Re: New To Boating
We've all got lots of questions, and lots of answers for you. The trick is to get 'em to match up.
Two excellent suggestions so far -- see if your state DNR has a boating guide, and take a boating class usually offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power Squadron. Ask around the marina -- I'm sure they'd be happy to point you in the right direction.
A third excellent suggestions so far -- keep hiring the captain you have been, and watch him carefully to see what he does. Write it down. But let me extend that suggestion a bit. Tell him you are hiring him to teach you, and you're sure it'll take a few more times out. In addition to learning what he's doing, learn *why* he's doing it. Glean as much as you can about why he does things and doesn't do others. It may be personal preference, but I'm sure he's noticing little things and making constant adjustments because of those almost subconscious observations.
Finally, hire him for a final lesson or two, to watch *you* run the boat, and suggest and critique your performance (and step in if he feels it necessary to prevent a major problem).
if this was a guy, this thread would be about 2 posts long. The first one world be "Buy a friggin manual" and the second would be "go take a boating course".....(that was said, but much nicer...)
