Hobbies And Interests
Practice
Before you take the boat out, practice steering the wheel. Make small movements of the wheel in an open or quiet space of water. Turn the wheel left and right, making sure there is no obstacle in your way. Notice the delay between when you turn the wheel and the boat moving in that direction. Unlike moving a rudder, turn the wheel in the same direction as you want the boat to go. Straighten in up to go forward. Be conscious of the environment around you. As you turn, the rear, or stern, of the boat moves in an arc and it needs space to do this.
Setting Off
Setting off from a parked position is a crucial aspect of steering to master when handling a boat. Start in neutral and turn the engine on. Allow a few minutes for the engine to warm up before you move it. Then ask a helper to untie the ropes which are keeping the boat moored up. Pull these onto the boat. If you are in deep water, simply drive the boat forward and move away from the edge gradually to reach the right side of the waterway. However, if you start off in shallow water, put the boat in reverse and steer backwards until you have space to straighten up and move forward.
Maneuvering in a Narrow Space
If you are on a barge vacation along a canal or lake, it is imperative you get the hang of maneuvering in a narrow channel. This avoids crashing into the banks of the river, or other boats on the water. Before you perform a U-turn, slow down to an idle speed. Then turn the wheel to the left gently. Switch into reverse to enable the boat to pivot in the space, then steer to the left again slightly. Stop for a brief moment and assess how fast or dramatic the movement of the boat is. Repeat this process until the boat has turned 180 degrees.
Bridges
There is a correct protocol and method for steering underneath bridges; otherwise you might scrape the roof of you boat. First, make sure you know the height of the boat you are steering. Note how high the bridge is, too. It might be labeled, or the information will be available from the local authority. Check before you make an attempt to steer under it. You might have to wait until low tide when you gain extra height, for example. Slowly steer the boat directly underneath the middle of the bridge. Ask people on the deck to go down so as not to bash their heads. Note that boaters steering downstream have right of way over those moving upstream.