all of the above!

Keep spare parts on board along with necessary tools. The two most important: belts and impeller. Keep extra motor and drive oil. Mechanical knowledge of your boat is priceless; don’t wait until you are broken down in the middle of nowhere for a “crash course”. At least know each component for operation and location. Always keep your seawater pump lubed ever year.(along with all required maintenance) Just good commonsense will get you out there and the best education is the experience.

Good luck…it is addicting!

Also.... if you are boating on the ocean,... keep a few gallons of fresh water on board... nothing worse than having a simple breakdown and dying of thirst until someone can come save your butt. If you are new.. make a checklist of things you have to do before you launch.. nothing worse than getting excited about boating and forget to put in the plug... or forget to open a valve or replace a cover over a sea strainer.. Then go down the checklist while the boat is still on the trailer... and don't forget to lube the wheel bearings just before you dunk the boat... when the hubs cool, if there is any air in the hub... it will contract and draw in water... so get those bearing buddies and fill them every time you launch!

buy as much engine and outdrive as you can afford. If yo have to go from the 42' to teh 38 but get a set of beefier bravos out of it, its prolly not a bad idea to get teh smaller boat.

I wish I would have read this post a year ago... As a 2nd year and still a newbie...

I have found out the following:

Want more speed it's simple. Money makes a boat go faster.

Do you need more speed? NO not as a newbie

Safety First

MAKE A CHECK LIST...

Good luck and enjoy I am...

My last .02

Run from OSO it is way addictive.

Brad

To go fast is easy... it just takes Cubic inches... and Cubic dollars!.....

Check depth charts of unfamiliar rivers and lakes. Otherwise look for the fishermen. They usually are near shallow water.
Wind and currents can be tricky when docking. Practice before you get caught in a storm.
Have a bigger anchor than you need and know how to use it.
Everything else above and remember don't tie up the boat ramp!

never start your engine with your drive UP!

don't power load..it's bad for the boat...and it really F's up the launch!

You guys all forgot rule numero uno.

NEVER drive your boat impaired. DEAD DRUNK is a nasty term!

change drive lube every 50 hrs MAX, or every season if you're below the hours. Even with vanilla motors. I know guys who have tried to go 4 years on the same drive lube. If you git big motors, change the lube with every tank of gas.