Learn Boating Basics
The basics are the same no matter what size the boat you find yourself on; you need to know the location of the Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs), the fire extinguisher(s), emergency signaling devices and other safety gear. You also need to know how to operate the VHF radio and how to lower the anchor. These two items may be your lifeline to safety.
Again, it is a good idea to take a Basic Boating Safety Course even if you don't own a boat. The more time you take to educate yourself the more likely you will be a hero rather than a hindrance, should an emergency arise.
Pay Attention To The Basics
Rather than just sit there in the "co-pilot" seat looking at the sky and the water, look around, ask questions, watch what the owner/skipper does. This article is not intended to make a novice an experienced boat handler but we hope to at least get the inexperienced person to some level of comfort with what he/she sees around them.
Note the typical cockpit layout below. You have electronic equipment such as a VHF radio, Depth Finder, Loran/GPS. You also have the controls and sensors for operating the boat such as the clutches (which shift gears), the throttles (which control the speed of the engines) and the various gauges which you should monitor as you do in your car.
This layout is for a typical twin engine vessel. A single engine will have only one clutch and one throttle. Pay particular attention to the RED knobs on the throttles. They are so marked to make sure that you don't forget which you are handling.
