Fishing is an excellent way to relax and forget about the stress of life. That’s why many people rent boats to head out into the waters, and bass boats are quite common options in this case.
Yet, the sailing process may be a little jarring if you have no previous experience. So, it’s a good idea to learn how to drive a bass boat before you head out.
Let’s take a look at everything you’ll need to sail with a bass boat!
Driving a Bass Boat 101
The primary purpose of a bass boat is to cover fishing expeditions. That’s because it can travel quickly from one spot to another while staying quiet to avoid scaring the fish away.
For the most part, it’s not hard to drive, but you might want to prepare ahead for your trip:
Step 1: Acquire the Proper Sailing Documentation
Before you start packing for your trip, you need to make sure all your paperwork is in order.
Typically, you’ll need a boat driving license to move freely in the water. However, if you’re renting the bass boat, all you need is a boater’s certificate.
You can get the document by completing a boat safety course. To qualify for the classes, you’ll need to meet three conditions:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have an active boat rentals account
- Provide a verified form of payment (credit/debit card)
Step 2: Go Through Your Safety Checklist
While being on the open sea can be relaxing, it can also be quite dangerous. Out on the water, small slip-ups may turn into emergencies.
For that reason, you always want to start a sailing trip with a safety checklist.
- Throwable floatation devices
- Fire extinguisher
- Distress flares
- VHF radio
- Heavy-duty flashlight
- Fuel tank (you need enough gas for a round trip to the shore)
This is also a good time to put on your life jacket or personal floatation device. Once that’s out of the way, you want to check that your radio is functioning properly.
Out on the water, mobile phone signals can be a little spotty. So, a VHF radio is a reliable way of communicating with the shore. This is also the only way to contact the US Coast Guard in case of emergencies.
Step 3: Get Your Bass Boat on Site
If you keep the boat in a trailer, you’ll need to get it to the water first. To make the process easier, get the trailer as close to the water as possible.
Then, you’ll want to gently pick up your bass boat and place it in the water. Depending on how large your boat is, you may not be able to do this on your own.
If that’s the case, you could need to call in reinforcements. However, it’s best not to try forcing the boat into the water since this may cause the whole thing to flip over.
Step 4: Launch Your Bass Boat Into the Water
Once your boat is by the dock at a port, then you’ll need to give it a gentle push. Here, you just want to make sure the vehicle isn’t touching the stable structure.
After that, hop on into the boat and untie the ropes holding it in place.
Step 5: Turn on the Engine
The next step is to turn the engine on. Your motor will need about 5–10 minutes to warm up before you’re ready to go.
Once that’s done, turn your attention back to the control panel. There, you should be able to find an emergency stop lanyard. This cord will cut the engines if the boat driver moves too far away from the wheel.
Then trim your propellers into the water. You don’t want to submerge them all the way. Just make sure they touch the water’s surface.
Step 6: Secure Your Belongings
While you’re waiting for the engine to warm up, you can check that all your cargo is secure. Since bass boats travel at great speeds, items may fly off the surface while you’re in motion.
So, go ahead and tie any loose objects in your fishing gear to the deck using bungee cords.
Step 7: Start Moving at Low Speeds
Now, you’re ready to head into the open water. If you’re new to bass boats, it’s better to go through this process slowly.
So, start with the lowest speed setting on your boat’s throttle. Use this to get to an open area in the water. There, you can practice turning by moving the wheel to the left and right a couple of times to get a feel for the mechanism.
Once you get comfortable behind the wheel, you can gradually increase the velocity. However, it’s important to note that turns will become sharper as you speed up.
Step 8: Practice Bringing Your Bass Boat to a Stop
After cruising the water for a while, you’ll stumble upon the perfect fishing spot. This is where you’ll want to anchor your boat.
If you’re traveling at high speed, you shouldn’t abruptly stop the boat. Doing so may cause the momentum to fling your gear off the vehicle.
Instead, slowly bring the speed down as you approach the spot. Once you reach your destination, you can switch off the engine and drop your anchor.
Step 9: Return to Shore
When you’re ready to return to the shore, the first step is pulling your anchor back up. Then, you can start the engine and reconnect the emergency stop lanyard.
You’ll want to drop back down to your lowest speed setting as you get closer to the shore. This step can help you maneuver around any rocks and get to the dock itself.
Wrapping Up
If you’re looking to get on a fishing trip with a bass boat, there are a few factors to consider.
There’s nothing particularly hard about it. However, knowing how to drive a bass boat just needs a bit of planning, from getting your paperwork ready to mastering your slow and steady stops.
Just remember to always keep the safety guidelines in mind!