Outfitting a New Boat
This is winter so it must be the season for boat shows and lots of new boat owners. Working the Houston Boat Show this January showed me again how many people love boating and can’t wait to get their first or next boat. It also reminded me that a lot of new and even experienced boaters need a little guidance when it comes to outfitting them. So I thought I’d put together a helpful checklist of must haves and really nice to haves when it comes to outfitting your new boat. I’m not going to cover the safety equipment you'll need like life jackets, a sound making device and fire extinguisher. You can find all of that information at the Texas Parks and Wildlife site located at this link: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/safety/vessel_requirements/. I’m talking about the extras you’ll need that aren’t required by law. Read it over and make sure you have at least the must haves when you leave the boat ramp for the first time. I’ve also included my recommendation for each.
· Must have: A good anchoring system properly sized for your boat. An anchoring system includes the correct sized anchor for your boat, an anchor chain and good, quality anchor rope. I use and highly recommend Fortress Anchors and I always use one size larger than is recommended for my boat. I run a 24’ boat and I use a Fortress FX-11. These anchors are light but hold great and come with a lifetime warranty. They are of such high quality that I’ve moved mine from boat to boat over the years. However, no matter how good the anchor is, it won’t hold correctly if you don’t have 4’-6’ of anchor chain attached to it with your anchor rope attached to the chain. The weight of the chain helps the anchor set. A rope tied directly to the anchor will not let the anchor perform like it should.
Dock Line
· Must have: Dock line. Get several good pre-made dock lines for your boat before you go out. You’d be surprised how many forget that their first trip and are scrambling when they get the boat in the water. Go to Academy or West Marine and get several and put them some place on the boat where you can quickly and easily find them. You’ll be glad you did.
· Must have: A good quality compass on the console where you can easily see it and away from your electronics. I hear boaters tell me all the time they don’t need a compass because they have a GPS. GPS’s are great but they’re electronics and electronics fail. Compasses don’t. Get one and learn how to use it. I use Ritchie compasses and they have a wide assortment that will pretty much fit any boat. Get a good one. There will come a time you‘ll need it.
· Really nice to have: A good, quality, waterproof handheld VHF radio. You’ll hear – ‘I have a cell phone, why do I need a VHF?’The reason is cell phones don’t work where there’s no coverage or when they get wet. Waterproof, handheld VHF radios work in even the worse conditions and could mean the difference if you get in trouble. I like the fixed mount because it more powerful and has a far greater range, but again, it’s part of your boats electronics package and they can fail. If you keep the batteries charged up, your handheld will rarely fail. I always use and recommend Icoms for all VHF radio needs. And a good, quality handheld can be had for less than $200.00. Sometimes much less.
· Must have: A good, easy to use GPS with accurate charts. A GPS with charts for the area you boat can make navigating very easy. Once you get used to it and begin to trust it, you’ll find you’re venturing out into waters you’ve never been before and finding new areas to explore. I have a friend that’s been boating Galveston Bay since he was a kid. We put a GPS in his boat last spring and he’s discovered new places on a body of water he never knew existed. He told me that was the best purchase he’s made in years when it comes to his boat. I usually recommend Garmin units but the new Lowrance HDS systems are coming along and, coupled with the Navionics Platinum Plus chart card, have the best satellite imagery currently out.
Lowrance HDS5X Depth / Fish Finder
· Nice to have: A good depth finder with the transducer properly installed. I hear a lot of people tell me they want a good depth finder to keep them from running aground. This is not what they’re for. A depth finder sees the depth right below the transducer and, in shallow water; they cover an area of probably less than 12” – 18”. So if your transducer is mounted on your transom you’re looking at about 12” – 18” of the bottom at the back of your boat. When it shows the water is too shallow you’ve already hit the bottom. The Chartplotter depths show you where you can and can’t safely run. I set my Garmin Chartplotters up so that when the depths become close to my safety point the depth readings turn bright red. The depth finder is for finding reefs, deep holes and underwater structure as well as showing you the water temperature. And a properly installed transducer should give you a good depth reading at all speeds. If you have a unit that only reads at idle your transducer is not installed correctly.
· Must have For Offshore Boats: an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon or EPIRB. These can mean the difference between being rescued or not when you’re offshore. These units bounce a signal off on overhead satellite with your exact location informing the Coast Guard of an emergency and they keep beaming your location until you’re rescued or until the battery runs out. Offshore is a large and very unforgiving environment. Don’t venture out without one of these units. Prices have come down on these and I typically recommend units from ACR or McMurdo although there are some others out there that I’m sure are fine. These units must be registered before use so that your personal emergency contact information is available to the authorities when the unit is activated. Here is the link to the Beacon registration site: http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/
o Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons -
o Category I / 1 EPIRB 406/121.5 MHZ automatically activated; hydrostatic release 'Float-free' bracket.
o Category II / 2 EPIRB 406/121.5 MHZ manually activated; activates in water if removed from bracket.
o Note: Beginning 2/1/09, the 243/121.5 MHz frequency will no longer be used for rescue alerts. USCG and other search and rescue personnel will only receive distress alerts broadcast using digital 406 MHz
Boating is a great way to relax and unwind. I tell my clients that any day you spend on the water adds a day to your life. Enjoy your new boat but make sure you have the equipment you need to be comfortable and safe while you out.
Happy and safe boating everyone!!
Capt John