Tips for Newbies

[PlanB]

Hi Everyone,
As I mentioned in my intro I'm new to the trawler world and am here to learn. I'm wondering what tips you seasoned folks have to share with newbies. I'm interested in tips about anything related to boating that you think will be helpful. Things like, "if I had only know such-and-such when I first started boating" type thing. I've already found one thing that has been really helpful. I got Navionics and have discovered the automatic route option. You select a starting location and a destination and it calculates the best route. It even highlights precautions on the route like for shallow water and bridges and other hazardous things. I LOVE it!
Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Yahoo 1]

Hi Everyone,
As I mentioned in my intro I'm new to the trawler world and am here to learn. I'm wondering what tips you seasoned folks have to share with newbies. I'm interested in tips about anything related to boating that you think will be helpful. Things like, "if I had only know such-and-such when I first started boating" type thing. I've already found one thing that has been really helpful. I got Navionics and have discovered the automatic route option. You select a starting location and a destination and it calculates the best route. It even highlights precautions on the route like for shallow water and bridges and other hazardous things. I LOVE it!
Thanks in advance for any help!

Hi

Ditto here. You rightly pointed that out. Navionics auto routing is amazing, very easy, handy & convenient. In dual with marine chart plotter just in case.

P.

 

[jtulls]

Welcome to the boating world! I think the two biggest things for beginners is time on the water and taking a basic navigation class. I know you mentioned in your intro post that you're only at the consideration stage for buying but getting on boats with friends or with your dad and seeing thins first hand will make all the difference. For the navigation, take a look at local USCG Auxiliary for classes -- the auxiliary folks are really great at trying to make sure the boating world is educated!

 

[Baker]

Something I posted awhile back!!!...

<<IT'S OKAY....DON'T PANIC!!!!!
Now take a deep breath. You are going through the transitional phases of a recovering sailboater. Unlike alcoholics, you can fully recover...but it will take some effort and some time. The one thing you need to say to yourself over and over and over...."It's ok to be comfortable...it's ok to be comfortable...it's ok to be comfortable"!!!!

And if you are ever just sitting there on your trawler and you find everything is just absolutely perfect and you have absolutely no further need to do anything other than enjoy it.....I would suggest getting a hammer and hitting your thumb with it. That way you can experience the misery you used to experience on your sailboat. I know it is not the same, but it helps!!! It's okay to be comfortable!!! Yes there is a bit of guilt, I know. Especially if you are Catholic like me. But it is okay to be comfortable. It is okay to run the generator. It is likely a LOT cheaper to buy, install and maintain a generator than all of the crap related to solar and wind charging systems. And get this....a generator actually WORKS!!! You get stable 120 volt power at 60Hz!!!! It doesn't even need to be sunny outside for it to work!!! I'm serious!!!!...

I think I am going to sell(to recovering sailboaters) a hammer encased in a glass tube..."Break in case of emergency"....so that way if you find yourself just having way too much fun and being way too comfortable, you can break the glass and get the hammer and smash your thumb!!!!>>

 

[janice142]

First: NO SCHEDULES. Never.

Second: Don't be afraid to turn around and come back to the dock. If the weather is iffy and you're not having fun, stop.

More than once I've listened to the Wx (weather channel) on the VHF and heard one thing but experienced different. If the waves are from an uncomfortable quarter, I'll turn around and wait. After all, I'm already where I want to be.

When starting out it is a Good Idea to hire a person who will teach you boat handling. Some guys are Very Good at this and some are not. Look for recommendations of other boaters. They'll know the best teachers.

Some guys are great captains and lousy teachers.

And it may well be one of the folks teaching the boat class (Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power Squadron) is a good fit for that job.

Practice. Practice practice.

There's nothing wrong with being the slowest guy out there. You can get in far less trouble at five knots than ten. Take it easy/slow until you build confidence and experience.

None of us are perfect. For proof positive of that, contact my former husband!