4. Handling Your Boat Flashcards
ground tackle
anchoring equipment
propeller size
diameter and pitch
bilge
place where fumes are most likely to accumulate – area between lower boat deck and hull
headway
forward motion through the water
bollard
post or piling
cavitation
rapid boiling of water, adjacent to a propeller
bitt
device (on the boat) to which an anchor line is secured
shackle
device (at the anchor) for attaching a rode (anchor line) to an anchor
yaw
swing from side to side about a vertical axis – twisting left and right and left and right and left and right….until you puke
pitchpole
turn end over end — bury the bow in the water while a big wave makes the stern flip over the bow – a boatersault fun in a kayak but not otherwise
An exhaust blower should be run for 4 minutes before starting an engine to
remove fuel vapors from the bilge
The propellers of small outboard motors are protected from damage by
shear pins
Check gasoline fuel lines for leaks
before each use of the boat
While fueling a boat with a built-in tank
close all cabin doors, hatches, and ports before you begin — to keep fumes out of the boat.
After fueling the boat, you should always
check for fuel fumes in the engine and tank compartments.
When you start your outboard motor, check to see that water is coming out of
the telltale — a little hole on the motor that squirts a stream of water so you can tell that the cooling system is working.
When you refuel a portable tank
do it with the tank on the fueling dock
When loading your boat, consider
sea state and weather,
the activity you expect to engage in,
the weight of equipment, fuel, food, and other gear
All of the above!
The best way to go through shallow water with a stern drive or outboard is to
raise your motor or lower unit slightly and proceed at idle (slow) speed.
If you tuck your outboard or outdrive in too much (lower it too far so that the thrust is pointing somewhat downward), your boat may
plow — push the bow down into the water
When viewed from aft, most boat propellers
are right handed —- which means that they turn clockwise
When the pressure on the flat side of a propeller’s blades is reduced, the water boils and may damage your propeller. This is called
cavitation.
It also reduces thrust and the propeller speeds up due to loss of water resistance.
An outboard or a stern drive tilts up or down to adjust its
direction of thrust.
- trimming the bow up or down
When leaving a pier in an boat with an outboard or stern drive engine with a wind or current pushing you toward the pier
it is usually easier to back out slowly until you are far enough away from the pier to turn and go forward
If you are turning in a narrow channel and have a strong wind on your stern
hug the RIGHT side of the channel, turn your helm all the way to the opposite shore, and BACK down
For normal scope, the length of the anchor rode should be
SEVEN times the depth of the water
To minimize the violent pitching motion when running into a heavy sea, point your bow
about 45 degrees to either side of the direction from which the waves are coming
When caught in severe weather, you should
reduce speed and head for the nearest SAFE shore
If your vessel runs aground, you should
check for leaks
The size of a propeller is
its pitch and diameter
To improve the efficiency and speed of your outboard or stern drive in smooth water
raise your outboard or outdrive slightly
Deep draft boats are affected most by
the current
The primary responsibility for informing crew or passengers about the location and use of safety equipment … belongs to
the boatowner or operator
