Rookie mistakes

[Bassguy2]

I'd recommend going to a lake that is not too busy for your first time out if possible. You'll want to get your launch & loading process down while you're not being pressed to get off the ramp so the next guy can get in. Take your time and set up a routine that checks off all the major do's and don't s. Ready the boat before going to the ramp starting in the front with the safety chain off and trailer lights unplugged. Moving down the sides putting dock lines and bumpers out. Then to the back with things like raising the motor up/taking the motor brace off, taking off the transom tie downs, checking the plug is in, etc.
If you're launching by yourself, you'll need to develop a process for getting the boat off the trailer and tied up to park your trailer. I'd say most people drive off and on so if you're doing that you'll have to find out how far to back the boat in so it can be backed or floated off depending on how you do it. I use the top of my trailer fenders as an indication of where the boat loads and unloads easily.
Ultimately, it's all about going through your process the same each time. Practice makes perfect!

Good luck and enjoy your new boat!

Well I did take it out last Monday. I did everything I was supposed to do:
1. Made sure all the batteries were charged.
2. Made sure trailer lights worked properly and nav lights.
3. I went through a mental checklist as if I were at the parking lot to take off the trailer ties, plug in its "special" spot.
4. And I brought a partner. (We have a tourney on the 23rd so we culled some water)
Everything went without a hitch, except the engine didn't start right away. I squeezed the bulb to be sure there was fuel at the
carbs. I may have flooded it a tad. Because my partner gets back from parking the truck and says "Can I give it a shot?" I said
sure knock yourself out. Well you know the outcome. She fired up and we were on our way in a small cloud of blue smoke.....I inched her
out beyond an underwater point and just started her moving. A little faster and she popped up on a nice little plane around 35 gps.
We got to where we wanted to start fishing. After an hour of hauling water we decided to move. Well, it fired up and I hit the
throttle and up the bow came like a breaching whale. My bud looked at me and said, "You may want to trim down some." I did
and it flattened out and we were on our way again. Well, I'll make a long story short, we wanted to fish one other place which was near
the ramp and it was pretty flat, just a mild chop on the water. We headed out as smooth as anything and I got her up to 55 gps. We ended up
heading back to the ramp which was just a bit sketchy because the wind came up. I got as close as I could and James had to jump a bit
but made it to the dock. Of course a guy in a black Chevy with a bunch of kayaks pulled in where we wanted to load up but we took the next lane.
I pulled in carefully and powered it up the trailer just as it was before we launched. Well needless to say it went well and hope to have many more
times like that...…

[depdog60]

Well I did take it out last Monday. I did everything I was supposed to do:
1. Made sure all the batteries were charged.
2. Made sure trailer lights worked properly and nav lights.
3. I went through a mental checklist as if I were at the parking lot to take off the trailer ties, plug in its "special" spot.
4. And I brought a partner. (We have a tourney on the 23rd so we culled some water)
Everything went without a hitch, except the engine didn't start right away. I squeezed the bulb to be sure there was fuel at the
carbs. I may have flooded it a tad. Because my partner gets back from parking the truck and says "Can I give it a shot?" I said
sure knock yourself out. Well you know the outcome. She fired up and we were on our way in a small cloud of blue smoke.....I inched her
out beyond an underwater point and just started her moving. A little faster and she popped up on a nice little plane around 35 gps.
We got to where we wanted to start fishing. After an hour of hauling water we decided to move. Well, it fired up and I hit the
throttle and up the bow came like a breaching whale. My bud looked at me and said, "You may want to trim down some." I did
and it flattened out and we were on our way again. Well, I'll make a long story short, we wanted to fish one other place which was near
the ramp and it was pretty flat, just a mild chop on the water. We headed out as smooth as anything and I got her up to 55 gps. We ended up
heading back to the ramp which was just a bit sketchy because the wind came up. I got as close as I could and James had to jump a bit
but made it to the dock. Of course a guy in a black Chevy with a bunch of kayaks pulled in where we wanted to load up but we took the next lane.
I pulled in carefully and powered it up the trailer just as it was before we launched. Well needless to say it went well and hope to have many more
times like that...…

Good job! Glad it went well!!

[kylelp]

Do you raise the motor up when you load your boat onto the trailer? If so how far?

[Tim W]

Yes. Far enough so that its still in the water but not low enough to where your prop will contact the ramp

[AKRISONER]

Got my boat last year and learned this one the hard way. Was backing up the boat at a buddys place in an L shaped driveway...backed in beautifully and hopped out of the truck to put the cover on the boat for the night. I pull the cover outta the back and close my trucks tailgate to see that its completely smashed.

Turns out I backed in with the tailgate down and jackknifed the tailgate into the winch on the trailer, it didnt make a sound as it slowly crushed the tailgate. My friend was even back there standing and didnt notice anything happening. and ruined my trucks tailgate. That one was an expensive tough lesson to learn and a rookie mistake.

Never back a trailer up with your tailgate down.

[chrisalecia]

First year I had my Skeeter I backed it into my driveway at the end of a day of fishing. When I got it in its spot my son and wife were on the side of the boat/trailer near the trailer tires. I thought they chocked the trailer tires so I proceeded to disconnect the trailer from the truck. When I got it unhitched the boat started to roll backwards towards the yard. They didn't chock the wheels!

My driveway has a slight grade - enough for the boat to start rolling. So I grabbed the trailer tongue and held on for dear life as I screamed for somebody to chock a wheel!

I had visions of my boat picking up momentum and crashing through the fence and down through the yard into the neighbor's yard. It would have rolled around 80 yards.

[CatFan]

First year I had my Skeeter I backed it into my driveway at the end of a day of fishing. When I got it in its spot my son and wife were on the side of the boat/trailer near the trailer tires. I thought they chocked the trailer tires so I proceeded to disconnect the trailer from the truck. When I got it unhitched the boat started to roll backwards towards the yard. They didn't chock the wheels!

My driveway has a slight grade - enough for the boat to start rolling. So I grabbed the trailer tongue and held on for dear life as I screamed for somebody to chock a wheel!

I had visions of my boat picking up momentum and crashing through the fence and down through the yard into the neighbor's yard. It would have rolled around 80 yards.

Assuming somebody else did something regarding any part of operating any machinery is not going to end well. Had somebody hitch a trailer for me. Pulled forward and the tongue dropped down to the chains. He had lowered it until it was sitting on top of the ball, then latched it. I check everything no matter who you are, and if I help you I'll take you around and show you what I did after I double check what I did.

[Bassguy2]

My driveway has a slight grade - enough for the boat to start rolling. So I grabbed the trailer tongue and held on for dear life as I screamed for somebody to chock a wheel!

I did something similar. I just chocked the wrong wheel. I chocked the wheel on the up hill side of the garage approach. I got the trailer off the ball and I watched as it started to creep down the driveway. I grabbed the boat and started to pull backwards and yelled for my wife that was standing near by. She helped me get it back to the ball and I lowered the trailer back down on the ball. We have a small tent trailer with the levelers out and I snagged the trailer wheel chock and placed it on the concrete and dropped the third wheel and began to raise the trailer off the truck. It held and I chocked the other wheel. Close, but it was a great save by my wife....thanks honey!!

[Bassguy2]

Do you raise the motor up when you load your boat onto the trailer? If so how far?

Yes, just enough to force the rear of the boat down and still push it up to the trailering eye. And then shut off the motor and raise it up almost out of the water.....

[like2fish2]

On learning to drive your boat. It's a process, so run at a comfortable speed to you and gradually build you confidence and speed. If your rig is capable of 60 plus m.p.h. doesn't mean you have to run that speed all the time. Again, be comfortable at whatever speed you choose to run.

Take a boaters safety course, doing this will earn a discount with most insurance companies.

Do not be afraid to shut down. By this I'm talking while you may be doing the legally correct thing you may have to shut down to avoid a collision with another boat. Good luck.

Forgot to mention, wear that life jacket and require your passengers to wear one also. I always insist they be worn in my boat and I tell folks I'm not going to explain to your family you died because you failed to wear the life jacket.

[CigarBasser]

Forgot to mention, wear that life jacket and require your passengers to wear one also. I always insist they be worn in my boat and I tell folks I'm not going to explain to your family you died because you failed to wear the life jacket.

And attach your kill switch..

[Bassguy2]

And attach your kill switch..

Absolutely the first thing I learned by fishing with others. Life Jacket attached to the kill switch. We have boating checks in our club. If your kill switch doesn't work you don't fish the tourney! And it must be repaired before the next tournament in order to fish.

[Durbijd]

tips on driving.

When going down the lake and driving wot. if the boat starts to walk the absolute worst thing you can do is to yank back on the throttle. Trim down and first and slightly back off. It could cause you to spin you need to keep pressure on the prop. some guys with a lot of experience can actually drive through it. I wouldn't recommend trying until you have a lot of experience driving the boat and just like a car small if not very small corrections at that speed. Personally I have never really felt walking all that bad I have a 2002 520 dvx and they are a very stable boat on plane.

There is a very good video on this on youtube but if you are in extremely rough water trim up a bit to keep the nose up (not so much that you cant see) and work the throttle. this takes some practice as well but will definitely make a better ride and keep you more dry on the way back. To go along with this If you are on a busy lake with larger boats try to run parallel with oncoming waves from boats going the opposite direction and let them sort of roll under you from the side again working the throttle. If that is not possible slow down trim up a bit and get through it straight on (slow down well ahead of time nothing worse than the beating of a boat slapping the hull hard as its setting in the water)and then go back to a speed your comfortable with. Never operate a boat faster than you are comfortable driving especially on rough water.

Give other boats plenty of room especially in front of you. some idiots like to yank back on that throttle without even looking behind them and without brakes (especially summer pleasure boaters...which reminds me if you wanna see everything not to do at the ramp, go on a sunny hot weekend and either put in or sit at a park bench and watch them for a couple of hours. you'll laugh, cringe, and really feel better about yourself. or, go to a bass tournament and be amazed lol. In the summer months if you wanna fish a big lake get out early and get back early.

I wouldn't recommend a novice or new boater go out and buy a boat that will walk and run 60+mph right off the bat. I had a 17' champion with a 90HP Johnson that would run 45 as my first bass boat. It was more than fast enough, had an excellent ride even in big water and I even placed in top 5 in the first couple of crappie tournament and there were guys with the big fancy bassboats. now I have a 520 ranger and most times I dont run it WOT still. Im glad i had the smaller lighter boat to begin with had it for a few years and only reason I upgraded was for storage space for my new fiance's bass gear lol.

There are basic rules of the water so to speak and they are easy to follow. I put a few tips on trying to get a smoother ride and stuff but all this stuff takes practice. Sorry there really isnt a way around the learning curve. it takes experience and you will never have it all figured out. and like a lot of things the moment you think you have it all figured out is the moment you become a danger on the lake.

[pittsburghbass]

I bought my very first boat a few years ago, despite my wife being against the idea. Decided to take her out in it on the first ride to change her mind. I had put new tires on the trailer, but I apparently put the lug nuts on backwards on the one side. So after an hour ride to the lake, the trailer was making an awful "thump, thump..." sound on each rotation due to the loose wheel. Had to find a mechanic at the marina to fix that problem. After a 2 hour delay, we finally back the boat in... turn the key, and nothing. I never checked the starting battery and it was dead. So we pulled the boat out, and drove the hour back home in silence, haha (except for the swear words I was mumbling under my breath). Needless to say, it took a few more trips to convince my wife that the boat was a good idea!

[depdog60]

I bought my very first boat a few years ago, despite my wife being against the idea. Decided to take her out in it on the first ride to change her mind. I had put new tires on the trailer, but I apparently put the lug nuts on backwards on the one side. So after an hour ride to the lake, the trailer was making an awful "thump, thump..." sound on each rotation due to the loose wheel. Had to find a mechanic at the marina to fix that problem. After a 2 hour delay, we finally back the boat in... turn the key, and nothing. I never checked the starting battery and it was dead. So we pulled the boat out, and drove the hour back home in silence, haha (except for the swear words I was mumbling under my breath). Needless to say, it took a few more trips to convince my wife that the boat was a good idea!

Wow, tough day brother!

[muddywaters]

I left the trailer jack down once and it was just enough that it touched the road, towed it about 45 mile like that to my home from the repair shop, smooth wore the wheel out on the jack. Luckily harbor freight had a match for it and I replaced it, now I never forget to check the jack.

[j791]

Pulling the boat out of the water with the motor down and the wife screaming stop the truck!

[exx1976]

Pulling the boat out of the water with the motor down and the wife screaming stop the truck!

Done that. Luckily it was a gravel ramp and road, so the only thing damaged was my pride.

[KBusbee]

Moved up in sizes from a 15.5 foot to a 20.9 foot. Something's I have already done:

Trolling motor down as I try to get on plane.

Trolling motor down as I try to load boat. Had to replace parts.

Losing a new life jacket and kill switch on way home after loading boat. Didn't put life jacket away.

Launching boat and didn't have it far enough in water. Went back to truck to back down a little and backed down to much boost came off trailer because I didn't rehook it to trailer. Luckily someone gave me a lift to my boat otherwise I would have been swimming in early March.

[exx1976]

Moved up in sizes from a 15.5 foot to a 20.9 foot. Something's I have already done:

Trolling motor down as I try to get on plane.

Trolling motor down as I try to load boat. Had to replace parts.

Losing a new life jacket and kill switch on way home after loading boat. Didn't put life jacket away.

Launching boat and didn't have it far enough in water. Went back to truck to back down a little and backed down to much boost came off trailer because I didn't rehook it to trailer. Luckily someone gave me a lift to my boat otherwise I would have been swimming in early March.

Not sure what any of that has to do with changing to a bigger boat, but OK? Lol