Before you go out to sea or just swim with your family, then you should definitely know the basic rules! Today I will tell you in detail about all the points you need to understand and follow before operating a boat.

An Important Condition for Safety on The Water Is the Strict Observance of Boating Rules

– Do not operate the boat while intoxicated.

– Do not operate the boat while under the influence of alcohol.

– Only sit evenly on the regular seats on the boat.

-Do not sit on the side of the boat, it may cause it to capsize.

– Change places, move from boat to boat without sudden movements, only by the shore.

– Do not jump out of the boat onto the shore or bridge.

– Do not rock the boat or dive from it.

– Unaccompanied children are not allowed to ride on the boat. According to the boating regulations, there must be one adult on the boat for every child under the age of fourteen.

– The boat must not be overloaded.

– You must not cross the course of motorboats, close to them.

– It is dangerous to set the side of the boat parallel to the going wave.

– The wave should be “cut” by the bow of the boat crosswise or at an angle.

– It is necessary to be careful in shallow water in unfamiliar places, keep an eye out for objects protruding from the water, as well as nets.

Small-sized vessels have different structural forms, shapes, and sizes of the hull, types, and a number of engines, propellers, forms and areas of rudders, and other elements. In this connection, the navigator at steering and maneuvering on the certain vessel needs knowledge of maneuvering elements of this vessel, and also sufficient experience of navigation and the ability to apply the received knowledge practically. Only under these conditions, safe operation of a small motorboat is ensured.

The Navigator Should Experimentally Establish

1. Vessel speeds at different modes of engine operation (low, medium, and full stroke).

2. Circulation diameters at different rudder angles and speeds.

3. Distances the vessel travels:

a) to a complete stop after stopping the engine from full stroke (medium stroke, small stroke);

b) to a full stop, if from full (middle, small) stroke forward give reverse;

c) to a full stop if from the reverse to give the forward motion (full, medium, small). 4. Which way the bow (stern) will roll if:

a) to give forward (reverse) to a standing vessel at various rudder positions (straight ahead, starboard, port to starboard); –

b) to turn astern with different rudder positions (straight ahead, starboard, port to starboard);

c) to turn aft with different rudder positions (straight ahead, starboard, port to starboard).

This information is recommended (especially to a novice skipper) and should be used until sufficient practical experience is gained when maneuvering the boat will be performed confidently, with a clear understanding of how the boat will behave in this or that case and what actions should be taken to get the desired result from the maneuver.

Rules for boating under the oars:

• Before you start boating, make sure you have plywood, aluminum, or inflatable seat comfortably and properly installed in the cockpit of the boat.
• Insert the paddles into the stays and tighten the locking plastic caps.
• Depending on the weather conditions, decide whether you go boating with the oars or with the outboard motor. Be careful, as steering and propulsion with oars may not be effective enough to overcome wind or current, or in thickets or shallow water.
• Do not use the oars as levers – they can break. Plywood, aluminum, or inflatable seat may only be used when paddling or resting in a parking area.

Use of an outboard with a motor can result in dangerous maneuvering or planning:

• Using an outboard with too much power can have dangerous consequences when maneuvering or coming to planes. According to the boat owner’s manual, if you lose control, immediately use the emergency stop switch to shut off the engine.
• Never sit on a seat that is not at the proper height for the helmsman and passengers in the cockpit when the PVC boat is under power.
• The plywood or aluminum seat mounts included in the basic package are not designed to withstand the extreme loads that can be encountered when maneuvering sharply or driving the boat through the waves.
• When the boat is under power, the driver and all passengers should be in a stable position in the cockpit.
• When under power, with the boat unloaded and no passengers in the cockpit, mark as close to the bow as possible to reduce the hull trim angle when the boat comes to planes. Avoid sudden speed increases to prevent the boat from flipping backward.
• Periodically check the outboard’s mounting screws while the boat is underway. If the propellers become loose, the boat becomes unstable and the motor may fall into the water.
• Read the operating instructions for the outboard you are using carefully before setting sail on the boat.
• Secure your equipment and cargo to the outboard to avoid unintentional displacement and resulting damage to cockpit components or injury to passengers.

Some General Features of Controlling A Small Boat That Are Useful to Know and Keep in Mind

1. When driving against the current, it is much easier to steer the boat than when driving downstream. This is due to the fact that under the influence of the current the boat obeys the rudder well, even at low speed.

2. When going with the current, the vessel obeys the rudder if its speed is greater than the speed of the current.

3. When going against the current turn to the reverse course should be made “from the quiet current” towards the “fast current”, in this case, the stronger current quickly throws the bow in the direction of the reverse course.

4. When following the current, the reverse course should be turned “out of the swift current” towards the “still current”. In this case, the higher current will throw the stern more effectively in the opposite direction to the turn.

That’s It!

Thus, a boatman who has mastered the recommendations and gained sufficient practical experience will steer the vessel confidently, with a clear understanding of how the vessel will behave, thus insuring himself and the passengers against accidents.