New to Boating? Learn from Our Mistakes

Episode 1: We’re excited to launch our podcast.  Our son, Tristin, joins us for this episode.  Today, we’re going to focus on Overconfidence.  This is a common issue for new boaters.  We’ll share some of stories from our experiences and mistakes.  Hopefully, this will help you to avoid some of them and enjoy your time on the water.

We test drove our first boat during a December.  Molley grew up boating.  When it came time for us to buy our own, we discussed the various types of boats.  We spoke with other boat owners.  Generally, we did some solid research to prepare for this big purchase.  We decided to buy a pontoon.  It was a 24’ Sweetwater Triple-Toon with an Evinrude 150 motor.

We met the dealer for the test drive on the Ohio river.  The sales rep launched the boat and we took a ride.  The weather was freezing, but we were in love with the boat.  As we watched the rep and his helper struggle to get the pontoon back on the trailer, we should have seen the red flag.  But again, all we could think about were the fun adventures to come.

We went back to the dealership, signed the papers and then waited for spring to arrive.  We purchased safety and protective equipment.  We even took a Coast Guard safety course.  Finally, in mid-March, the day came.  We loaded up a bunch of couples and headed out.  Unfortunately, we didn’t know what we didn’t know.

During all of the excitement, we didn’t think about the depth of the ramp, speeds, hand-signals are all of those things you need to think about – especially with a new boat.  It was a disaster.

Getting a V-hull boat back on the trailer is a completely different experience compared to a pontoon.  The angle and depth of the ramp makes a huge difference.  The speed of your approach is important.  Blowing wind can make it much more difficult.  The number of people on the pontoon when you’re trying to trailer it will change how high/low the boat is floating. 

A Few Words of Wisdom for New Boaters 

If you’re new to this whole experience, you’ll need to be prepared to leave your ego on the bank and focus on patience.  It’s just going to take time and repetition.  You’ll feel more comfortable with time, but you can’t rush it.

If you’re a partner or spouse, it might be helpful if you each pick a specific job and learn everything you can.  For instance, one of you might be more inclined to drive the truck and trailer.  The other may be more skilled at getting the boat onto the trailer.  The key, as always, is good communication.  Give yourselves time to practice and to work out the kinks.  It’s all about the practice.  Try to pick days, like Mondays, that might not be as crowded in and around the ramp.

We love our boat, but overconfidence really caused us some problems.  The Coast Guard course provided us with a safety checklist, which we pretty much ignored.  The point of the course was to help us to be better boaters. 

Make sure you have enough life jackets for each person on the boat.  Test your electronics and mechanics on the boat before you hit the water.

Take time to learn a few things, including how to tie proper knots.  It’ll make the experience much more smooth and enjoyable for you and your guests.

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider sharing it with your friends.  We hope to see you out there soon.  Until next time, here’s to warm weather and calm waters!

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