1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

[25thmustang]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

I'm glad I have spent the last few nights out on the boat and not at the computer.



I will say this, coming down off speed too quick can swamp a smaller boat, or at least bring water in over the stern. This is amplified when you have a few passengers or weight in the stern as well.

I have found there are two solutions here. Some might agree, or disagree, as it seems to be the course of action.

1. Slow the boat up gradually. Bring her down nice, smooth and slow. You will feel the boat the stern begins to rise and that wave is heading right at your transom. If you do this nice and smooth, it should level out and be a non issue.

2. Slow the boat up, and as you feel the stern begin to rise, tap the throttle a bit to almost pull away from the wave.

I was working on both last night driving the boat. Although I have no concern swamping my transom, I do however want to get into the habit of bringing the boat down nice and smooth.

I hope the OP comes back, uses some of the advice given, and continues to post.

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

I'm glad I have spent the last few nights out on the boat and not at the computer.



I will say this, coming down off speed too quick can swamp a smaller boat, or at least bring water in over the stern. This is amplified when you have a few passengers or weight in the stern as well.

I have found there are two solutions here. Some might agree, or disagree, as it seems to be the course of action.

1. Slow the boat up gradually. Bring her down nice, smooth and slow. You will feel the boat the stern begins to rise and that wave is heading right at your transom. If you do this nice and smooth, it should level out and be a non issue.

2. Slow the boat up, and as you feel the stern begin to rise, tap the throttle a bit to almost pull away from the wave.

I was working on both last night driving the boat. Although I have no concern swamping my transom, I do however want to get into the habit of bringing the boat down nice and smooth.

I hope the OP comes back, uses some of the advice given, and continues to post.

I hope he comes back as well. I think there was alot of stern comments directed towards him. It's not that we want to belittle him, it's that we want him to realize what he did was dangerous and put people's lives at risk. As for swamping his stern-I have a Wellcraft V20 with an outboard. My transom has hardly any freeboard and I came from WOT to a dead stop because I accidentally bumped the key and still no water over the transom. The reason this guy had it happen was because his boat was severely overloaded. He's certainly not the first person to make the mistake of overloading and he won't be the last. Learn from it and move on. I do agree the weight comments were uncalled for.

 

[180Fisherman]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

I don't buy it. Between this post and that trailer ordeal I smell something fishy. It's just too much.

 

[Lrider]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

I don't but it. Between this post and that trailer ordeal I smell something fishy. It's just too much.

Are we referring to my "Is my car big enough ???" question?

Not sure if I should be flattered or laugh at the insinuation, wish there was a graphic for LOL.

This is not my doing, nor "was my post" intended to go in the direction it did.

I think there are a lot of people out there that give great input and it is most appreciated by me and (I am sure) most of the people that read this.

Some of these posts remind me of the Novel "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding.

I will stay around a long time, this place is fun

 

[Kracken]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

I'm glad I have spent the last few nights out on the boat and not at the computer.



I will say this, coming down off speed too quick can swamp a smaller boat, or at least bring water in over the stern. This is amplified when you have a few passengers or weight in the stern as well.

I have found there are two solutions here. Some might agree, or disagree, as it seems to be the course of action.

1. Slow the boat up gradually. Bring her down nice, smooth and slow. You will feel the boat the stern begins to rise and that wave is heading right at your transom. If you do this nice and smooth, it should level out and be a non issue.

2. Slow the boat up, and as you feel the stern begin to rise, tap the throttle a bit to almost pull away from the wave.

.

Great advice. I will try this next time the wife is NOT in the back seat.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

The OP is a new boater and new to this (and most likely any other) forum, and this is the welcome he got? I have to admit, I've been active on a variety of forums for a myriad of topics for a number of years and this is probably one of the most hostile sites I've ever seen. The only exception would be computer gaming sites which are by and large populated with kids. The kids on the gaming sites simply suffer from an inability to articulate their thoughts coherantly.

I've seen a everything here from "Ayuh.......learn to drive your boat" (WTF kind of response is that?? In what world is THAT helpful?) to "Maybe you and your family should loose some weight" on this site.

People are asking for help and this is the help they get.

AWESOME!!!!!!

You must participate in NO other forums then.

This site is by FAR the most PG forum I've ever seen. I belong to MANY forums where swearing is not blocked and people openly cus at each other all day long.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

You must participate in NO other forums then.

This site is by FAR the most PG forum I've ever seen. I belong to MANY forums where swearing is not blocked and people openly cus at each other all day long.

No kidding! This is the tamest and most moderated forum I'm on.
I have to be careful when I've got this open alongside my Glenn Beck Insider Forum.

Great info with some friendly jabs? It's just like I get hanging around the marina.

 

[Lrider]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

You must participate in NO other forums then.

This site is by FAR the most PG forum I've ever seen. I belong to MANY forums where swearing is not blocked and people openly cus at each other all day long.

In a way I agree with Shrew, as I have mentioned before this forum can get a little testy.

Swearing and cussing only shows the age and intelligence of the people that are presenting their side. (Jerry Springer Kids come to mind)

The people on this forum are way above that level, they have a lot of sophistication and education, therefore they cuss and swear and make you feel stupid and small in a nice verbal way.

I love you all

 

[sailors hornpipe]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

ok - someone said, as to this and the trailer post its just to fishy - im am not offended as to any of the comments or suggestions posted here at all - i take them as advice from seasoned boaters all trying to help in their own way- as to the to fishy post , let me say that i really hope i havent come off as an idiot of some sort - i am college educated and a veteran of the military - i realize that it may seem fishy but the trailer thing was negligence on the dealers part and could have better planned on my part- ive have since installed a hitch on my f 150 and have become pro at trailering and safety, thanks to my exp boater friend ,boaters safety course , this forum , and hands on training , also the dealers ins company also found through independant investigation that they were at fault and negligent and my lost wages , repair to the truck, and medical bill were paid in full. i was contacted by lawyers who wanted to represent me in a lawsuit and told me i ws settleling for peanuts, that i could have got alot more - but as i said , i just wanted it made right -and i was not out to sue anybody! as to the boat trip question - i was only being honest - i need to get out there without the wife and passengers and get to know my boat and how it gets on plane. when i said water washed over the stern , i wasnt looking i was driving , but in talking to my son who was looking , the water washed over the transom a little but not actually into the boat where the passengers were. the boat was over loaded i believe , it was my wifes first time in the boat and she was filling the space in the boat or fiiling every empty space -rather than thinking about weight capacity. i realize that i am captain of my boat and will absolutely not do that again! i did the formula again for finding weight capacity of my boat and it is 1260 lbs which includes the motor and all gear on board - so the weight capacity of the boat after motor and gear is approx 750 to 800 lbs - the coast guard rates 1 person as 150 lbs - in texas everything is bigger lol , including me. so i have noted all of this now and will follow it religiously. ps; i am not offended at any of your comments and appreciate the advice. hey if i can take a drill instructor yelling obscinities in my ear , a wife yelling directions and side seat driving , do you really think that you are going to offend me? please , im am not at home watching oprah and eating bon bons in a dress with my 12 cats. keep em coming!

 

[jdsgrog]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

Glad to have you back. Yeah, probably a mistake taking the family and others out in 15mph winds when you weren't fully confident in piloting the boat or even knowing the boat well. But all of us have made stupid mistakes...and I for one sometimes still do. To err is human...right?

Yeah, just go out by yourself or with one other person a few times. Once you know your boat well and you become more confident in your boat piloting skills, you'll be enjoying yourself more...except for the "nagging wife" Just keep it safe for yourself, those on the boat, and everyone else who is boating around you.

 

[Lou C]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

We've all been there at one time or another...and learing to control a boat safely takes a lot of practice...as much as driving a car and you don't get nearly as much practice with a boat...
So I"d advise as others did...

take a safe boater course

go out with an expereinced boater friend

if you dont' already have it BUY INSURANCE AT LEAST FOR LIABILITY...don't think anyone mentioned this but it's foolish to go without it.....

 

[NYBo]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

Sailor's Hornpipe- Thank you for your service and for your good attitude.

Sounds like you've learned some valuable lessons. Keep learning, and practice, practice, practice!

 

[Philster]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

Listen up, you maggot! Get out there and learn to handle the boat without the family on board! Bring someone with experience, you slimy scum sucker!

Driving around overloaded, yer stern will look like 1500 lbs of chewed bubble gum!

 

[RickJ6956]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

Sailors Hornpipe,
A couple of weeks ago a newbie took four of his closest friends out in his new-to-him 33 foot cruiser. I watched him literally smack and bounce off of two docks before he remembered which of those four levers were shifters and which were throttles.

The article in the newspaper the next day said the boat hit a water intake at full speed at midnight. It said three of the five people were thrown in the water with no PFDs when the boat flipped. The boat was in a fast-moving section of the Niagara River that is not part of a marked channel. Miraculously, no one was injured. (No alcohol was involved -- the guy didn't drink!)

The boat now sits on a cradle at the marina. The transom was ripped completely off. The radar arch is also gone. Several gouges in the hull are large enough to put an arm through.

I beg you, sailors hornpipe: Read everything you can about safe boating and comply with the laws & requirements. Heed the good advice you've been given here. Practice with a knowledgeable friend until you can handle unexpected situations. Always try to anticipate potential danger and take steps to avoid it.

If everyone did this, there would be no newspaper articles like the one I mentioned.

 

[sailors hornpipe]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

i loved the listen up maggot post! hilarious! but all of you are right in your own way. safety is no laughing matter! i realize what i did was stupid , stupid , stupid!!!!!! forest gumps mom was right too " stupid is as stupid does!" on the original thread, i was only giving an honest picture of what happned and if you dont give an honest question, how can you expect an honest answer? ive read alot of posts where the respondents ask for more specifics and info. To err is human and thats how you learn to do better next time. thank god for the category in this forum titled ( stupid human tricks ) it reminds me that we are all human and make mistakes. and you are right about a boat not being like a car in the fact that learning to operate one is totally different and the practice comes infrequently! dont think it hasnt crossed my mind to sell the boat and drive to the dock and watch em go by. but there is no way i could do that cause id wake up tomorow regreting it! so i am goin to get back out there without distractions and with my experienced boater friend and learn the ropes! what i did was try to run before i learned to crawl and skipped walking alltogether! yes and to make it worse i took on passengers that should never had been in a newbies boat! look its not easy to take my lumps, but i will take those lumps in stride because they were deserved! the next time you hear from me it will be a positive experience! now if you will excuse oprahs on and my bon bons are melting and i dont want to get any melted bon bon on my dress! lol

 

[Ocean Airbrush]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

If a 14 foot boat is going over 15 MPH it's on plane.... or its a submarine.

Or he's hooked into one hell of a good catch!!

 

[HotKetchup]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

SH,
You seem like a pretty level headed guy to be able to weed through all this mess and take the good with the bad. I'll be wating for a good report from the next outing.
We all learn some things the hard way. don't let anyone on here tell you they havent. For example:
I just moved up from a ilttle 14' fishing boat with a 40hp outboard motor to a 20 ft bowrider with a 260hp V8. Ive already dragged the skeg on the ground forgetting to raise the lower unit before pulling out, almost ran the boat off the trailer into the back of my truck because Im not used to the throttle setup or the power. Came into the dock WAY too fast because I wasnt used to the weight of the boat yet and it took 3 of us grab the dock and bring it to a stop, I thankfull havent blown us all up because I have forgotten to run the blower before starting countless times. ...and Im sure there'll be quite a few more goofs until I learn the habits and methods for the new rig. And Ive been boating for years. But none of that slows me down in the least. Cant wait to get back out aagin ASAP and see how many more "learning experiences" I can put myself through. :redface:
Thankfully the only thing hurt so far is my pride..hope I keep it that way.

Good Luck

 

[lncoop]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

We've all been there at one time or another...and learing to control a boat safely takes a lot of practice...as much as driving a car and you don't get nearly as much practice with a boat...
So I"d advise as others did...

take a safe boater course

go out with an expereinced boater friend

if you dont' already have it BUY INSURANCE AT LEAST FOR LIABILITY...don't think anyone mentioned this but it's foolish to go without it.....

+1. I looked into umbrella coverage as a result of another thread that was insurance related. Two things happened. First, I discovered my liability limits were WAY too low. Second, I signed up for umbrella coverage that will kick in once those have been exhausted. I strongly encourage you to look into it if you don't have it already. The cost is negligible.

 

[kailec00]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

a veteran of the military -
- in texas everything is bigger lol , including me.
hey if i can take a drill instructor yelling obscinities in my ear

Thank you for your service, I appreciate that.

I am in TX and everything is great here

Had a DI huh, thinking USMC then? I am former Force Recon Marine.

I am looking into getting my first boat and appreciate your courage in asking a question that helps me learn.

 

[sailors hornpipe]

Re: 1st time out on my own / what did i do wrong?

kalec00, actually i had a company commander as i was in the navy but more people are familiar with the term di - and for those of you who are thinking ( this guy was in the navy and doesnt know about water or boats?) i never saw a ship or the ocean. i was a navy corpsman assigned to marines or what they call a field corpsman. and thanks for your service kalec00 - ooooh rah! devildog!