Boat Tips: What Every Boater Should Know

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Boat tips every boater should know

Why the right side is called starboard. Which side the red buoy goes on. The radio call that brings help fast. Plus 80 quick tips that make every trip on the water easier.

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5 things most boaters never knew

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Why is the right side called starboard?

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Old ships steered with a big oar hung over the right side: the steering board. Steer board became starboard. And unlike left and right, port and starboard never flip when you turn around. More below

Gear for this step

3/8" Dock Lines 15FTDouble braided nylon dock lines with a 12 inch eye, for tying up on either sideView productSee current price at betterboat.com

Coming home: red buoy on your left or right?

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Right. Red, right, returning. Red buoys carry even numbers that climb as you head in. Get it backwards and you are outside the channel, where the shallow water is. More below

Where does the word mayday come from?

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French: m'aider, help me. It was picked in 1923 at a London airport. Always say it three times, on VHF channel 16, and only when lives are at risk. More below

Gear for this step

Air Horn 1.4ozA compact handheld air horn for sound signals and getting attention on the waterView productSee current price at betterboat.com

Why is boat speed measured in knots?

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Sailors tossed a board off the stern on a rope with evenly spaced knots, then counted how many slipped out while a sand timer ran about 30 seconds. One knot is about 1.15 mph. More below

Why is a boat bathroom called the head?

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On old sailing ships, the crew went at the very front of the ship, the head. The wind carried the smell away and the spray did the cleaning. The name never left. More below

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Boat and RV Toilet PaperToilet paper made for boat and RV toiletsView productSee current price at betterboat.com

Jump to a topic

• 💬Talk like a boater
• 🚦Rules of the road
• 🔴Channel markers
• 📻VHF radio
• 🛥️Docking
• ⚓Anchoring
• 🛻Ramp and trailer
• 🧽Cleaning and care
• ✅Before you leave
• ❄️Off-season
• 🛒Gear for the job
• 📚Sources

Who this is for: owners of trailer boats, pontoons and small cruisers in U.S. waters, and anyone who rides along with them. Rules and buoy colors below are the U.S. system. Your owner's manual, your state's boating rules and the conditions on the day come first.

1. Talk like a boater

Boat words sound fussy until you need them. "Left" changes when you turn around; "port" never does. Here is where the big ones come from.

1. Starboard is the right side facing the bow. Before rudders, ships steered with a large oar over the right side, called the steering board (Old English steorbord). Most sailors were right-handed, so that is where it went.
2. Port is the left side. It used to be called larboard, the loading side, because the steering oar on the right meant the ship tied up with its left side to the dock. Larboard and starboard sounded too alike when shouted into the wind, so the left side became port: the side that faced the port. Memory trick: port and left both have four letters.
3. Bow and stern are the front and back. Forward means toward the bow, aft means toward the stern. Red lights mark the port side of a boat at night and green the starboard side; an old reminder is "there's a little red port left in the bottle."
4. The head is the bathroom. On sailing ships the crew's toilet was right at the bow, the head of the ship, where the wind usually carried the smell away and the spray rinsed things off. The name stayed aboard long after plumbing arrived.
5. Knots measure speed. Sailors tossed a wooden board called a chip log over the stern on a line with knots tied at even spacing, then counted how many knots ran out while a sand glass of about 30 seconds emptied. One knot is one nautical mile per hour, about 1.15 miles per hour on land. A nautical mile is about 6,076 feet against 5,280 for a land mile.
6. Mayday means "help me." In 1923 a senior radio officer at Croydon Airport in London needed a distress word that pilots and ground crews would both understand. He picked mayday, from the French m'aider. It is only for real danger to life or the boat; the radio section below shows the full call.
7. Rope becomes line once it has a job aboard: dock line, anchor line, fender line. Nobody will fine you for saying rope, but now you know.

2. Rules of the road

Boats do not have lanes or stop signs, so the Navigation Rules decide who keeps going and who moves. In any meeting, one boat is the stand-on boat (it holds course and speed) and the other is the give-way boat (it slows, stops or turns).

1. Crossing: the boat on your right (starboard) side has the right of way. Give way by slowing down or turning to pass behind it.
2. Head-on: both boats turn to starboard and pass left side to left side, the same as two cars on a road.
3. Overtaking: the boat doing the passing keeps clear, on either side, and is responsible for its wake. The boat being passed holds its course and speed.
4. Act early and obviously. A small, late turn looks like no turn at all. Make the change big enough that the other skipper can see what you are doing.
5. Stand-on does not mean stand still. If the other boat is not doing its part, the stand-on boat must act to avoid a collision too. Being right does not help after the bump.
6. Sail and big ships: a powerboat generally gives way to a boat under sail (a sailboat running on its engine counts as a powerboat). In a narrow channel, stay out of the way of large vessels that can only use the channel; they cannot stop or turn quickly.
7. Horn signals worth knowing: five or more short blasts means danger, or "I do not understand what you are doing." One prolonged blast of 4 to 6 seconds is sounded when leaving a dock or slip under the U.S. Inland Rules, and when coming around a blind bend.

Gear for this step

Air Horn 1.4ozA compact handheld air horn small enough for a console or a life jacket pocketView productSee current price at betterboat.comAir Horn 3.5ozThe larger canister for a boat that spends a lot of time on the waterView productSee current price at betterboat.com

3. Channel markers

1. Red nuns, even numbers. Red buoys usually have a pointed, cone-shaped top (called nuns) and carry even numbers.
2. Green cans, odd numbers. Green buoys usually have a flat, can-shaped top and carry odd numbers.
3. Numbers go up as you come in. Numbers increase from the sea toward the harbor, so rising numbers tell you that you are "returning." On a river, returning means heading upstream.
4. Stay inside the markers. The channel is the water between the reds and the greens. Just outside the line is often where the shallows and rocks are.
5. White buoys with orange shapes are rules, not channel edges. An orange diamond means danger (rocks, a shoal). A diamond with a cross means boats keep out. An orange circle marks a controlled area, such as no wake or a speed limit. An orange square gives information.
6. Boating abroad? Europe, Australia and many other countries use the reverse colors. Check before you go.

4. VHF radio

A VHF radio reaches the Coast Guard, towing services and nearby boats all at once, which a phone call cannot do. A handheld unit keeps working when the phone is wet or out of signal.

1. Channel 16 is for distress and calling. Hail another boat on 16 (channel 9 also works for calling in many areas), then move to a working channel such as 68, 69, 71, 72 or 78A to talk. Ask for radio checks on a working channel, not on 16.
2. Mayday is for grave and immediate danger to a person or the boat: sinking, fire, a person overboard you cannot recover, a medical emergency.
3. Pan-pan (said "pahn-pahn") is urgent but not yet life-threatening: engine failure while drifting toward trouble, a medical problem that needs help but is not critical.
4. Securité (said "say-cure-ee-tay") is a safety notice: a log floating in the channel, or a large vessel about to come around a bend.
5. The DSC button. Many newer radios have a red distress button that sends your position automatically. It only works if the radio has a registered MMSI number and a GPS connection, so set that up at the dock.

5. Docking

Most docking trouble is too much speed and too little planning. The full playbook, with diagrams for wind and current, is in the Better Boat Docking Guide.

1. Never approach a dock faster than you would be willing to hit it. Dead slow, with short bursts of gear and pauses in neutral.
2. Read the wind and current first. Look at flags and ripples, then sit in neutral for a few seconds in open water and watch which way the boat drifts.
3. Fenders and lines ready early. Fenders hung on the docking side and lines cleated on the boat before you get close, not while you are coming in.
4. Hands and feet stay aboard. Nobody fends off a moving boat with an arm or a leg, and nobody jumps to the dock. Fenders take the hit.
5. Size the gear to the boat. A common guide: about one inch of fender diameter for every 4 to 5 feet of boat length; bow and stern lines about two thirds of the boat's length; 3/8 inch line for boats up to about 25 feet.
6. If it is going wrong, back off and go around. A second approach costs a minute. Gelcoat repair costs a lot more.

Gear for this step

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6. Anchoring

Scope is how much line you let out compared with the depth. Too little and the anchor drags. The Anchor Line Chart does the math for every depth.

1. Plan on 5:1 to 7:1 scope. 5:1 suits a short, attended stop in calm, sheltered water. 7:1 is the general recommendation for rope and chain. Let out more as the wind builds.
2. Do the math from the bow, not the water. (Water depth + bow height above the water) × scope = line to let out. Example: 10 feet of water plus a 3 foot bow is 13 feet; at 7:1 that is 91 feet.
3. Anchor from the bow, never the stern. A small boat anchored by the stern can take waves over the transom and swamp.
4. Let it set. Lower the anchor (do not throw it), let the boat drift back as the line pays out, then back down gently in reverse until the line comes tight and the boat stops.
5. Check your swing room. More line means a bigger circle around the anchor. Make sure that circle is clear of other boats, docks and shallows.
6. To leave, motor slowly up toward the anchor while someone takes in the line, then lift it straight up. Do not try to drag a stuck anchor out with the engine.

Gear for this step

Boat Anchor KitA fluke style anchor, chain, shackles and rope sold as a set, sized by boat lengthView productSee current price at betterboat.comBoat Anchor Lines100 feet of 3/8 inch double braided nylon with a pre-spliced stainless thimbleView productSee current price at betterboat.com

7. Launch ramp and trailer

The ramp is where a lot of boat days go sideways, usually in front of an audience. Do the slow parts away from the water.

1. Prep in the parking or staging area, not on the ramp: load the gear, take off the transom straps and cover, and put the drain plug in. Leave the winch strap and safety chain on until the boat is in the water.
2. Drain plug in, every time. Say it out loud and have a passenger confirm it. Keep a spare aboard.
3. Backing a trailer: put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and move it the way you want the trailer to go. Small corrections, slow speed, and get out and look if you are unsure.
4. Park it properly on the ramp. Parking brake set and the vehicle in park before anyone gets out. On a steep or slick ramp, chock a rear wheel.
5. Trim the engine up until there is enough water to lower it without the skeg touching bottom. Hold the boat with a bow line while the trailer comes out.
6. After you pull out: pull the drain plug and let the boat drain in the staging area, then clean off weeds and empty any standing water before the next lake. Many ramps post this Clean, Drain, Dry rule.
7. After salt water: rinse the trailer, especially the brakes, with fresh water, and flush the engine with fresh water the way the engine manual says.
8. On the road: check tire pressure cold before you tow, and feel the wheel hubs at the first stop. A hub that is much hotter than the others is worth checking before you go on.

Gear for this step

Boat Transom Drain Plug KitA transom drain plug and housing in stainless or brass, handy as a glove box spareView productSee current price at betterboat.comTrailer Wheel ChocksA pair of plastic chocks with rubber grip pads and pull ropes for tires up to 26 inches in diameterView productSee current price at betterboat.comOutboard Motor Water MuffsHose connected flushing muffs for compatible outboard and I/O enginesView productSee current price at betterboat.com

8. Cleaning and care quick hacks

1. Rinse before you scrub. Hose off loose dirt and salt first; grit on a mitt or brush scratches gelcoat.
2. Use two buckets: one with soapy water, one plain for rinsing the mitt, so the dirt stays in the rinse bucket instead of going back on the hull.
3. Scuffs and shoe marks: a wet cleaning eraser and light pressure, not a scouring pad. Test on a hidden spot first, and stop if the finish changes.
4. Soft brush on the hull, deck brush on the non-skid. And never put regular wax on non-skid; it turns the deck slippery.
5. Seats get gentle soap and water about once a week in season. Keep bleach, harsh household cleaners and stiff brushes off the vinyl, and keep a towel down when someone sits in new blue jeans.
6. Salt comes off after every trip. Fresh water over the whole boat, stainless included, then dry it so spots do not set.
7. Wax smooth gelcoat at least twice a year, on a clean, dry hull.

Gear for this step

Boat Scuff ErasersErasers you wet, squeeze and wipe across scuffs and shoe marks, in packs of 3 or 9View productSee current price at betterboat.comPremium Boat Soap ConcentrateA concentrated boat wash for hulls, decks and cushionsView productSee current price at betterboat.comDe-Salt ConcentrateA salt remover concentrate you mix with water to rinse the boat, gear or a compatible engine flushView productSee current price at betterboat.com

9. Before you leave the dock

Two minutes at the dock. Check them off; your checks save in this browser.

• WeatherMarine forecast read this morning. Thunderstorms forecast means a small open boat stays home.
• Float planSomeone ashore knows where you are going, who is aboard and when you will be back, and will call for help if you are late.
• FuelRule of thirds: one third to get out, one third to get back, one third in reserve.
• Life jacketsOne that fits for every person aboard, and children wearing theirs.
• Cut-off switchEngine cut-off lanyard or wireless fob clipped to the driver.
• Drain plugIn, and checked by a second person.
• BlowerGas inboard or sterndrive: bilge blower on for four minutes before starting, and sniff the engine compartment.
• SignalsHorn or whistle aboard, flares in date where required, VHF or phone charged.
• LightsNavigation lights tested if you could be out after sunset.
• CrewPassengers know where the life jackets and fire extinguisher are, and how to stop the engine and call for help.
• SkipperA sober driver for the ride home.

The full list of what has to be aboard is in the Boat Safety Checklist.

Gear for this step

Water Throw BagA floating rescue line packed in a bag you throw to someone in the water, in 50, 70 or 98 foot lengthsView productSee current price at betterboat.com

10. Off-season basics

Your engine manual sets the order. These are the reminders; the Boat Storage Checklist and the Boat Winterizing Guide have the full steps.

1. Fuel: add a marine fuel stabilizer and run the engine long enough for treated fuel to reach the whole system.
2. Engine and water: flush with fresh water, then winterize the engine and any freshwater system the way the manuals say. Never use automotive coolant in drinking-water plumbing.
3. Batteries: charged and maintained with a marine charger, or taken home to a cool, dry place above freezing.
4. Dry it out: wet towels, cushions and gear off the boat, lockers propped open, bilge clean and dry.
5. Cover: vented and supported so rain and snow run off instead of pooling.
6. Drain plug out if the boat is stored ashore, and put it somewhere you will find it in spring.

Gear for this step

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Gear for this job

3/8" Dock Lines 15FTDouble braided nylon dock lines with a 12 inch eyeView productSee current price at betterboat.comBoat Fenders23 inch fenders with a pump and fender lines includedView productSee current price at betterboat.comFender Lines 2 Pk6 foot, 3/8 inch fender lines with an eyeView productSee current price at betterboat.comBoat Anchor KitAnchor, chain, shackles and rope as a setView productSee current price at betterboat.comBoat Anchor Lines100 feet of 3/8 inch double braided nylon anchor lineView productSee current price at betterboat.comBoat Scuff ErasersWet, squeeze and wipe erasers for scuffs and shoe marksView productSee current price at betterboat.comPremium Boat Soap ConcentrateA concentrated boat washView productSee current price at betterboat.comDe-Salt ConcentrateA salt remover concentrate for rinsing and flushingView productSee current price at betterboat.comSynthetic Chamois Shammy Drying TowelA drying towel for after the rinseView productSee current price at betterboat.comBoat Transom Drain Plug KitA replacement transom drain plug and housingView productSee current price at betterboat.comTrailer Wheel ChocksA pair of chocks with grip pads and pull ropesView productSee current price at betterboat.comOutboard Motor Water MuffsHose connected flushing muffs for compatible enginesView productSee current price at betterboat.comMarine Grease TubeWaterproof marine grease in 14 oz cartridgesView productSee current price at betterboat.comAir Horn 1.4ozA compact handheld air hornView productSee current price at betterboat.comAir Horn 3.5ozThe larger air horn canisterView productSee current price at betterboat.comWater Throw BagA floating rescue line in a throw bagView productSee current price at betterboat.comBoat and RV Winterizing KitA gravity flow antifreeze tank with hose and fittingsView productSee current price at betterboat.comBoat Cover Support PolesTelescoping poles that lift a boat coverView productSee current price at betterboat.com

Sources

Rules and buoy systems are summarized from the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rules and the BoatUS Foundation. Word origins are the commonly accepted histories; a few, like the head, are traditional explanations rather than documented records. When a summary here and your state's boating handbook disagree, the handbook wins on that state's waters.

• U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rules (Inland and International): crossing, head-on, overtaking, give-way and stand-on duties, narrow channels, sound signals.
• BoatUS Foundation study guide: aids to navigation (red right returning, nuns and cans, regulatory markers), VHF radio procedure, anchoring, trailering.
• U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center: VHF channel use and DSC distress calls.
• Discover Boating: docking, anchoring, dock line sizing, boat cleaning and waxing.
• Better Boat guides: Docking Guide, Anchor Line Chart, Boat Cleaning Hacks, Boat Safety Checklist, Boat Storage Checklist.