Tag Archives: boating skills

3 Ways to Sharpen Your Boating Skills

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At Motor Boatin’, we have a lot of first-time boaters use our rentals – which we love! We are always dedicated to ensuring that all our customers feel completely confident out on the water and satisfied with their rental experience. We believe that this all starts with learning the boating basics. Because of this, this blog post shares some of our favorite ways for boating beginners to sharpen their skills.

Here are 3 ways to sharpen your boating skills as a beginner:

  1. Take an online safety course: Online, you can find hundreds of resources to learn more about boating. There are tons of courses, many of them being free, that you can take to master your time spent out on the lake. We recommend this free course on North Carolina Boating Safety from BoatUS Foundation.
  2. Get familiar with the area: One of the most important aspects of steering a boat is navigation. For first timers, it is often intimidating trying to learn where to go in a lake full of open water. It is much like visiting a new country for the first time. Therefore, it is important to plan ahead of time. There are many different boat navigation apps available which are important to download; however, unfamiliar waters with no cellular service usually don’t end well. This means you should always also feel comfortable with a compass and map when there’s no other option.
  3. Practice makes perfect: Everyone knows this old saying, and it’s true! No boater has ever improved without thorough practice. To really feel comfortable out on the water, it takes time. Our affordable and flexible rental options can assist you in your boating journey. We are always here every step of the way.

The easiest way to sharpen your boating skills is to get out on the lake and test the waters. Motor Boatin’ provides you with rental options for all kinds of boats. Call 919-800-9716 today to see which boat is the best for your plans and check our availability by clicking here.

Easy Steps to Improve Your Boat Handling Skills

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Being behind the wheel of a boat is very different than being behind the wheel of a car. For starters, there are new factors when it comes to steering a boat that you don’t see on the road—like currents and waves. As a result, when you steer a boat, it may not always go exactly as planned. This is why it’s important to improve your boat handling skills. At Motor-Boatin’, we have some easy steps to improve your skills on the water.

For starters, we always recommend that you enroll in a boating safety and training course. Here is a free one. After that, here are some other steps to keep in mind:

  1. Remember that boats don’t have brakes: The only way to slow down your boat is to let up on throttle. That means pulling it back towards the neutral position. You also must be conscious of how you adjust your speed and how long it takes your boat to slow down or stop. Individuals believing that boats have brakes is a more common misunderstanding than you might think.
  2. Practice your navigation skills: Rather than relying on a water GPS, it’s a better practice to read maps and look for all navigation markers on a lake. The more comfortable you are at navigating, the more you are able to explore areas without worrying about getting lost.
  3. Realize that every boat drives differently: How a sports car drives is completely different than how a full-sized pickup drives. Boats are the same. How a pontoon drives varies a lot from a fishing boat. If you’re driving a new boat for the first time, take a few moments to get comfortable with it before you push the throttle forward.
  4. Know your knot: Do you know the difference between a cleat hitch and a clove hitch? When docking a boat and tying it up, it’s important to understand which knot works best. The same is true for the anchor, ski line, etc.
  5. Be 360-degree aware: There are no stop lights, yield signs, or yellow lines on the water. Other watercraft can approach you from any angle at any speed and shallow areas can pop up out of seemingly nowhere. Proper handling means being aware of your entire surroundings—in and out of the boat. Practice situational awareness.

For more tips and ideas on having a fun yet safe time on the lake, contact us at Motor Boatin’ today. We’re never going to steer you wrong!