Newbie......

Being a new boat owner must be like being a newborn. Every day a new experience presents itself. Cap’t Chris did his best to teach and make us aware of what was coming, but doing it is the only way to make it sink in. How do you get off a side tie with the wind blowing you on to the dock? How do you back into a slip when your prop always walks to starboard in reverse? How do you prepare yourself and your boat for clearing a series of locks? It’s always a good idea to turn to Chapman’s. It’s the bible of seamanship and piloting. Watching others accomplish the task provides the input for the visual learner in each of us and helps build confidence. But nothing quite equals doing it yourself. If the moment is free of wind and current and an audience, so much the better! Our price-sensitive nature keeps us looking for safe anchorages and mooring fields, but every 10 days or so we choose a marina to take care of power, water, waste and trash disposal needs. The grime of waterway travel creates a continuous washdown chore for the boat owners. Most marinas make a special effort to make the boatsmen and boatswomen feel like they have come home.