Top 10 Mistakes of Newbie Wake Boat Drivers
You will need to pop the boat in and out or reverse 3-5 times to get enough momentum without prop interference to have the rudder get a good hold of the direction. Once you feel the boat going to the left, you can put the boat into reverse-idle and leave it there. You should now be holding a straight line or turning slightly to the left. Pop the boat in and out of gear, wait until the engine engages in reverse, leave it there for a second, then click back to neutral.
When I first started driving the boat, my biggest obstacle was overcoming nerves. Take my word for it, there’s nothing to be nervous about. Next, turn the battery switch to the on position and head over to the captain’s seat. Once seated, attach the emergency stop lanyard to your person. This lanyard is typically a bright red cord attached to the emergency stop switch. Thirdly, when the prop does grab as you lose speed, it causes the back of the boat to rise out of the water due to hull shape.
Similarly, throughout the US, there is no age restriction to operate non-powered vessels except for the four states of California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah. In some states like Newyork and Oklahoma, you can start early at the age of 12 but up to 18 years one needs to get a special certification to drive a boat. While anyone above 18 can drive a boat without such a certificate. Different states have different laws in terms of minimum age for boating. For example, the minimum age limit to drive a boat in Arizona is 12 years while 16 in Texas and 18 in Newyork without certification. When approaching large waves, rather than hitting them head on try taking them on at about a 45-degree angle.
When traveling at planning speeds and especially when running at very fast speeds, make steering adjustments slowly and smoothly. Jerking the wheel one way or the other can cause sudden shifts that can catch your passengers unawares, and turning very rapidly at high speeds can be downright dangerous. When driving a boat in close quarters to maneuver up to a dock or into a slip, turn the wheel while the boat is in neutral. Shift into gear until the boat begins to respond as desired, and then shift back into neutral. Eliminating any power or steerage between adjustments allows for much more precise handling.
When in coastal and inshore waters, these preparations can help take the search out of search and rescue. Part of the alert is the MMSI number, which will identify your vessel automatically. Boats 16 feet and longer must be equipped with one Type I, II, III, or V personal floatation device plus one Type IV throwable device. Boats that are 16 feet or less must have one Type I, II, travel III or V PFD for each person aboard. All boats must be equipped with one Type I, II, III, or V personal floatation device for each person aboard. Boats 16 feet and longer must also be equipped with a Type IV throwable device.
This is huge because it means the back of the boat will swing when you use reverse to slow down to pick up a skier, park the boat at a dock, or put the boat on the trailer. Find a position where you can secure your elbow, it may be by your side squished between your side and the boat. When your elbow is free, it will move when you change speeds, which will reduce your finesse and smoothness with the throttle. This is based on my personal experience with a variety of tournament ski boats, other boats and brands may vary.