On Thu, 16 Nov 2006 11:57:24 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

Basic Power Squadron courses are good as are the CG Auxiliary basic
courses. You might even want to consider taking the basic navigation
course the CG Aux does - it's pretty good and gives you a good idea of
how to do certain types of basic chart navigation.

Basic navigation is now on my todo list.

With respect to accidents, is the experienced boater gets into trouble
if only because they are experienced. It's a rather odd conundrum in
that you would think that the "experienced" boater would be less
prone, but when you look at it, what is experienced? A couple of
weekends a month spread over four/five months of summer for a couple
of years? Believe it or not, that doesn't add up to a lot operating
experience. Even if you add five years or so, it's still not a lot.

I believe it. I've even noticed that not driving a car for a week
takes off a certain edge, though at the same time puts on a different,
"cautious" edge.

I consider myself a "moderately" experienced boater, not an expert by
any stretch of imagination in all aspects of boating if only because I
have never owned anything bigger than 30 feet or so and every boat
I've owned has had outboards. If I did purchase what I consider a
large boat (say 35 to 50 feet) that had inboards I'd be exactly like
any other new boater because I only have owned outboards and would
have to learn how to deal with a large inboard boat just like any
other new boater - I have very limited experience with inboards and
that was over 40 years ago.

Good point. And that's why I want a captain with experience on the
type of boat I'll be getting to show me the ropes. Besides boat
handling, he'll be there for the initial shakedown and be able to
detect any issues.

The incident you related though is an accident - the circumstances
don't point to experience, but a situation that got out of control.
There is a difference between an accident caused by lack of experience
and an accident caused by strange circumstances.

Yeah, I know. It was those strange circumstances and their
out-of-control nature that caused me to think more than ever about
safety. All the old guy did to start the chain of events was try to
unsnag a lure. It was downhill super-slalom from there on.
But that's how it always starts. A simple move, not thought out.

You can't cover every circumstance by reading up on accidents. The
reason is that most emergencies occur so quickly that reaction time is
the major consideration - experience mitigates that greatly.

Agreed.

I've always lived by a simple rule when on the water - if undecided,
stop/reverse course/maneuver to a safe area.

Very good advice.

In any case, you have the right idea and if you live near me, I would
be more than willing to help you out if you wish.

Thanks for the offer. My "boating life" is going to be odd.
I live in Illinois and don't want a boat here, and don't have room for
it anyway. My freshwater boat days are over.
I am going to buy a boat in Florida. Somewhere on the Gulf coast.
Probably Charlotte harbor.
It will be trailered to a nearby marina and launched.
We will be in Florida no more than two months a year, a month at time.
Renting.
It's possible that my rental will have a dock and lift.
If not, I will use the marina while in Florida.
We will spend most days boating/fishing.
When I leave Florida I will have the boat trailered from the marina
to a storage location, where it will sit 10 months of the year.
I won't be able to perform my own maintenance, so will have to
pay to have that done.
That's the real downside, not being able to tinker with my boat,
and starting up cold every trip.
But I'm thinking I might eventually convince the wife to move
south. Then that boat will really be mine.

--Vic