Things you wish you knew when you started boating

[scrobo]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

Great thread!

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It's hard to screw up a docking at dead slow.

Look behind you as you pull off of plane.

A loose prop nut, deep silt, and a good shot of reverse can make for a long walk home.

A spare prop can save you from a long walk home.

Take the time to learn how to set your depth alarm. Because discovering you can plane in two feet of water at 30 mph is about all the luck you deserve in one lifetime.

Yup. Bought one of those... found out I was going through a small channel on Lake Nosbonsing at about that depth at full speed. Watch that thing like a hawk now.

 

[stevens]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

Better to spend the time IN the boat rather than reading/websurfing/thinking/talking/fretting/dreaming/worrying about them....

 

[mikey.himself]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

Doubt id ever go boating without a depth finder again. SO important...!

It's saved me lots of times from doing my hull no damn good, and my outdrive, ofcourse!

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

The thing I wish I knew when I started was that buying a new trailer is almost the same cost as buying a used one and putting new rollers, bunks, hubs, wheels, and tires on it.


-E

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

Yup. Bought one of those... found out I was going through a small channel on Lake Nosbonsing at about that depth at full speed. Watch that thing like a hawk now.

Yup -- I got distracted as I was trying to get around some guy fishing in the middle of the channel. There was another boat coming at me so I couldn't go left, so I just went between the fishing guy and the shore. There was lots of clearance but I didn't give depth a thought because I was still a good fifty feet from the shore. Anyway, I glanced down and just about had heart failure to see the dial at 2.0 feet. I grabbed for the trim and just hauled for the up position certain I was going to start feeling the prop eating itself any second. Instead I just skated through and by the time the prop was high enough to start losing bite I was back into deep water again. I was with my dad and the whole time he's standing there beside me at the wheel yakking to me, oblivious I was having a seizure.

 

[dearrogant]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating


above all else, I wish somone had mentioned (even though it was probably VERY obvious)

DONT FORGET THE DRAIN PLUG!!!

bought my boat used.....first time out....whole family onboard......
no plug...nearly sank her!!!

 

[zkimball]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

Just because there was fuel left in the tank when you last used it doesn't mean there's fuel in the tank now!

Put the drain plug in before you launch.

Buy good dock lines.

NEVER take your kids' word when they say, "It's ready to go."

You can't take too much ice! Z

 

[JustMrWill]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

Boat ownership takes:

1. Humility. (Once you think you know it all...you find that you are sorely mistaken)
2. Patience. (if you rush something [launch, repair etc]... #3)
3. A good sense of humor. (have to be able to laugh at your mistakes)
4. Dedication. (take care of your boat...and it will take care of you)
5. Money. (duh!)

-JMW

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

If you think you can afford a boat payment then add another $150 a month , and that is what it will actually cost to stay on the water. If you need a little less then you are doing better than most people I know.

 

[BF]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

1) those fun days of tubing and skiing etc can easily come with a triple digit gas bill (per day)....

As an aside...

A friend was invited to someone's cabin with their family etc... said the host had a boat with a big OB, and they'd be doing tubing/skiing etc. Anyway my friend asked what would be polite to bring as a "thank you". I said I thought a couple gerry can's of gas. Definitely wouldn't be expected, but would be appreciated... would also show that they understood how expensive hosting a weekend like that is. Most host's I know wouldn't take cash.... Also actually getting fuel to the cabin is usually part of the hassle. When I told him how thirsty my V150 merc is, he went pale. Our gas was about $4.80/ US gallon most of the summer here... that's city prices, not at the marina's.

2) Lower unit/outdrive breakage (either through stupidity or just failure) is a 4 digit bill.

 

[smatthews1999]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

Don't ever beleive your gas guage. Fill it up before going out.

Don't ever pour 2 stroke oil directly in your tank -even if it's full. It will sink right to the bottom and wind up in your carburator.

Boats don't have breaks.

Boats drive like a bad shopping cart on an oil slick.

It is amazing how fast wind will blow your boat in the wrong direction.

Rain feels like marbles when your going 35mph.

Just because your engine stopped doesn't mean you're not moving.

Fish Finders do not find fish. They find the rock that the back of the boat is gonna hit - after the front already did.

Don't ever go with old technology. Carburators and old 2 strokes are history. Most of the time, if it's cheap, it's because its not worth it. How much is your aggravation worth?

Brand new Evinrude ETEC - best engine ever!!!!

 

[mike176]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

don't forget to service your trailer, without it your boat is high and dry.

 

[mudmagnet63]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

Try to stay calm ( do not raise your voice ) while trying to teach your wife to back the boat in the water

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

while common sense says water is always on the out side of the boat-history dosent always prove that truth.

i didnt know my wife would say i really like the boat so lets get rid of the snowmobiles.

 

[Jerico]

Re: Things you wish you knew when you started boating

1. Figure the cost, double it, then double that again. Add labor and materials and you should be in the ball park on what the service, repair, or upgrade is going to cost.

2. Boats are addicting. Bought my first one in the mid 80's. Took about a 10year break. Redid the 2nd one 2 years ago. 3rd last winter...

4. Vehicle manufactures are very generous with what they say the vehicle is capable of pulling. My mistake. Can tow and should tow are not the same thing.

5. Properly done, the wife can become as addicted to boats as you are. This one is a double-edged sword. lol

6. If I had known how much I would enjoy boating I would have gotten back into it again sooner.