Boating is an exciting and addictive pastime that will change your life forever. Better holidays, better weekends and so much more to look forward to. Here’s David Webber’s guide to your first time afloat.

The practicalities of boating will soon become second nature to you. I make no apologies for putting safety first, exactly where it belongs. Safety doesn’t have to make our pastime difficult; it is one of those things that stays constantly at the back of our mind, in reality, all we need to do is to give safety due consideration in everything we do on or near the water. We can then get down to enjoying our time on the water without worry or fear.

Boating, like many other pastimes, gets easier with experience. The first trailer launch will no doubt be more difficult than you imagined, but with practise and by observing others, you will find the easiest way of doing the job. Besides, it is very rare to find a boater who will not lend a hand when needed; we all had our first launch at sometime.

The journey to the slipway will be trouble free if you have confidence in your rig, and the knowledge that you have prepared and checked it properly before leaving. It doesn’t take long to check the trailer wheels, bearings, tyres and lighting board, ensuring that you have your boat securely strapped to the trailer, with the trailer safely attached to the vehicle.

Take your time preparing your rig for the water on arrival at the slip as it is all too easy to launch with the trailer board still attached or the boat still strapped to the trailer. Experience will teach you what needs to be done and in what order, even then we all make mistakes.

Before you launch, check that everything you need is in the boat securely stowed, you have adequate fuel plus a safety margin for the day and that everybody knows how to board and where to sit once on the water. Back the rig down to the water slowly ensuring that someone is monitoring the situation, and that nothing is in the path of the reversing trailer. If you experience difficulty with reversing a rig, practice in a large empty car park.

Start the engine and allow it to idle for a few minutes before leaving the jetty, ensuring that any outboard tank is secured with the vent screw fully opened, with evidence of cooling water from the tell-tale of an outboard, or from the exhaust of an inboard.

Sailing within our ability and knowledge, giving consideration to the local weather forecast and tide will ensure the first day on the boat is enjoyable without any nasty surprises. Once on the water, focus on how your boat performs in any given circumstance such as a turn or reverse, and at low or high speed, giving yourself plenty of sea-room between your boat and any other traffic, until you are confident.

Most importantly of all, enjoy your first day out and look forward to many more. Don’t be put off by the odd mishap or if something doesn’t go exactly to plan, it happens to us all.