Planning a Successful First Trip

Before you even start planning your maiden voyage, however, it’s important to recognize the complexity of boating and get an education. Think about it — when you started driving, you didn’t just jump into the driver’s seat and “see how things went.”

You probably had to study to learn the rules of the road. You also spent time learning to drive with someone more experienced in the passenger seat.

You likely took a year or more to get your driver’s license, and even then, you were probably terrified the first few times you drove by yourself. A healthy sense of fear may have even kept you out of an accident.

In most states, there is either no boating license requirement, or the process to get it is very basic. That fact often leads people to believe that if you can drive a car, you can drive a boat.

While there are some similarities, the rules of navigation, the hazards and the basic dynamics of how a boat behaves in the water are vastly different.

The good news is that it’s not hard to learn what you need to know about boating. You simply need to recognize the need to educate yourself. Regardless of whether your state requires a boater safety course, take one and take it seriously.

When you are on the water, the “streets” are invisible, but there are clear rules-of-the-road that need to be followed. Wide open water isn’t as wide open as you may think, and you need to know what to look for. A boater safety course is a great way to get oriented to basic navigational principals.

Your first trip should be made in the best possible conditions. Wind, weather, tide and traffic should all be factored into your maiden voyage plans.

Stress and pressure leads to mistakes, so the more you can do to minimize these two factors, the better your trip will go.

Wind speed and direction should always be a major factor in your decision. Keep in mind that wind is always stronger on the water, so any forecast over 10 knots or mph should be taken seriously.

Experienced boaters often quip that a forecast for 10 to 15 knots means you need to add the two numbers together.

Wind makes everything more difficult, not only generating rough conditions but also causing your boat to drift when docking or trailering. Combined with an opposing tide, double-digit wind conditions can create truly dangerous conditions.

If there is rain or fog in the forecast, pick another day. A bright sunny day is not only more pleasant, it also improves visibility and can help you see dangers earlier.

Also consider the water levels of the area you plan to do your maiden, whether driven by the tide or, in the case of rivers or lakes, fluctuations based on recent rainfall. Low water levels can be less forgiving for navigational errors and require more experience than you may have. High water levels can present challenges as well. If conditions are “unusual,” consider alternative dates or locations.

Eventually, you will likely learn how to navigate all of these conditions safely, but your maiden trip will have enough lessons to keep you busy without these factors involved. 

One of the most common mistakes new boaters make is to invite friends and family out on their maiden trip.

The reality is that you are likely to make embarrassing mistakes on that trip and potentially put your guests at risk.

Taking time to learn a little about the area you will be navigating before your trip is always a good idea, particularly in saltwater situations. Hazards that are not apparent at high tide can be catastrophic at low tide.

Simply knowing how to navigate from a ramp or marina to open water can be incredibly confusing, and doing it wrong can have serious consequences. It might seem embarrassing to ask another boater about the area, or request to follow them out to deeper water, but a little humility can save you thousands in repairs. Most boaters are happy to lend expertise, especially in challenging waters.

If you want to accelerate your learning curve, make your first few trips about learning to run the boat, and don’t try to include other activities. That means leaving the rod and tackle in the car, the skis stowed in the locker, and any adult beverages you might enjoy at the sandbar in the refrigerator at home.

Plan your trip around what you want to learn and dedicate the entire trip to that purpose.

As a new boat owner, there is enough to learn to take up several trips. Take time before each trip to think about what you want to get comfortable doing.

Launching and retrieving with a trailer, docking from different angles, learning where to go (and where not to), navigating over boat wakes — each of these can take time to get comfortable with.