First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

[FINANDPRAYER]

Hello everyone.<br /><br />Been lurking for some time, but this is my first post and thought I would share my first time out with my new boat and the lessons that I learned with you after having spent time looking over every elses dumb mistakes.<br /><br />Lessons:<br />1. Remove transom tie downs before backing into water. Well 'some' water came over the transom and I figured this one out pretty quick.<br /><br />2. Open gas tank breather valve. This lesson took a little longer to figger out. I was angry that my rpms were so low and wondered if I'd been had by the seller of my craft. So after running full throttle and going like 5 mph for 15 minutes, I found a cove out of the wind, shut down, and started fishing. I kept fuming and looking back over my shoulder at the offending 18 hp tohatsu that reportedly would plane out 2 people and gear at 22 mph. One time that I looked back the gas tank caught my eye and I immediately started laughing and shaking my head in sheer delight at my own stupidity.<br /><br />Good day on the water though and the boat does probably more like 30 mph with just me in it.<br /><br />Hope you laugh as hard as I.

 

[RetNav]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

Welcome to the board. It takes some courage to make your first post here in the stupid human tricks.. Don't feel lonely, many more have made the same mistake and some will even admit it....

 

[Mr.Ladyfish]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

Heck, most of my trips include some sort of "stupid human trick". Of course it's always LF who does it.

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

Those are the things memories are made of. My first trip out with a 87 Glasstream 16' I took out a downspout on my house, lost my trailer lock, forgot the transom tie downs, it rained 10 minutes into the lake and I tenderized my prop. It got better real fast after that.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

Welcome to our world!<br /><br />Bob_VT

 

[Formula1974]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

welcome to the board. When my wife and I bought our boat I quess I was so excited about it that I didnt listen good enough to the guy we bought it from and I didnt hear how to work the key choke. I thought you push it in till it clicks then release and turn the key. ( when really you hold it in after it clicks and turn it) well I killed the battery pretty quick. I almost pushed off the dock to get away from the people staring at me and i felt pretty dumb pulling the trailer back down and pulling the boat on with the rope. so anyways, at least you got to go out on your first trip. lol

 

[jsfinn]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

Isn't it fun?! Welcome aboard!

 

[Brew2]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

Like Formula1974 said...at least you got to go out on your first trip.<br /><br />I've known numerous boaters (including myself) that have either sunk a boat at the launching ramp, dropped the boat onto a concrete ramp just shy of the water, set their boat adrift on its own after launching, etc.<br /><br />It's all about the memories!!<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />Brew

 

[Twidget]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

You got all the basics covered in one trip. Welcome to the boards.<br /><br />When I was a kid, we were eating at a restaurant on a sluice between to large lakes in SC. The restaurant was on peirs and you could watch people on the water, it was neat from what I remember. At any rate, we were eating one night and I was watching a guy launch his boat. He forgot the tiedown and backed into the water. There was a pretty stiff current and it pulled his boat, trailer and pickup into the water. It was a big mess, but entertaining for a young kid to watch.

 

[Frankhanhart]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

Hi Finandprayer,<br />as I learned on this forum, thing come in 3's, so look out for the forgotten plug next time <br />Frank

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

Sometimes more..............$$

 

[Barnbldr]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

First 5 minutes of boat ownership. Never had a boat before, and all other trailers I've hauled didn't have a landing gear so.... Hooked up in the guy's back yard, pulled through slight ditch, ripped landing gear (jack) right off the trailer. On the way home noticed everyone looking as I passed. Hmmmm wonder why... Pulling through same ditch as before bumped the transom saver off the motor and was dragging it (saver) all the way home. Luckily the motor set high enough that it only caught on 1 speed bump. If the first 5 minutes was like that I'm almost scared of the first time I take it out!

 

[jtexas]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

finandprayer, the other thing you'll forget which hasn't been mentioned yet, is that one day you'll be cranking and cranking, and eventually notice the emergency kill switch lanyard hanging from your belt loop! Just hope you remember it before you drain the battery completely. <br /><br />And who among us hasn't tried to drive away from the trailer without first unhooking the safety chains? or the wiring harness? <br /><br />Hey barnbldr, I'm not familiar with your terminology; I've heard of landing gear on aircraft but not on a trailer?

 

[Barnbldr]

Re: First Post...First time out...Lessons learned...

Yeah it's what's the trailer is resting on when not hooked up, aka the swivel jack. Sorry, commercial trucks call it the landing gear.