Knowledge:
- Take a boaters course ASAP. You can look online in your local area for one near you. You can also do it online. They're usually free to do so. A comprehensive list can be found HERE.
- If someone politely offers an idea or assistance... Take it! I always have and I am still alive to talk about it. There is no good reason to not get along and accept the help. Put your ugly ass ego away. Being on the water isn't the time or place for a bigger chest contest! Enough on that one.
Packing A Cooler – the Must Haves:
• Bring plenty of bottled water. You will get dehydrated quickly in the sun and heat!
• Cut up fresh fruit & vegetables, put them in a separate container.
• Pack away a box of crackers, cut up slices of cheese and pepperoni (makes a great snack)
• Gatorade.... Restore those electrolytes!!
• Beer is good to have but not for the Captain. The Captain drinks at the dock when tucked away for the night. I'm not even going to promote having one drink! If you do, that's on you. Enough said on that one!
Packed away in a bag:
- Sunblock! Plenty of it and wear it. If you are chemical conscience get an all-natural kind. I have always thanked my wife for nagging me about it after the day's end and I'm feeling rather comfortable from not being sun burned.
- Towels for drying off after getting out of the water. We don't like soaking wet boats! Especially the older ones with plywood floors.
- Snacks: Chips, buns, trail mix, cookies, pie, be creative! It's not up to the boat owner to feed you! When being invited, ask them what you need to bring. Even if they say just yourself.... At the minimum.... 5 gallons of gas, a bag of chips, a towel, your own beverages, you get the drift!
Dock Lines:
- Make sure they are as long as your boat. If your boat is 26' long so are those lines (Minimum of 4).
- Coil the left over loose end on the dock. It's really nice to see a line coiled up nice and neat! That speaks volumes to me about how particular a boat owner is when I see that.
Anchor:
- Fortress brand, pricey but it has a lifetime warranty, is easy to assemble, the holding power is awesome, it's lightweight & your wife or S/O can handle it with ease if needed.
- Make sure your anchor has at least 6' of Stainless Steel chain attached to it using a shackle, not just tying it off. That helps lay it on the bottom.
- While the standard is 7:1 on the road, Go 10:1, as you never know if things could change for the worse quickly and you have to drop anchor & ride the weather change.
- Anchor rope, 150' is a good length.
Good Care & Maintenance:
- Winterize your boat and do it early! Take no chances! I'd say October anywhere in America is probably good. Up near Canada I'd say early August. Of course this is location dependent.
- Shrink wrap can be saved & used for a few seasons at least (usually).
- Always cover your boat. Why would you spend your disposable income to buy something that will have a buildup of leaves, dirt, sticks, sunspots, trees, and mold & more.... it can go on and on. Just keep your boat covered.
- Teak.... If your boat has Teak on her and it's in the weather, go ahead and redo it every 2-4 years. The stuff to refinish it is relatively inexpensive. It's a labor of love.
Updating Your Boat:
- Not that it's most important but let's face it, times are forever changing.... If you have an older model boat, upgrade the sound system in it. After all, no one carries tapes around from 1985 and plays them anymore. I also recommend the Bose 131 Flush Mounted waterproof speakers. A bit pricey but bulletproof and solid!
- Steering cables.... I bought a boat once and wanted things replaced or added as was needed. I made mention to the Marina shop manager about the steering being real tight. I said replace if needed. Once I went to pick up the boat he reassured me they were original and they needed replacement. It steered like a dream after that!
- Replacing things.... This is tricky for a lot of folks. When something goes wrong and it will, you really need to nip it in the bud & just replace it or fix it. Boats end up looking the way they do because of neglect. If you need a bit to come up with the cash, budget for it. Ex: $300 is needed for something on the boat to make it right or whole again or whatever it is... Figure out how much extra you have left to slap into savings for a period of time to equal the amount needed. If it takes a bit longer than so be it! You have to have the discipline to not touch it and act like you don't have it if you were to need it.
Blowers:
- Run the blower for at least 4 minutes as instructed before starting your engine. Fumes and spark are nothing to play with. I have forgotten a few times and after the fact my heart sank because I know the risk!
- Run your blowers while below cruising speed, also run while refueling. I even go the extra step and open the engine hatch.
Fuel:
- If your fuel gauge isn't working, get it fixed! Don't guess it, it's not worth the added stress.
- When fueling your boat and you have fuel come out the overfill port, have a bottle of water handy and throw some water on it to get it off your gel coat.
Engine / Outdrive:
- Have a small tool kit onboard to include a multi tool (Leatherman), (a Hex Allen Key if you have a windlass).
- Always check your fluid levels & bilge area before starting the engine, make sure of no leaks.
- Always let your engine warm up to cruising temperature before getting underway.
- It takes merely minutes to ensure your engine bay is clean. Get a small bucket of water and dawn dish soap, wipe it down or use some degreaser if you have neglected it. This will make it easier for you to spot drips and leaks in the engine compartment.
- Order the parts break down service manual for your outdrive and your engine. They are pricey but worth every penny! When ordering have your serial #s ready so it is the exact match to your application!
- When on land and you start your engine always connect the muffs to the outdrive & ensure you have a continuous flow of water going through it from your garden hose. Muffs are usually under $10 and you can get them at Walmart or your local Marina. You can order one right now online for that matter.
- When / If you make an announcement to friends and family for an invite on the boat, give them a time to be at the boat 15 min prior to getting under way. Ex: "We are going boating this Saturday. Be at the dock at 11:00 AM. If you aren't there at that time, don't bother coming". Take off time is 11:15. (Don't tell them the take off time). Use that 15 min for your safety brief and going over everything.
- Appoint someone as a First Mate. Let them know exactly what to expect when leaving the dock, being out on the voyage, coming back to the dock, etc. Ensure they know their duties. They are your right hand person!
Life Jackets:
- Show your passengers where all the life jackets are stowed away. Make sure there is one for everyone on-board. They usually come in plastic and tags hanging off them. Clean them up and remove the plastic they are in. When in an emergency every second counts! Your guests are your responsibility!
- Go the extra mile.... We spend $9 on the Type II bright orange life jackets and neatly stow them away. Invest in inflatable life jackets. They are on sale many times for $50-60. Wear them. Invest in extra ones for those invited onto your boat. It's all fun and games until you have an accident due to your own or another boater, and there are no air bags to save you. 80% of drowning victims are due to not wearing life jackets; and most knew how to swim as per family members and friends. Again they are YOUR responsibility.
Check Amazon, West Marine, Bass Pro, Cabelas, Gander Mountain, Academy Sports, etc. One of them is probably running a sale on them.
Safety:
- When going out, make sure someone on shore has your float plan for the day. Let them know of changes or maybe even check in with them with a text or a phone call or something. This is especially crucial if going off shore or one of the 5 Great Lakes.
- Check your fire extinguisher for serviceability and replace as necessary.
- A well-stocked First Aid Kit
- Bayer aspirin for someone who may have a heart attack on board. Remember, you ARE 911 while on the water.
- Ensure all your guests Aboard know how to hail for help on the VHF -the monitored Channel and let them know of major land marks if there is no GPS coordinates. Remind them to throw the anchor if able and in a safe place to do so in case something happens and you aren't capable.
- Head on a swivel at all times, know your surroundings, head on 2 swivels during holiday weekends!!
- If diving put the diver flag on display to let other boaters know you are diving in that area.
- Do NOT negotiate a low bridge! If you question it, turn around. I went against my better judgment and in 2005 the cost was $600 with a lot of glass, twisted and bent windshield frame & heartache!
- Have a throw cushion or two, most of us use them on our seats to sit on, that's not a good idea because it depletes its purpose over time.
- A throw ring is good to have, even better when you have a line attached to it! Mount it in site on the starboard side near the Captain.
- Never run your engines while someone is on the swim platform or in the water.
Being Courteous:
- When invited to go boating with someone else, bring with you a red five gallon gas can full of fuel. Running a boat isn't cheap, it's the thought that counts.- Should you see someone in distress or clearly they are stranded, offer them a hand so as long as you aren't putting yourself or your crew in danger.
- Load your boat and have it ready to go, BEFORE you even stage at the boat ramp. Do not back down and stop 5' short of the water to start putting things in the boat. If you are going to prep at the boat ramp, park out of the way of the ramp, be patient and you will get her in the water when finished I promise!
- If you see someone messing up or lacking experience offer help and assistance. Do NOT video, point, laugh and post it. Even if the person turns you away. It's just not morally right. Be the bigger person and go about your day peacefully.
- Remove your shoes and don't step on the seats.
- Don't bring your dog.
- Be patient! There may be times where you are waiting to get your boat out of the water. You may have 3 or 4 boats ahead of you floating about... It will all come together and you'll get your turn.
- Plastic Grocery Bag! If you see one while cruising please stop and pick up at once! I do EVERYTIME!!! The reason; It could cost roughly $3,000 for repair if it gets wrapped around someone's outdrive. Plus it's about the environment too. Let's help keep our waters clean.
- TRASH: If you brought it with you from home you take it with you back home! Do NOT throw it in the water!
- Dripping wet! Drip off on the swim platform not in the boat! Have someone hand you a towel or keep a few towels at the stern of the boat for easy access.
Items To Make Boating Easier:
- Get some type of towing insurance. Sea Tow, Tow Boat US or equivalent. $150 roughly per year for a piece of mind or upwards of $600, $700, $800 or more for one tow??? You do the math!
- Trash bags and paper towels. Tuck them away and use them as necessary.
- Chances are your boat doesn't have a mirror. It's good to have one so you can see what's going on behind you from time to time.
- Checklist of everything on the boat, what to bring on the boat, etc.
- Dock Hook: They are inexpensive and handy. They're adjustable and will make your life easier while docking or locking through.
- Mechanic Gloves if you are locking through. Those latter rings as well as those dangling lines stay underwater constantly and are nasty. You will thank me later.
Navigating:
- Slow and easy until you get use to things and being on the water.
- When out there on the water and you are cruising... make your intent clear to oncoming traffic way ahead of time. It's all about being safe and avoiding a collision!
- At the first of darkness turn on your navigation lights!
- If your boat is equipped with bow docking lights or a spot light DO NOT use that as navigation! You will blind the boaters coming in your direction. Plus it's illegal. Use it when you are coming into your dock space and if necessary only!
- Leave the drain plug out when on land or on the trailer. Make sure before headed to the boat ramp you have it in or know where it is and you put it in prior to launching (out of the way of the boat ramp)!
Trailering:
- Bearing Buddies! All boat trailers should have them, If yours doesn't, convert it! After every launch for the day pump a few squirts in each wheel. Get that water out of there!
- Stainless Steel safety chain: It is attached to the trailer and is long enough to attach to the trailer hook on the boat, do NOT skimp on this with any trailer! If it looks faulty & you question it replace ASAP!
- Practice backing your trailer when you can. It is not hard, just need to do it and understand how your trailer reacts.
- Don't haul your boat with canvas erected or snapped in place on the trailer faster than the speed of your boat. I wouldn't do at all if it were me. Bad juju!
- When hauling long distance, do a walk around on your trailer and make sure everything is secure. I do this with every fill up at the gas station. *If your tires are about 5 years old I would change them out due to dry rot. I learned that the hard way.
I grew up on the water, been on and around boats my entire life and even owned a few, I am always learning & still asking questions. I'm no expert by any means but I'm not a novice either. There are many more tips and pointers, Please feel free to add to this list. If you have any questions or need advice I'm a PM away. Happy Boating.
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