help for newbie

[Rhino145]

Hi all.
I'm a complete newbie to this site and boating in general. My wife and I are booked to do our recreational skippers tickets next month. I have had little exposure to boating and my wife has nil. We hope to buy our first boat in the coming months. My question is - if you are a complete beginner and have no friends that own boats etc, what is the best way to get a start and join in the fun of owning a boat considering we know squat? if its the internet what sites are best etc? I know a lot of people are lucky to be bought up in that lifestyle and pick it up as they go along..unfortunately we need to start from scratch. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
rhino

[midcoast learner]

Hi all.
I'm a complete newbie to this site and boating in general. My wife and I are booked to do our recreational skippers tickets next month. I have had little exposure to boating and my wife has nil. We hope to buy our first boat in the coming months. My question is - if you are a complete beginner and have no friends that own boats etc, what is the best way to get a start and join in the fun of owning a boat considering we know squat? if its the internet what sites are best etc? I know a lot of people are lucky to be bought up in that lifestyle and pick it up as they go along..unfortunately we need to start from scratch. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
rhino
I have had a boat for 5 years and i am still very much a newbie . Ausfish i found is the best place for good advice . Bunch of good helpful people on here .

[thylacene]

Don't know about qld but nsw maritime site has practice test online for boat license. Went thru the same thing 4 years ago, started with a zero knowledge base. Picked a safe harbor and only went out in really good conditions to start with to build experience. Spent way too much time reading on this site (one of the better ones) and several others. Googled and searched YouTube as well.

Talked with the locals at the ramp, and sought opinions and advice.

Each type of boating has its challenges.

Even after all that, found myself in a less than desirable situation here a few weeks back. A cautious approach to all things boating seems to be the practical way.

The minister for war and finance used to fish with her dad 30 years ago, and wanted to fish out front rather than bays and estuaries, so our first boat was 5.4m.

Even " sheltered waters" have their moments, have seen 1.5m waves on Great Lake in Tassie.

When you get your boat try to get some practice in when the ramps are quiet. It would be my view that ramp etiquette is high on the list of mandatory skills, and with practice, you can launch or retrieve in a matter of minutes. Having a routine that works makes for a better day out if the time at the ramp is not stressful.

All that said, you are likely to leave the bungs out at least once (keep a spare set in the boat), we were 8k's from the ramp when we noticed the boat feeling sluggish LOL.

Take the opportunity to go to your local ramp and watch others, look and learn. You are only a newbie until you understand and it becomes second nature. On the water is just common sense and situational awareness.

[Spaniard_King]

I would be hiring a boat every now and then to get some experience/ try different bosts to see what you like... google boab boat hire for a start

[fisho8]

Welcome to the world of boating guys and I hope you have many great outings on the water. There is pleanty of good reading on this forum and tips help make things a little bit easier for you. Don't be too daunted about things as nobody will expect you to be 100% from the start. There are plenty of things you will need to consider along the way in finding the right boat that will suit your needs weather it being a family day out on the water or a fully fleged fishing rig weather you want to go glass or alloy Glass boats to ride somewhat better than alloy but there are alloy boats on the market which do provide a soft ride to second of all is budget and what you want to spend and what that sort of money will get you....SH is usually the way to go because you can get a good second hand rig all decked out as most new boats you will pay for a basic BMT package and go from then having to spend more on electronic's clears and other features. What i did is found 3 brands that I liked researched them by reading reviews on ride fitout fishability and value for money. I found the glass boats ride alot better and that suited my needs do not be afraid to ask questions on here as nobody will hesitate to give you any info you need.

Cheers Mick.

[Rhino145]

Hi all,
Thanks so far for the replies and advice. It's really great to know there is a community of boat owners that are willing to help out. I'm in WA and will probably start off in the river and estuaries to get a bit of confidence and want to work up to getting out in Cockburn sound and eventually over to rottnest island.
Cheers guys

[tunaticer]

Join your local VMR or coastguard and become familiar with them. You will hear plenty of things that can go wrong and what to look out for to avoid them. If nothing else it will deliver to you the message that things can go wrong on the water and taking care is paramount to a day trip on the water.
Look at the local fishing clubs and get an idea of the boat preferences they have, they will not be skippering boats that do not suit the area and conditions.go to a busy ramp and offer assistance to strangers trying to launch or retrieve, especially solo guys or guys with young families, they generally appreciate any help and enjoy a chat. you will learn much about how the currents and winds affect the launch and retrieve plus you might get the inside word on what is biting and where.

[Funchy]

I spent 12months paddling a yak before i got my first tinny, which gave me a great appreciation of wind, tide, shallows, rocks, snags and other people on the water. Common sense and always making sure you feel in control would be my advice. Sticking to estuary and sheltered waters is very smart. Watching ramp etiquette too is important. Think ahead, be efficient but do not rush!!! Good luck mate and take advantage of the good advice on offer here. :thumbsup:

[LittleSkipper]

Hi all.
I'm a complete newbie to this site and boating in general. My wife and I are booked to do our recreational skippers tickets next month. I have had little exposure to boating and my wife has nil. We hope to buy our first boat in the coming months. My question is - if you are a complete beginner and have no friends that own boats etc, what is the best way to get a start and join in the fun of owning a boat considering we know squat? if its the internet what sites are best etc? I know a lot of people are lucky to be bought up in that lifestyle and pick it up as they go along..unfortunately we need to start from scratch. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
rhino

Where abouts are you located? I know how you feel Rhino, I myself am not new boating but new to owning my own boat only 3 years now. Did my boating licence way back in 91' at Somerset Dam of all places, the licence class is now called an RMDL or Recreational Marine Drivers Licence.

My parents bought a 15 foot Caribbean Runabout (Boat since sold) way back in the 80's when I was a teenager and even back then I remember how new my parents were to boating.

My mother on the other hand was a and still is a complete panic merchant when there or a boat hits the water, my late father on the other hand was as cool as a cucumber, he loved everything about boating.

As for me! I bought my first boat in 2010 and like you said previously have been brought up around boats, you never stop learning. Thats what boating is all about. Learn, Learn, Learn...but don't panic,stay calm & relaxed, it makes boating that much more fun if you stay calm & focused.

Boatpoint is the main site online for everything boats,pwc's,outboards etc

Send me a PM if your local to Brisbane?

Cheers

[johncar]

Good luck with it rhino, boating can be one of the most enjoyable things you can do and it also can quickly become your worst nightmare, so being sensible, doing plenty of homework, good planning and baby steps.
Hopefully as others are saying, joining a local fishing or boating club, coast guard or VMR can be a good source of like minded help. Try and tag along with others if venturing out a bit further.
Safety at sea is always a priority so communications, emergency gear always close at hand just in case, grab bags are good, and keeping your boat and trailer well maintained. Don't be afraid to ask for help, tell others that you are new to boating, most will be more than willing to assist you.
Learn about weather forecasts and it's effects on the sea conditions eg. wind, tides, currents, depths all play a big role in how your day on the water will be.
Some other things to study up on:
General safety with electrical systems, fire etc.
Basic Navigation.
Boat weight distribution and balance, engine trimming and it's effect on the boat in different sea conditions and direction, use of trim tabs if applicable.
Anchoring.
Trailering, launching and retrieving and general boat ramp do and don'ts.

Well there is a lot to learn depending on how far you want to take it and I totally recommend it.
All the best..

[deckie]

Yeah as others have said...its a matter of spending as much time as you want to around others going about their boating. Ramps are great places to learn when they're busy such as Sat or Sundays. If its windy maybe early afternoon pop on some suitable gear to get wet with some feet protection, grab a camp chair and head for the ramp...its ok seeing it when calm and orderly but when the wind is up on a ramp when busy thats when you see any difficulties and hands go up for some assistance even if its just to hold the back of the boat. Best to learn when not optimal conditions i reckon so the easy days are gravy. Just ignore the odd tossa if you ever come across one...like everything else you ever do, there's always a clown or two in every circus.
If you;re a sensible type that can drive a car without hitting others then its not hard to gradually and safely accrue the knowledge to make your day a breeze and fun.
using the search function in this forum by enetering key words is a great resource..otherwise just ask..no matter how basic or simple u think it might be, nobody minds.