Power Boating For Dummies
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Before you launch your power boat, it pays to run through a short checklist to make sure that your boat is ready for the water and ready to disengage from its trailer. Doing the checks in the following list can save you from making embarrassing, and potentially harmful, mistakes:

  • Is the bilge plug in?

  • Have you disconnected and removed the transom straps, and locked them in your tow vehicle?

  • Have your loosened the bow winch just enough so that the strap has a few inches of slack?

  • Are fenders and docklines attached?

  • Is all last-minute gear loaded?

  • Is the battery switch on (if you have one)?

  • Have you double-checked the battery charge level? (Turn on the key just long enough to hear the engine fire, and then quickly turn it off.)

  • Is the engine trailering support bracket disengaged?

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Randy Vance is a lifelong boater who has made a career of writing about boating. As the operator of a small resort and marina in Missouri for more than 20 years, Vance hosted or appeared on many radio and television programs covering boating and fishing topics. During his tenure at Boating Life, the magazine and some of Vance's articles have won awards in many publishing circles.

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