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View Full Version : How did you learn how to pilot a boat?



surfer2001
10-21-2004, 12:37 PM
I was brought up boating and fishing with my dad. IÂ’ve crossed the Catalina Channel more times than I can count. Getting the boat on & off the trailer, parking in slips, dealing with wind and current, anchoring, right of way, I learned as a California kid. So how did you people learn these skills?

jackpunx
10-21-2004, 12:43 PM
I learned the hard way.. I turned 19 and wanted a boat.. so I went and got the shiniest thing I could find in my budget.. I drove it twice then worked on it for the rest of the summer.. sometimes working on it at the lake just to be close to the water incase it worked that day.. I made a lot of stupid mistakes.. But I paid attention to other people.. I went on as many rides as I could and watched them drive and run around the docks.... Ive gotten pretty good at it..so when ever I can lend a hand to a new person I do.. No sense in re inventing the wheel.. I wish someone was there when I learned.. But I would not trade my experience for anything.. ;)

dicudmore
10-21-2004, 12:43 PM
same way....been on the water with dear old dad since before I could walk :cool:

Keithb87
10-21-2004, 12:44 PM
Common sense and riding with experienced boaters... :D

OutCole'd
10-21-2004, 12:47 PM
I never drove a real boat before I bought my first jboat. A 19' Southwind jet with a 455 Olds. I had to learn pretty quick.

Havasu_Dreamin
10-21-2004, 12:47 PM
Grew up around boats. First trip was about 9 months old.

rvrtoy
10-21-2004, 12:47 PM
Trial and error over the past 20 years. :idea:

BADBLOWN572
10-21-2004, 12:49 PM
I have been operating motorized vehicles since the time I could walk. My dad would sit me on his lap and let me drive. (during mid week of course). When I got older, I was told to practice with the truck and trailer in a dirt lot by my parents house. Eventually, I got pretty good at it. When working at Carrera, I had to water test boats freequently so I got a lot of seat time in a wide variety of boats. No matter how you have been taught, there is no substitute for seat time.

Powerquestboy
10-21-2004, 12:51 PM
As a kid I went to lake Powell almost every weekend of the summer with my friend and his dad. His dad insisited that we learn everything and learn it well. He took us boating safety classes so we would learn the rules. Then we started with jet ski's, and zodiacs with outboards. Then he made us learn on a 50 foot houseboat, twin screw. Once we could handle it he let us do it in the wind! Ever since then I could always drive anything.

Lightning
10-21-2004, 12:55 PM
I was never around boats as a kid, at least not small boats. My father is a merchant marine, so the old "boats" I saw or went on were cargo ships. I bought my first boat in 2001 - the same one I have now. I taught myself and also learned by watching others and having friends help me out.

Havasu Hangin'
10-21-2004, 12:58 PM
I still don't know... :squiggle:

BarryMac
10-21-2004, 01:09 PM
Trial and error, hopefully less error.
gjb

Aqua Boogie1
10-21-2004, 01:15 PM
Found a nice cove in the Delta and drove the sh*t out of my friends boat. :cool:

THOR
10-21-2004, 01:17 PM
Dear ole Dad.

Big_Gunz_
10-21-2004, 01:17 PM
Trial and error over the past 20 years. :idea:
Ditto, trail and error, learned by myself.

gigamurph
10-21-2004, 01:18 PM
Same place I learned almost everything else. DAD! Thank goodness he let me learn some things on my own!......Oh; and many years of practice! :smile:

billet racing
10-21-2004, 01:31 PM
Dad, and granddad. To think back at some of the stuff we did. Fishing out in the ocean with a 14' boat and 35 hp outboard. No land in sight. Frog hunting in a canoe on the rivers. Been everywhere on a boat, both pilot and passenger. Alaska to Baja Mexico. and east to Florida and everywhere in between.
Never been on a cruize. Want to do that too.

MsDrmr
10-21-2004, 01:34 PM
my daddy #1
and my mr....#2

Jbb
10-21-2004, 01:43 PM
The old fashioned way.....On the streets..... :)

1978 Rogers
10-21-2004, 01:58 PM
Dear ole Dad.
Dad taught me also.

JustMVG
10-21-2004, 02:16 PM
Dear Ole Dad here too, but when i was young like 6-7 i remember him telling me one day he'd teach me to drive, well he got drunk and just said have at it, i drove around trying to hit whatever i could, went as fast as the darn thing would go , all the while dad just sat there with a grin on his face, he wasn't drunk just pretending to be, i had so much fun i asked him if we could go every weekend, just like my girls do to me now, gotta pass the torch to them soon. Mike VG

Her454
10-21-2004, 02:21 PM
I've been around boats for as long as I can remember. I can remember crawling up under the bow, curling up and going to sleep in my lifejacket while the boat bounced me all over the place....and then a little older and my dad letting me drive while he had the throttle.....then a little later he taught me to pull skiiers.....I thought I was the shit.......those are some of the best memories of my life. I love ya and miss you dad. :)
At the time my Dad had an old flat deck Spico with a 327 (cuttysark yellow and black)
I cant wait to get my Wood Deck Spico done..........in memory of my dad....."Project Firewood" as Superdave calls it. :) :)

topless
10-21-2004, 02:24 PM
I'm worried about you Her454, you're repeating yourself. :jawdrop:

Her454
10-21-2004, 02:29 PM
I'm worried about you Her454, you're repeating yourself. :jawdrop:
Damn, I knew someone would catch that...figures it'd be you, LMAO. :D Im slipping in my old age, its not like me to double post like a newbie....... :hammer2:

Tremor Therapy
10-21-2004, 02:31 PM
I never got any seat time as a kid, but rode with many an experienced boater, and watched and listened.....I knew I would have a boat some day....then trial and error.

spectras only
10-21-2004, 02:50 PM
Had one one of those tin toyboats when I was a kid. Filled it with water ,lighted a candle inside. It went in circles, the rest is history. :D

RiverOtter
10-21-2004, 02:52 PM
My dad taught me :cool:

plaster dave
10-21-2004, 02:58 PM
surfer pretty much the same as you except for the ocean, dad didn't like taking the boat in the ocean.

jbtrailerjim
10-21-2004, 03:00 PM
I watched and learned from my dad. He has been taking me out to the river and lake my whole life. We never went a summer without a boat.

boxscore
10-21-2004, 03:04 PM
It was just an old plywood boat, a seventy-five Johnson, electric choke.
A young boy, two hands on the wheel. Nothing could replace the way it made me feel, when Daddy let me DRIVE

hoolign
10-21-2004, 03:07 PM
took a PWC water craft course when I rented one...should be good to go! :cool:

Huckleberry
10-21-2004, 03:13 PM
I grew up on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota. I started out driving boats at age 10 with a row boat and 10 HP Johnson outboard. I've been driving boats ever since.

Propchecker
10-21-2004, 03:30 PM
My buddy's dad taught us how to drive and pull skiers in jr. high. I bought a 1970 Hallett flattie when I was 18, in or out, no reverse and hammered the sh!t out of it. Pretty much school of hard knocks. Did some sailing with my dad when I was little which helped a bit to learn the basic rules I think.

bigd1
10-21-2004, 03:45 PM
I learned by bouncing off docks, bouys, and other boats. The faster you go, the better bounce you get. I'm gettin' pretty good.

CEO
10-21-2004, 03:45 PM
In march of this year, I bought my first boat!! I tought myself to drive. And the best thing, no drama in the water, outta of the water....well

Boatcop
10-21-2004, 03:46 PM
I learned how to DRIVE a boat out here on the River at about age 14 or so.
However I didn't learn how to PILOT a boat until I was 19 and in the Coast Guard. Started with a steel hull, 40' foot twin diesel patrol boat, then a 30' steel one, then got the new 41' aluminum jobs. That was on the Delaware River, '75-'77.
Up in San Francisco in the late '77-'78 I got qualified on an old single screw wood 36' motor lifeboat, then went to the National Motor Lifeboat School at Cape Disapointment and pounded 44' boats through the surf.
Ran 18-24 foot Spectras here on the River from '78-'81, then went back to New Jersey and a 65' Harbor Tug on the Delaware River and Bay, '81-'84.
Finally ran an 82 foot Coastal Patrol Boat out of San Diego in 1986 and 1987, till I came here to do the Sheriff thing.
There's a big difference between DRIVING a boat and PILOTING one.

DryHeatOnly
10-21-2004, 03:53 PM
Learned from my dad also. Actually, I taught him ;) :D

switchin'addiction
10-21-2004, 03:53 PM
Grew up around boating. My dad used to sit me on his lap & let me "drive" when I was like 5 yrs. old. Been hooked since. I actually bought my first boat before I bought my first vehicle! Kinda backwards, but it was like an addiction with me!

PowellScooter
10-21-2004, 03:54 PM
Went through a CoastGuard class, (passed) and lots of self taught time in 18-24 ft boats.
Funny story I was helping a friend who has a 65 ft house boat and he was showing me how to run the twin throttles and maneuver around, well he has me pull up to another of his house boats thats waiting on the courtesy dock for a pilot out, he jumps off and says pick me up out past the breakwater. I say ive never driven except for 10 min 10 min ago . He says you are a smart guy you will figure it out and jumped off... I went out and picked him up but it was an accelerated learning curve...

dimarcobros
10-21-2004, 03:55 PM
My father (R.I.P.) since the age of 12 or so.
DMB

Ziggy
10-21-2004, 04:01 PM
Been involved with motorized vehicles of one sort or another since around age 7....driving skills in general are honed and lots of COMMON Sense.

hoolign
10-21-2004, 04:42 PM
g.
There's a big difference between DRIVING a boat and PILOTING one.
that kinda depends on how many beer you consume! the more I drink the better I drive..I think that's how it works :p
you do know i'm kidding!

Jbb
10-21-2004, 05:15 PM
Had one one of those tin toyboats when I was a kid. Filled it with water ,lighted a candle inside. It went in circles, the rest is history. :D
Hmmmmm....One of these ..Perhaps...?.. :D
http://www.johnsonsmith.com/website/product_db/images/p4536_1.jpg

MAINEVENT
10-21-2004, 05:16 PM
My Dad tought me how to drive...I grew up going to the water and sand so he taught me how to drive, and to look around when driving a boat etc...he was being the responsible one at first then i picked up the rest :D

voodoomedman
10-21-2004, 05:27 PM
It was just an old plywood boat, a seventy-five Johnson, electric choke.
A young boy, two hands on the wheel. Nothing could replace the way it made me feel, when Daddy let me DRIVE
Alan Jackson posts on this thread?????????
Anyways. Watched people when I went with them. Bought a jet ski with my girlfriend at age 19. I learned the water very well. Always aware of everybody else. Bought our first boat this year and I already knew the water. To be honest I was a little nervous of the boat. Mike the head rigger at Ultra did my delivery and told me everything I need to know about the controls and trimming the boat. Took it straight to Laughlin and got on the water early and it was history from there.

Some Kind Of Monster
10-21-2004, 05:35 PM
I "drove" my grandpa's boat since I was about 8.. It wasn't really driving, but more holding the steering wheel. I decided that I wanted to actually drive a boat instead of just holding the weel so I went and got one. I bought my first boat when I was 16. I didn't even have a truck to pull it with. I looked over the AZ boating guide, brought it to the lake and tore it up. I have good common sense so I was able to get along well.

repo man
10-21-2004, 05:38 PM
i still don't have any idea how. i just go really fast and if something gets in my way i turn. :jawdrop:
.

fourspeednup
10-21-2004, 05:47 PM
My uncle had a summer camp out in the boondocks and the only way in or out was by water. As a little kid I'd spend all day running back and forth across the lake ferrying passengers, trash, food, you name it...Bought an 18' jet when I was 17 with a buddy. Worked on it wayyyyy more than I ever ran her. Sold that and bought another which is in progress and should be ready for next season. Been hanging out in parker all summer with RD, jackpunx, and BB572 among others and they have tought me more than I could have imagined about bigger/faster boat operation :)

HPB
10-21-2004, 06:08 PM
Always had friends with boats or family with boats ( Dad was passed out someone had to drive...so I guess you could say my dad tought me) plus I've seen plenty of what NOT to do.......I hope it's not me anytime soon :hammerhea

Raisin Wake
10-21-2004, 06:13 PM
Learned from my Grandpa. I started driving around 12, but, I had been on the boat and learning for as long as I can remenber.
I think an English teacher might get me for that last sentence.... :rollside:

mike37
10-21-2004, 06:15 PM
AH!!! mostly all of the above