What skills should I learn before I purchase My first boat?

2016FLD said:
Sign up for BoatUS or Tow Boat US towing service, cheapest piece of mind! I see them tow people in every time out
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small modification:
Sign up for BoatUS AND Tow Boat US towing service...
 
Other best advise you will ever use. Complain, complain, complain to the admiral about having to paint the bottom and other things. She will get sick of hearing it and just call you a bitch and say she will do it. Works everytime plus gets her more involved in helping with the stupid stuff. 2019 & 2020. I giggle every year
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douglee25 said:
1. Keep a clean bilge. Helps with easy diagnosis.
2. Keep up with maintenance. Boats aren't like cars... When something breaks, it's not like you can pull over to the side of the road. Try to be proactive.
3. Definitely practice docking in varying conditions.
4. Develop some base rules for your family and guests when on board ie no distractions during docking, nothing down the head that didn't go in your body, life jacket locations, etc.
5. Make sure you have all your safety gear on board in case you're boarded by USCG.
6. Get Boat US or Seatow coverage. Cheap insurance for a tow.
7. Learn how to use a VHF radio.
8. Train someone else in your crew to operate your boat in case you get hurt and are unable.
9. If you get a gas boat, make sure you know how to use the blower before starting the engines. Seems simple yet many explosions occur every year.
10. Enjoy!
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Number 5 - that's not the reason....

And, no one has mentioned lines and fenders.....
 
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Things I learned my first season boating. (in addition to all the great posts above)
1. If you have a mechanical issue, one motor not working, power steering out etc, dont attempt your normal docking, stern in in my case. Call ahead, pull up to a T head or just find an easy slip.
2. Keep your bottom paint fresh and clean. Its amazing how much growth can affect performance.
3. When in doubt ask. Its incredible how much you can learn by asking a simple question.
4. Tip everyone everywhere you go. They will never forget you and when you really need help quickly they will be there for you.
5. Buy a bigger boat first. It was terrifying learning on a 290 but now it feels small. A 320 wouldn't have changed things.
6. Hire a captain for a day. Repeat this later in the season or the following year. Try to do it on a calm day and a windy day if possible.
7. Might as well repeat this one...dont yell at your wife when stressed....SO much easier said than done though!

Best of luck. Boating is a lifestyle that is hard to explain how much fun it is!
 
ttmott said:
Number 5 - that's not the reason....

And, no one has mentioned lines and fenders.....
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I think you're being a little 'too technical'. Of course it's for your personal safety to have those items, however, how many folks receive a citation for not having a placard, a throwable pfd, etc? That was my reason to call that out.
 
Here are a few tips if you slip your boat;

1) Keep two sets of dock lines. One set stays at the slip (pre-measured). The other set stays on the boat.
2) Keep two power cords, same as above.
3) Never hook up dock water. Rather use dock water to fill your onboard tank.
4) If you ignore #3, NEVER leave it hooked up when you are away from your boat.
5) Never use a rubber garden hose to fill your tank or your coffee will taste like crap made of rubber.
6) If your slip has dual fingers, adjust your dock lines such that the boat is "suspended" between the piers, without having to rub against fenders (see #1)
7) If you ignore #6, spray WD40 at contact points between boat and fender, to get rid of that annoying squeaking.
8) If your stereo volume is louder than normal conversation, for God's sake, get some headphones.

General tips:

1) Learn the truckers hitch and the bowline knot. No seriously...learn them.
2) Never go further than ⅓ of a tank away from the nearest fuel depot. (⅓ there + ⅓ back + ⅓ reserve)
3) Always keep a spare anchor with its own rode on board.
4) Carry a large super-soaker. Besides blasting your friends they make a great emergency bailing pump.
5) Most SeaRay helm seats can swivel 180 degrees around making a great throne from which to watch your rods and feel superior.
6) If you have the entertainment center with the built in ice-box, you can drill a small hole in the lid, insert an air pump hose, and use it as a live-well. Sea Ray should have thought of this, called it a fishing center, and charged $3000.
 
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bobeast said:
Here are a few tips if you slip your boat;

1) Keep two sets of dock lines. One set stays at the slip (pre-measured). The other set stays on the boat.
2) Keep two power cords, same as above.
3) Never hook up dock water. Rather use dock water to fill your onboard tank.
4) If you ignore #3, NEVER leave it hooked up when you are away from your boat.
5) Never use a rubber garden hose to fill your tank or your coffee will taste like crap made of rubber.
6) If your slip has dual fingers, adjust your dock lines such that the boat is "suspended" between the piers, without having to rub against fenders (see #1)
7) If you ignore #5, spray WD40 at contact points between boat and fender, to get rid of that annoying squeaking.
8) If your stereo volume is louder than normal conversation, for God's sake, get some headphones.

General tips:

1) Learn the truckers hitch and the bowline knot. No seriously...learn them.
2) Never go further than ⅓ of a tank away from the nearest fuel depot. (⅓ there + ⅓ back + ⅓ reserve)
3) Always keep a spare anchor with its own rode on board.
4) Carry a large super-soaker. Besides blasting your friends they make a great emergency bailing pump.
5) Most SeaRay helm seats can swivel 180 degrees around making a great throne from which to watch your rods and feel superior.
6) If you have the entertainment center with the built in ice-box, you can drill a small hole in the lid, insert an air pump hose, and use it as a live-well. Sea Ray should have thought of this, called it a fishing center, and charged $3000.
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thx for your terrific suggestions. Wouldn’t have thought to look for a slip with dual fingers.
 
Learn to figure out at all times how much fuel you have left. The gauges on the boat are not that accurate. A fuel flow meter with total gallons used will be a great asset if you plan on going to areas that have few fuel stations.
 
First skill to learn in the boating universe: You need to know how to BreakOutAnotherThou$and. And do boat math in your head. Example: 1 BOAT UNIT + 1 BOAT UNIT = $2,000.00.

Practical Exercise: Skipper Frank is cruising along at about 23 knots on a beautiful day with his family. All of a sudden, Frank's son Jimmy, hollers-out "hey dad!" "What's the big thing bobbing around in the water?" Frank calmly replies, I don't know son, where is it? Jimmy starts to point towards the bow and just then, 'Kerblonk- Blam-Zerilll and the engines quit with a clank and a bit of smoke is rising from the water beneath the transom. Frank immediately opens the engine compartment hatch and sees that water is entering the boat from the hole where the starboard propeller shaft used to be. He quickly manages the flooding issue and then races to the marine radio and calls TowBoat US for assistance. While on the radio, Frank looks towards the stern at the water and sees a large, badly dented and half submerged buoy bobbing around in the water, just aft of his swim platform. There is some heavy rode from the buoy extending to the underside of the swim platform -- which now seems to be listing to port, along with the rest of the boat.

Math Problem:
How many BOAT UNITS will it take to get towed 11 nautical miles into port, when you find out that your TowBoat US coverage has lapsed due to non-payment of membership dues? Plus, having your boat hauled out and put on the hard, after 1700 hrs.

:/
 
northern said:
Learn to figure out at all times how much fuel you have left. The gauges on the boat are not that accurate. A fuel flow meter with total gallons used will be a great asset if you plan on going to areas that have few fuel stations.
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Absolutely right! I just put in a flow meter. Not only do you have a very good idea of fuel remaining in the tank but you can quickly determine the best cruising economy. I'd say it will quickly pay for itself and certainly provides added peace of mind. If you have a network, why not?
 
Juliery said:
Absolutely right! I just put in a flow meter. Not only do you have a very good idea of fuel remaining in the tank but you can quickly determine the best cruising economy. I'd say it will quickly pay for itself and certainly provides added peace of mind. If you have a network, why not?
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What kind did you get, how hard was it to install, where did you purchase it and how accurate is it?
 
I bought the Lowrance flow sensor and it's connection just plugs into the NMEA 2000 network. The sensor itself is installed into the fuel line after a filter. Pretty simple. The display is on a Lowrance HDS 9 chartplotter. So far it seems pretty accurate. I bought the sensor on Amazon.
 
Juliery said:
I bought the Lowrance flow sensor and it's connection just plugs into the NMEA 2000 network. The sensor itself is installed into the fuel line after a filter. Pretty simple. The display is on a Lowrance HDS 9 chartplotter. So far it seems pretty accurate. I bought the sensor on Amazon.
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Thanks, we have factory installed ones on the SeaRay and they seem to be within 2%. The only variable is the generator that does not have a meter. For that I us 1GPH and it all seems to work out. We have a jetboat with a 5.7 and that is where we want a meter. There is no Sea Tow on a remote river or in the artic. Last trip we landed up with 25 gallons left on a 400 mile run.
 
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