noob with a boat

[adam]

after a quick river ride i was convinced i had to have a boat so splashed out a whole £60 on a buggered speedboat and rusty trailer which i managed to hold together with cable ties on the way home. it then spent 2 years in a mates garden seeing absolutely no action. however its all happening now some kind person has strapped an outboard to it and i'm so excited now. all it needs is a fuel tank for its maiden voyage (oh and a plug to stop it sinking). so now i'm wondering where do i start? i'm getting a tow bar this week but i've googled like hell and i'm still none the wiser about boats.i really know absolutely nothing. can anyone point me to some beginners reading, please please please. you have no idea how excited i am about getting this boat in the water - i just wish i had any idea what i'm doing

 

[hatab]

sounds like you might need a lifejacket for a start....lol

sorry cant help you i'm sure people will though...you do sound excited hope it goes well

 

[adam]

thanks hatab, my little boy will have a life jacket but everyone else will have mobile phones and yes i am very very excited

 

[oxkiller]

a flare gun a sat nav and morse code and Uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horses.

 

[Dutcho]

Dont go far out and remember to stick to the left side of the water just like in a car, take your time and watch for fisherman they throw there lines right out and it will cut your head off if you don't see the wire Boat are fun it it can turn bad really quickly, a life jacket is a min requirement for all in the boat.

Oh and if your launching on the public slipways remember there are speed limits in land and there are river police to spoil your fun

 

[ms2005]

Yup, river police are feckers but for the good of all mankind, once you get out of the bay / estuary / river mind you're free to do as you please.

Lifejackets are a MUST, you also have to familarise yourself with wherever you are taking the boat, I know around my way there are lots of cliff edges, underwater rocks etc

Understanding tide times is also a must, launching a boat at low tide or being out during low tide can get you in some serious trouble.

Stay away from the coastline unless you know it / know what you are doing.

As above, fisherman will have your head off and cast lines can be hard to spot untill it hits your boat or you see a nutter shouting and waving on the shore line, then you know you're about to take his line out and he won't be happy.

In and around beaches ( if you're aloud) can also be dangerous with animals and people in the water, they can often be hidden behind a small wave or ripple or even the break.

my number one tip, is when you get the hang of it get yourself a doughnut and a solid state bar so you and your mates can learn to water ski.

It's A) hilarious to watch newbies face plant and B) awesome fun when you get up and running

Also watch out for sewer pipes etc you don't want to be in the water near those you'll end up with some nasty skin conditions, I've seen all sorts of nasty looking things from friends that surf.

I would also recommend a quick towing course if you are new, it will make your life a million times easier if you can reverse the boat down the slip rather than detaching it and walking it down but some can be very narrow and I would hate for you to lose your boat over the edge from bad reversing.

Oh, and the obvious, learn the rules of bouys and marine traffic, some harbours require you to have a registration number and if you do something wrong they send you a ticket much like the parking man.

Had this problem with some jet skis once, didn't know the harbour master had an office on top of the hill with a big telescope.

 

[v14]

thanks hatab, my little boy will have a life jacket but everyone else will have mobile phones and yes i am very very excited

how does a mobile phone stop you drowning? :err:

 

[DevilMan]

:lol::lol: