When you pull the plug, let it drain and put it back in immediately. I imagine this is how people forget to put it in.

Buy some trash bags to keep on the boat. It pays off.

Hit big waves at a 45 degree angle, it's much smoother and you'll break less stuff in your boat.

When you're finally ready to a) launch the boat or b) trailer the boat, relax and walk around ONE MORE TIME to check on everything. You'll be surprised how often you find an issue.

watch somebody launch a boat before you do and or have somebody help you the first couple of times.

I would actually advise against putting it back in, put a sticky on the dash of the tow truck that says "DRAIN PLUG!!"

I've done both, left the plug in and after a couple bad days of rain almost sank my old checkmate on land :eek:
And backed the same boat in, parked my truck only to see it sitting about 6" too low, got it out quick but both times were to close for my taste, stuck the note on the dash and eventually it was second nature :drink:

My drain plugs get stored in my truck's driver seat back pocket, with my keys that lock the trailer and coupler. When I go to hook up the boat, with said keys, the plugs go in.

Congrats on the new boat!

A few tips from a relatively new boater:

1) Ensure that your fuel gauges are working properly.
2) Learn how much fuel your boat consumes.
3) Take your time! Launching, docking, rafting, trailering - rushing any of these leads to silly, costly mistakes.
4) Never take boating advice from anyone who has never owned a boat.
5) Finally, use your boat and use it often.

Here ya go:

http://www.boatus.com/towing/services.asp


Don't leave without it. :D

Darn good list going there -- for a skipper new to boating.

Replace your impeller once a year/season.

Never play cards with a guy whose nickname is a city ie.- "Cincinnati" Jim/ "Deadwood" Joe etc....

(when boating to gambling destinations)

Uncle Dave

if you are going to play your stereo while hanging out or at a raft up use only one battery....if you only have one check it often

Thanks a bunch guys, I'm learning tons already. How bout some tips on operation? Crossing wakes safely, safe general operation, use of tabs, use of trim.

Right now I get up on plane with no tabs, drive trimmed all the way down, and I porpois (SP) a bit. Met a guy at the lake and he said that I need to trim the engine up and then put tabs down, I did that and the porpoisng got extremely bad and I wasn't comfortable with it so I got out of the throttle, trimmed back down and put tabs back nuetral. Problem is for whatever reason I'm not getting the MPH out of the boat that I think I should be able to achieve. On my wifes phone GPS, it said I hit 45.9mph at WOT. Keep in mind that I am operating at about 5280ft elevation but still. Engine RPM was reading around 4200 at WOT, couldn't get any more than that. Engine is a 502 carbed, bravo 1 drive with a bravo 1 24p prop.

Thanks,

Seth

That takes time learning the feel. It sounds like you still need it trimmed up more. You will feel the sweet spot between the rigth trim point and at too much you will feel a drop in speed again.

Listen to everything else said on here and to me most importantly, pay close attention to everyone else, because some A$$ Clown may have gotten just gotten his first boat also and not asked for advice. I don't worry about me being in control on the water, I worry about all the others.........

In reference to your other thread's video.

1.) NEVER run your engine in the "trailer" position! You will destroy
your drive line. Search the "21.75" dimension threads. That should be
the maximum raised position you should warm up the engine.

2.) Make your passengers supply the frosty beverages. The Captain
has enough things to worry about.

3.) NO fat chicks.

About operation, make sure when docking you are shifting, neutral, forward, neutral, forward. Etc. Also put in the occassional reverse if u need to slow. Down... another thing, try using empty docks to practice... one mor thing... opperate ur boat like you have a brain, for instense, don't go WOT in 5 ft. Waves. A 25 ft boat is not made to do that. Happy boating, and congrats :)