According to the American Boating Association, there were 5,265 accidents reported to the US Coast Guard in 2020, leading to 767 deaths. The simple fact is, you need to know boating rules if you’re looking at going out onto the waterways around the country.
Understanding the basics is important if you’re looking at driving a boat for the first time, or even if you have been on boating lessons and forgotten a few elements.
Read on for everything you need to know about driving a boat.
Basic Boating Terms
If you’re a novice looking at getting into the boating basics, you need to understand the terms.
These terms include the following:
- Bow is the front of the vessel
- Aft is the back portion of the vessel
- Beam refers to the measurement of the width of the boat/ship
- Port is the left-hand side of the vessel
- Starboard is the right-hand side
Now that we understand the terminology, let’s talk more about safety.
Boating Safety Always Comes First
When driving a boat out from the quay, you want to ensure that you’re prepared for all eventualities. After all, it could take time for the coast guard to locate your vessel if something goes wrong.
Items to have on hand include the following:
- Flashlight
- First Aid-Kit
- Tool Kit
- Throwable Floating Devices (to retrieve persons from the water)
- Life Jackets
- Signaling Device
- Whistle
- Fire Extinguisher
- Ropes
- Knife
- VHF Marine Radio
The US Coast Guard insists that captains need to keep a lookout for other vessels and make assessments about traffic, as well as visibility, the maneuverability of the boat, and weather conditions.
You can read all of the US Coast Guard’s navigation center tips on their website.
And always make sure to complete your last inspections before you set sail, and never overload the vessel either. Also, if you are removing your boat from winter storage, make sure to run through the checklist from this source.
Now that you’ve done all the checks, it’s time to drive the boat.
How to Drive a Boat
Before hitting the waves, the first action to complete with a gas-powered boat is to run the blower. A blower is an exhaust fan that gets rid of dangerous gas build-ups.
After the correct time, start the ignition, and if the boat has one, clip on the kill switch. A kill switch will stop the boat if the captain goes overboard.
Remove all lines securing the boat to the dock, pier, or slip.
Man the helm, or boat’s steering wheel, and direct the vessel as you would a car.
Once ready, advance the throttle control slowly, and trim (adjusting for the velocity of the acceleration) according to weather conditions. Go slowly for choppy water, and only as fast as the speed limit will allow.
Boats are not equipped with brakes, but simply easing off the throttle and putting it into neutral will bring it to a stop.
And now you know everything about driving a boat… But not really.
Driving a Boat Is Nuanced
While the age limit and requirements for driving a boat vary across the country, the fact is that captaining any aquatic vehicle takes experience.
Understanding the nuances of how the water’s conditions affect your steering, acceleration, and more takes time.
If you are looking to rent a boat for the day, don’t overstep your abilities. Always exercise caution.
Information is the key to learning any new skill. So for any other questions you may have, or expertise you want to master, check out the rest of our site.
