How to Operate a Boat: The Basics

Whether you just bought your first boat or just plan to ride along as a passenger, learning the boating basics is a good idea for anyone who is going to be out on the water. Even if you aren’t planning to drive, you never know when an emergency will arise—or the skipper will want to take a turn being towed.

If you’re not riding in your own vessel, be sure to learn the basics of the craft when you get on. This should include locating the fire extinguisher and emergency supplies and learning how to start it up—although you should be able to do that after our crash course. Over the next few days we’ll be covering the essentials of boating—from how to properly check outboard motor oil and gasoline, to basic driving operations.