I would love to buy a boat. But have no boating experience. Where can I go to get started?

Question

I'm located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Answer 1

Find a Marine course that teaches rule of the water ways>And seamanship> That will help with the names of the equipment & parts of boats>  

Answer 2

uhmm isn't it like driving a car?

how can you live in the san fran bay area and NOT have boating experience?

i'm from the other fricken side of the country, not even on the coast, and i have boating experience!

Answer 3

They offer classes in, basic seamenship, navagation, safty and captians classes

USCG Auxilary  ( www.cgaux.org )

Answer 4

You need to "get your feet wet" before making the plunge.

There are many marina's and resorts that will rent small boats.

Pick a calm day, go to a small lake, rent a smaller boat and practice manuvering the watercraft.

You will find it is much different that driving a wheeled vehicle. It doesn't handle as precisely. When you turn the wheel (rudder) a boat may not respond immediately, and won't respond at all unless you are moving. Slow speed manuvers are affected by currents, wind and load shifting inside the craft.

Then go and buy a smaller boat. Remember the two greatest moments in a boat owners life.. the day he buys a boat and the day he sells the boat. This means that used boats are much less expensive than new boats. Make your mistakes with an "experienced" watercraft. Make sure the boat is seaworthy before taking it out. It should not take on water. Also, make sure the boat doesn't die out in the middle of the lake. This is the definition of the word "helpless".

The coast guard holds classes on boating. This might be the best place to start.

Another definition: Boat: A hole in the water that you pour money and work into.

Answer 5

Well I can tell you that your best deal is to get a Glastron boat.  I went to a convention of theirs in Las Vegas and  that company is definitely #1.

Answer 6

find a place where you do boating license and they can help you there