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What Was It Like The Very First Time You Piloted A Boat...as In "never Before" Until That Moment?...

DeeBee

By DeeBee
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DeeBee

DeeBee

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Just so i know...and your replies will be 100% appreciated...

Like i posted before, i may be overthinking and worrying too much...and appear a bit panicky...But its something i have never, ever done before...and i wont practically know, until i take the helm for the first time..

I hold/ held every driving licence you could possibly have taken a test for in the UK...I took the tests, passed and worked them all...Like my brother did...

But this is all new to me..and im not as young as i was then...

So, id like to thank everyone who gave me advice on my other thread in the 'new members' section..

Post the links to vids and posts you think i need to read and watch...I need experienced 'Theory' before newbie 'Practical'...

And any books/ maps you think i should buy...Kind of specifically North and South Broads...

BTW...I've lived in Oulton Broad for the past 25yrs..and always been more 'Motorhome' owner...(and i read that's a dirty word amongst boat people :default_biggrin:) and been on some boats..but always a passenger..

A lot of you know each other and have met up and had a laugh...and thats fun...Its an extended community of friends...and thats a nice thing in these sad times...and im hoping i can be a part of it...

Thanks again...:1313_thumbsup_tone4:

DB

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grendel

grendel

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I think the first thing you will notice is how little steering lock is required when you are moving. and how much you might need when nearly stationary.

As I mentioned previously a boat steers like a dumper truck, from the back, so it can depend where you are helming from as to how quickly the boat seems to react, if you are near the front nothing will seem to happen, then everything will happen way too fast, not so bad steering from the centre or rear.

unlike a car there may be a dead spot in the centre position on the wheel, this can be anything up to 1/4 turn depending upon the boat (hire boats particularly)

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Cal

Cal

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Motorhome is certainly not a dirty word here. We have one :default_laugh:

Why not go and hire a day boat first off for a few hours or for the day?

It will handle nothing like your brothers boat but it will give you a feel for "driving" something on water.

The first boat we drove was a day boat and we loved it. Then we moved onto hiring bigger cruisers. The first one we hired was from Barnes Brinkcraft and was called Breakaway. It was a horrible little boat, too small for a week away really (they only hire them as day boats now), and completely impractical. But we loved it and went on to hire many more times over the years from various yards before buying our own boat. We sold our boat after 13 years earlier this year.

This was Breakaway sat in the mud outside the Reedham Ferry in the little "cut out" on the front. The tide had gone out and left us high and dry. 

10383010_955869241132384_7010691134536070941_n.jpg.d4ab5517bb2f7c36e55d943666f85247.jpg

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grendel

grendel

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every  boat is a bit different, it can take me 20 minutes to get the feel of how the steering and throttle react every time I go on a new boat to me. with the boat I use regularly (Water Rail) I find its about 2" of movement then the next 1/4 " to do the work, then back 2" and a 1/4" to correct - this is for normal straight steering, for a sharp corner it could be a half turn, or a full turn of the wheel. for slow manouvering it could be a full 2 turns depending upon throttle position etc.

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YnysMon

YnysMon

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I don't think previous experience of boating is guaranteed to be a help, it just depends what type of boating. Last July we took my 89 year old father in law with us for the first time. He was the skipper of a lifeboat in the 1970s and used to man the rescue launch during sailing races in Trearddur Bay, but he still did some zig-zagging on Moonlight Shadow when he first took the helm. He'd never helmed anything that slow before. As posters above have pointed out, it takes a while for the boat to react when you turn the wheel. 

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grendel

grendel

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you can still get caught out when you go on a boat that you dont know, as I found steering Dougs new boat, came to a corner, put on half a turn, nothing put on a full turn, starting to come round, at this point we were headed for the bank, I hadnt known it was 7 full turns lock to lock - water rail is just 3 turns lock to lock.

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BrundallNavy

BrundallNavy

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1 hour ago, grendel said:

I think the first thing you will notice is how little steering lock is required when you are moving. and how much you might need when nearly stationary.

As I mentioned previously a boat steers like a dumper truck, from the back, so it can depend where you are helming from as to how quickly the boat seems to react, if you are near the front nothing will seem to happen, then everything will happen way too fast, not so bad steering from the centre or rear.

unlike a car there may be a dead spot in the centre position on the wheel, this can be anything up to 1/4 turn depending upon the boat (hire boats particularly)

You sure about that Peter. :default_coat:

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DeeBee

DeeBee

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YnysMon ..Yep...I think the first thing i want to learn is how fast i can stop it dead, with a touch of neutral then reverse.. (Ive been watching the vids) ..and im soon going to put it into practice in the new year..

Ive seen the vids where the person is continually making corrections in steering..He makes it look easy...

Im getting a good theory from you lot...I just hope i can put it to the 'practical'...

I will let all of you know how i go..From complete boat newbie...to taking it out by myself...and i hope my questions and your answers will help someone else like me..

If a 'stag party' from Essex can venture onto the Broads and survive..i reckon i will as well...:default_biggrin:

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Cal

Cal

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I am going to guess that on the Maxum it will only be 1 full turn lock to lock much the same as it was on our Sealine.

You really didn't need to turn the wheel much at all for it to respond and steer. Took a while for us to realise that the steering wheel wasn't on straight though. :) 

Still miss her sometimes.20180519_130528.thumb.jpg.966d3554c512ee3f2956d5c793693665.jpg

 

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Smoggy

Smoggy

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Those rudder indicators look well over priced for a few bits of plastic but they do work well as long as the wheel is centred when you put it on.

The internals are just as plastic except for the weight, I picked one up years ago that was part in bits in the pack for £5 so I took a chance, was a good bit of kit.

On my next boat I heatshrinked a few strong magnets to the helm end of the steering cable and placed 5 reedswitches along the covering shroud and hooked up to some leds set into the bezel, two reds, yellow for centre, two greens, that worked well for less than a tenner, later rigged a dimmer for another fiver for night cruising.

That engine will do better if took down to breydon now and again and given a leg stretching or out to sea, make sure you have plenty of fuel though, you'll need it.

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DeeBee

DeeBee

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PS.. Smoggy ..He takes it out on the sea as well...Breydon as well...No doubt he will take me there as well...

For all i know, i could be a 'natural'...But i will keep you lot informed...might even do a vid of a real 'first timer'...Might be of use to someone else... :1312_thumbsup_tone3:

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