Rookie mistakes

[DanR]

Alright I guess I'll share my newb story... first "real" boat purchased last December and went straight to storage. Spring is finally here so about 4 weeks ago I started installing all my new electronics and other goodies, brought it in for service etc. 2 weeks ago I FINALLY get to put it in the water for the first time, I am SOOO excited!!! So now I did have a small 12 foot aluminum boat and 9.9 on it that my brother lent me for a year so I fish with my daughter so I have the whole backing in/make sure drain plug is in etc all down to habit. I pull up to the ramp and of course with the snow all melted, banks are really high and the loading dock area isn't really a ramp, it's more of a 100 foot bank you can back your boat in to. So it's running really shallow as the mostly flat part of the bank is covered in water.

I back the trailer in and I've got water to the rear wheels and the boat is barely even touching the water. CRAP! So I back the entire truck in and still not much water, so I try backup quick and braking hardish to try and slide the boat off the trailer etc and nothing. There is a side of this launch area that's a bit deeper, so I maneuver the trailer in to that harder to reach spot and try again... this time I can tell the boat is in water but that damn thing won't get off the trailer. Now I'm getting pissed, there's a few spectators supervising the idiocy and my daughter is looking at me waiting for me to lose it. I can't get it off the trailer so I pull the trailer out again, get out of the truck and stand on the shoreline next to my transom, hands my on hips and looking indignantly at the stubborn water wondering what the heck to do next.

I turn on one heel and look at my boat in disgust and then I see it... bigger boats have rear safety straps.

Dan

[Hollada]

[Hollada]

My first rookie mistake. Launched the boat first time ever, went smooth. Started to idle out and realized the tank was reading empty. Beached the boat and went to a local gas station where I paid more for a 5 gallon plastic jug than the 5 gallons of gas I put into it. Grrr. Double check your gas gauge.

[AnthonyLaMarca]

I had been fishing out of a 15 ft Tracker for years. The boat only had one hole in the back where the plug goes. I was launching my Xpress H20B for the first time and I went around the boat making sure I did everything. Launched the boat and went to park my truck. I noticed the boat was sitting a little low in the water so I ran up to see water coming up over the back of the boat. I ran back to get my truck and got it back up on the trailer only to figure out that I put the plug in the drain for the livewell.

[bk09]

I had been fishing out of a 15 ft Tracker for years. The boat only had one hole in the back where the plug goes. I was launching my Xpress H20B for the first time and I went around the boat making sure I did everything. Launched the boat and went to park my truck. I noticed the boat was sitting a little low in the water so I ran up to see water coming up over the back of the boat. I ran back to get my truck and got it back up on the trailer only to figure out that I put the plug in the drain for the livewell.

Think it was my 4th time out something similar happened to me. Put the boat in and parked the truck. Came back and started organizing some gear and then I thought I heard a bunch of fish jumping. I look around and realized it was right next to the boat and see my bilge pump spraying water. Opened the battery compartment and see water and start freaking out thinking my boat is leaking. Then realize I forgot the plug and shoved my arm overboard into the cold water to screw it in and soaked my sweatshirt sleeve. Made for a cold day but I likely won't forget that again anytime soon. I wish they gave me an orange plug instead of the black one since it doesn't stand out against my black boat when I do my walkthrough before the ramp.

Moral of the story, never buy a boat without an automatic bilge pump.

[AnthonyLaMarca]

Mine just happened to be on. Must have hit the switch on accident prior to launching. I did put the plug in. Just in the wrong hole....

Think it was my 4th time out something similar happened to me. Put the boat in and parked the truck. Came back and started organizing some gear and then I thought I heard a bunch of fish jumping. I look around and realized it was right next to the boat and see my bilge pump spraying water. Opened the battery compartment and see water and start freaking out thinking my boat is leaking. Then realize I forgot the plug and shoved my arm overboard into the cold water to screw it in and soaked my sweatshirt sleeve. Made for a cold day but I likely won't forget that again anytime soon. I wish they gave me an orange plug instead of the black one since it doesn't stand out against my black boat when I do my walkthrough before the ramp.

Moral of the story, never buy a boat without an automatic bilge pump.

[deakin]

Wasn't a rookie mistake just didn't take into consideration that there is quite a bit of moss on the ramp in the fall. Backed a buddy's new to him Ranger from the Bass Masters Classic. (I'm old). Backed a Jeep Wagoneer with three on the tree into the water to launch. The clutch was a little off and I popped the clutch after backing in until I heard the tail pipe. Didn't move. Thought that I had the wrong gear. Repeated the sequence and the jeep slid backwards. Looked down and water was coming up through the transfer case hump. Looked out and the water was half way up the windows. After it settled in all that was visible was the spoiler. Had to swim out multiple times to hook up a chain and then again to open the back window to allow two vehicles to pull it out. Man was it cold.

Talked later to a Park Ranger he had launched his boat leaving his truck and trailer parked on the ramp. Came back to no truck or trailer he thought it was stolen. Two weeks later a boater saw the truck and trailer in about 20' of water just down from the ramp.

Fortunately for us the rig jack knifed or we would have a harder time of retrieval. My buddy was about to put the hurt on me. He was cussing running down the ramp to throttle me for backing his ride into the lake until he hit the waterline. It knocked the wind out of him as he hit the ramp allowing me to get to shore before the fight began.

[jetmedix]

I bought a boat...

[gfulton]

Maiden voyage with my new to me 16' Kingfisher. Got back to ramp(low water) backed trailer down as far as I could. Drove boat on as far as I could. Walked on trailer to tongue of trailer with rotten piece of ski rope tied to the bow eye and leaned back and pulled rope broke I fell in the water ( this was in the middle of winter) finally got the boat on trailer jump in truck strip clothes off and turn heater on as I head home. I was only 20 at the time.....

[Table Rock 1]

First trip out in our new 2016 F-S, Load boat on trailer trim motor out of water only to have top of motor run into ski pole. Left a nice scratch and dent in cowling. Put a decal from dealer on spot never see scratch or dent...

[saoulons]

In the rain, not knowing how to operate the bilge pump (or that it even existed as an option) and running the boat almost vertical with water in the bilge, like it was an amusement park ride. Did this on 2 trips until I decided to read online about the cause of this. Eureka!

Not knowing how to read channel markers and deciding to go "as far from red as possible" and banging the prop in some rocks, on my second trip out with the new boat

Not knowing how to read hazard markers and riding straight into a rock (and denting the hull)

Forgetting the hull drain plug and riding around the lake for 20 minutes wondering why the boat won't get on plane (and cursing myself for having added too much weight to the transom as I thought that was the culprit) - took about 30 minutes to drain the bilge once I got it back to the ramp and on the rails

Couldn't for the life of me get the engine started while on the lake. Got freaked out that the engine was dead until I realized that the kill switch has to be in the "on" position and the drive gear in "neutral"

Disassembling the Sonar unit at night before returning to the ramp and running without a depth finder, right into some rocks (had no idea how shallow I was) - I see a theme here...

Forgetting to charge the batteries, ghetto charged them at the ramp with a handheld charger and my truck. A few hours later, ended up getting stranded on the lake with a dead battery and getting towed back to the ramp by a pontoon.

Got my fishing line stuck the trolling motor and while I was untangling the mess, washed away to shore into some rocks and broke my transom transducer

Got really mad at Bass Pro because my trolling motor wasn't working after getting the boat out of storage. I undid the front slat of the deck to check the wiring, only to realize 30 minutes later that the motor was in the "off" position (I forgot that there was an on/off switch).

Drove for 30 minutes with the trailer coupler lock in the "up" position

Had trouble getting the boat on the trailer and had to "walk on the trailer" to the back of it to grab the boat - slipped and fell so hard and scraped my leg so badly that I thought about hiring a personal injury lawyer (joke)

Fished a high profile tournament (100+ boats) with my brother (who had never driven the truck nor the boat) - Backed my bro down the ramp in the boat at 4:30 AM amidst a really long line of boats and spectators. My bro didn't know how to turn on the nav lights nor the boat (although we rehearsed, he got flustered and forgot). He flipped every switch he could get his hands on (bilge, livewell, horn, etc.), was finally able to turn on the ignition and ran into another boat

Threw the anchor down without it being tethered to the rope. Bye bye anchor

Tried to park the boat with the wind at our dock. Hit it so hard that I almost tore it up. Twice.

My bro tried to toss a life jacket to me from another boat. He tossed it short, it fell in the water and it auto-deployed (at least that mechanism works, I guess)

[Nick D]

In the rain, not knowing how to operate the bilge pump (or that it even existed as an option) and running the boat almost vertical with water in the bilge, like it was an amusement park ride. Did this on 2 trips until I decided to read online about the cause of this. Eureka!

Not knowing how to read channel markers and deciding to go "as far from red as possible" and banging the prop in some rocks, on my second trip out with the new boat

Not knowing how to read hazard markers and riding straight into a rock (and denting the hull)

Forgetting the hull drain plug and riding around the lake for 20 minutes wondering why the boat won't get on plane (and cursing myself for having added too much weight to the transom as I thought that was the culprit) - took about 30 minutes to drain the bilge once I got it back to the ramp and on the rails

Couldn't for the life of me get the engine started while on the lake. Got freaked out that the engine was dead until I realized that the kill switch has to be in the "on" position and the drive gear in "neutral"

Disassembling the Sonar unit at night before returning to the ramp and running without a depth finder, right into some rocks (had no idea how shallow I was) - I see a theme here...

Forgetting to charge the batteries, ghetto charged them at the ramp with a handheld charger and my truck. A few hours later, ended up getting stranded on the lake with a dead battery and getting towed back to the ramp by a pontoon.

Got my fishing line stuck the trolling motor and while I was untangling the mess, washed away to shore into some rocks and broke my transom transducer

Got really mad at Bass Pro because my trolling motor wasn't working after getting the boat out of storage. I undid the front slat of the deck to check the wiring, only to realize 30 minutes later that the motor was in the "off" position (I forgot that there was an on/off switch).

Drove for 30 minutes with the trailer coupler lock in the "up" position

Had trouble getting the boat on the trailer and had to "walk on the trailer" to the back of it to grab the boat - slipped and fell so hard and scraped my leg so badly that I thought about hiring a personal injury lawyer (joke)

Fished a high profile tournament (100+ boats) with my brother (who had never driven the truck nor the boat) - Backed my bro down the ramp in the boat at 4:30 AM amidst a really long line of boats and spectators. My bro didn't know how to turn on the nav lights nor the boat (although we rehearsed, he got flustered and forgot). He flipped every switch he could get his hands on (bilge, livewell, horn, etc.), was finally able to turn on the ignition and ran into another boat

Threw the anchor down without it being tethered to the rope. Bye bye anchor

Tried to park the boat with the wind at our dock. Hit it so hard that I almost tore it up. Twice.

My bro tried to toss a life jacket to me from another boat. He tossed it short, it fell in the water and it auto-deployed (at least that mechanism works, I guess)

You may want to find a new hobby

[StarcraftSS]

Know where they are and how to reset your trolling motor circuit breakers.

Happened to me 2 weeks ago. Out on the lake at night...TM stops working. Never dawned on me that the breaker was tripped.


Have forgotten to take off the transom straps TWICE this season.

[JER-1 BIG BASS]

In the rain, not knowing how to operate the bilge pump (or that it even existed as an option) and running the boat almost vertical with water in the bilge, like it was an amusement park ride. Did this on 2 trips until I decided to read online about the cause of this. Eureka!

Not knowing how to read channel markers and deciding to go "as far from red as possible" and banging the prop in some rocks, on my second trip out with the new boat

Not knowing how to read hazard markers and riding straight into a rock (and denting the hull)

Forgetting the hull drain plug and riding around the lake for 20 minutes wondering why the boat won't get on plane (and cursing myself for having added too much weight to the transom as I thought that was the culprit) - took about 30 minutes to drain the bilge once I got it back to the ramp and on the rails

Couldn't for the life of me get the engine started while on the lake. Got freaked out that the engine was dead until I realized that the kill switch has to be in the "on" position and the drive gear in "neutral"

Disassembling the Sonar unit at night before returning to the ramp and running without a depth finder, right into some rocks (had no idea how shallow I was) - I see a theme here...

Forgetting to charge the batteries, ghetto charged them at the ramp with a handheld charger and my truck. A few hours later, ended up getting stranded on the lake with a dead battery and getting towed back to the ramp by a pontoon.

Got my fishing line stuck the trolling motor and while I was untangling the mess, washed away to shore into some rocks and broke my transom transducer

Got really mad at Bass Pro because my trolling motor wasn't working after getting the boat out of storage. I undid the front slat of the deck to check the wiring, only to realize 30 minutes later that the motor was in the "off" position (I forgot that there was an on/off switch).

Drove for 30 minutes with the trailer coupler lock in the "up" position

Had trouble getting the boat on the trailer and had to "walk on the trailer" to the back of it to grab the boat - slipped and fell so hard and scraped my leg so badly that I thought about hiring a personal injury lawyer (joke)

Fished a high profile tournament (100+ boats) with my brother (who had never driven the truck nor the boat) - Backed my bro down the ramp in the boat at 4:30 AM amidst a really long line of boats and spectators. My bro didn't know how to turn on the nav lights nor the boat (although we rehearsed, he got flustered and forgot). He flipped every switch he could get his hands on (bilge, livewell, horn, etc.), was finally able to turn on the ignition and ran into another boat

Threw the anchor down without it being tethered to the rope. Bye bye anchor

Tried to park the boat with the wind at our dock. Hit it so hard that I almost tore it up. Twice.

My bro tried to toss a life jacket to me from another boat. He tossed it short, it fell in the water and it auto-deployed (at least that mechanism works, I guess)

Need new hoppy for sure.

[jwcfbd]

Not checking the weather.
When I bought my first boat I took it out for a test hop but when I was taking it to the storage lot I couldn't just park it without hitting the lake one more time. I had never launched a boat so it was all new to me and I chose to do it alone. I got it in the water without any problems and off I went. About 2 miles out I remembered it had a radio in it so I hit the power just in time to here BEEEEP. This is a severe weather warning for your area. High winds, heave rain and dangerous lighting.... About that instance the winds starting picking up and the black clouds were moving in fast. My first time trying to get a boat back on a trailer was during high winds. Trying to ease it on wasn't going to happen. Every time I tried I was blown off to the side so I finally figured out that I had to hit it going it hot. LOL Just about the time I got off the water the rain hit with full force.

[exx1976]

My newbie mistakes aren't nearly as funny as saoulons's (several made me LOL), but nonetheless, I have a few of my own.

Took me an entire season to realize there was a way to increase the engine idle speed by pushing a button on the bottom of the throttle lever (to add fuel without going into gear). So I spent the entire first season with a LOT of stalls, and/or going from idle to NAILING the throttle.

Picked the boat up from storage and drove three blocks with the tongue jack/wheel only about 1/2" off the ground in a new truck wondering "Why does this truck make that noise while towing a boat? That sucks..." Got to the gas station around the corner to get air in the tires and the guy said "You might think about putting that up..."

Didn't close the livewell drains, got up on plane, drove around for half an hour, went back to fishing, couldn't figure out why I had two deadwells instead of two livewells.

Pulled the boat out of the water without trimming up. Dragged the skeg through about 6 feet of hard packed gravel/dirt (at least it wasn't concrete!).

[exx1976]

When the Roller is higher than the bow pull the trailer out a little bit. I found out the hard way too a long time time ago.

My trailer has a spring loaded roller, so I can just push the roller down under the bow. Are they not all like that?

[adurbin]

My trailer has a spring loaded roller, so I can just push the roller down under the bow. Are they not all like that?

Nope. I have the spring loaded bow roller as well, but some do not. The first time I ever put my boat back onto the trailer, I thought the roller was supposed to be behind the which hoop..wrong. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why the bow was bouncing so much on the trailer on the way home. Won't do that again.

[Jayson75]

Upgraded my boat. Charge up the batteries & head to the lake for the first trip in this boat. Ready to try out this 36v trolling motor. Get to the spot & put the trolling motor down. Mash the pedal & nothing. So trying to figure it out. Never could on the water so I head back to the house & then I remembered this boat has a 60 amp beaker system for the trolling motor. Switch was not flipped up to engage power. Dang it. It's all good tho.

[cjmill21]

Not really a newbie mistake but one I've never made before. While launching my boat I got the transom of the boat tied up and power poles down and was getting ready to tie up the bow but it was windy and current was going pretty hard so my bow drifted a good bit away so I drop my trolling motor and get the bow closer to the dock. Go to step off the bow onto the dock and my back foot slipped. I lost my balance and fell right into the water with about 20 people watching. Never been more embarrassed. Got back up to the dock and into my boat thinking at least I have spare clothes in the boat. Nope, I took them out the week before to wash them and never put them back. That was a cold day of fishing.