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> If you see lightning, get the !@&% off of the water! A smell similar to that of a barbecue is in the air when lightning is about to start. If you're keen enough to notice this, get off of the water.
> A high powered flashlight is a must onboard any boat. At night, the water is pitch black, darker than dark and it's hard to see. A handheld 300,000 to 1,000,000 candle power spotlight is perfect. They come with built in battery packs and home wall chargers. They all seem to burn for a while on a single charge and have "saved the day" more than once!
> If you're ever stuck trying to climb back into your boat from the water and if there's no ladder, swim to the back of the boat, trim the engine down, and climb up your engine and back into the boat. Obviously, make sure the motor is not running!!!!
> Before loading on and off your trailers, have two dock ropes tied to your boat cleats. One to the front, one to the rear. Keep these ropes in a spot easily reachable by arms length from the outside of the boat. Keep those two ropes in a good spot, easy to access and every time prior to loading or launching, they'll be right there ready to grab and use. The key is to get in the habit of having these ropes on the cleats BEFORE you get near the dock. Try it if you don't already. (And it's not a trick per say ... more of a reminder, it keeps things smooth for you, and the launch ramps uncluttered. The other key is to keep the ropes convenient to reach from both inside and outside of the boat)
> Pay attention when installing battery chargers! Some get way hotter than others, we're talking hot people. Placing such chargers near the gas tank is a big "No - No" Don't do it! In fact, most chargers get pretty hot, so to avoid a big kaboom and exploding yourself into fish chum ... Install your chargers in your battery compartments or somewhere isolated from and gas tanks or gas lines. (This one could save your life)
> Try coordinating your front and rear GPS/sonar units. With the purchase of aftermarket network cables you can enter waypoints, mark spots, and add icons on either unit and the information will be shared with the other as well. Say you're up front operating your trolling motor. You catch a fish, now kneel down and mark the spot on the front unit. Tomorrow when you go out, that spot will also be marked on your dashboard GPS so you can run right to it on the big motor. Aftermarket network cables allow a boater to obtain the maximum efficiency from the highly priced GPS/Sonar units we own. It also saves a lot less time running around the boat from one unit to the other.
> Every Spring before you use your boat for the year, check your trailer's wheel bearings and make sure they are in good shape. Otherwise, you might have a big problem if a faulty bearing goes on you halfway too your destination. Check your bearings regularly and maintain them with grease.
> If you find it tuff reversing down ramps at night to load or unload your boat ... try this. Replace the standard reverse lights in your vehicle with more powerful halogen bulbs.
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