Boat Handling Tips For Beginners

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

By Eloise Hewitt


More and more people are beginning to develop an interest in boating, you included, as you are clearly interested in learning. Boating is very enjoyable when shared with families and friends, and a great getaway from stress. You only need a good boat, a serene sea, and an excellent boat driver. Do not worry about the driver part, that one is easy enough if you only have the determination to become a good handler.

To be a boater, you have to learn to maneuver your vessel safely. The ocean can be very tough if you do not learn to abide by its rules, so a little inside knowledge never hurts. Boat handling Puerto Rico can be a bit tricky since every ship is unique, but once you have gotten it, there is no stopping to where you and your vessel can travel.

Remember, safety comes before anything else. In boating where a million unexpected things are just waiting to happen, a wise boater thinks of keeping himself and his vessel away from possible harm. Keep navigational charts and radios within reach. Navigate using GPS and charts.

Just as vehicles on land follow certain rules to maintain order, there are also certain sets of regulations that ship enthusiasts have to follow. This is known as the Coast Guard Navigation Rules, or quite simply referred to as the rules of the road. This is not a mandatory learning for irregular boaters, but it is always better to learn standard boating protocol to avoid collisions and accidents.

Know your boat inside out. You must know your instruction manuals like the back of your hand. These manuals contain vital details about the safe operation of your vessel. Be aware of key points like the pivot point of your boat and the span of time it takes for it to stop. Knowing your water craft inside out allows you to gain more confidence in boating.

Neophytes must also learn docking. This task can be very stressful because of the numerous factors you need to consider such as wind and sea conditions. You also do not want to cause damage to the other boats. For a simpler docking, you must follow an angular approach which gives you more room to avoid scraping your vessel on the dock.

Be adept in the use of the minimum control speed. This allows you to steer and move the vessel in the slowest possible speed without losing control of it. This technique is quite useful when there are other boats closely around you.

Master pivot turns. This is especially used when the vessel somehow enters a restricted area. Begin at rest then turn into opposite direction as you shift gears to idle. Go back to neutral gear then turn to the other direction, counting one, two, three as you go. Do steps over and over until you have made a complete turn.

Because nothing beats learning by doing, try these suggestions on actual simulations. You can join training courses in boat handling provided by boating associations. If you have relatives and comrades who also love boating, you can always turn to them and see how good a handler you can be. In time, you will get used to piloting your vessel and you will be able to sail anywhere you fancy.




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