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BOAT AMERICA

A Course on Responsible Boating

Chapter 1

Presented by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

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Class Plan

Thursday

Chapter One:
Chapter Five:

Saturday

Chapter Two:
Chapter Three:
Chapter Four:
Chapter Six:

Know Your Boat

Boating Emergencies…What to Do

Before You Get Underway

Operating Your Boat…Safely

Legal Requirements of Boating

Enjoying Water Sports With Your Boat

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Chapter 1

Know Your Boat

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Key Topics

Parts of a Boat
Types of Boat Hulls
Length of a Vessel
Types of Engines and Drives
Personal Watercraft
Sailboats

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Objectives

You should be able to…

Identify the basic parts of a boat, a personal watercraft, and a sailboat.
Identify the different types of hulls and their performance characteristics.
Identify the different kinds of engines commonly found in recreational vessels.

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The Many Parts of a Boat

red and green sidelights

bow

hull

gunwale

starboard

cleat

propeller

stern

all-round white light

port

1

2

3

4

6

5

8

7

9

10

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The Many Parts of a Boat

beam

freeboard

draft

keel

1

2

3

4

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Types of Boat Hulls

Displacement Hulls

Move through the water by pushing water aside.
Designed to cut through water with very little propulsion.
Limited to slower speeds

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Types of Boat Hulls

Example of Displacement Hulls

Round-Bottomed Hull

Most Sailboats and Cruise Ships

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Types of Boat Hulls

Planing Hulls

Designed to rise up and glide on top of the water when enough power is supplied.
Operate like a Displacement hull at slow speeds
Climb towards the surface of the water at higher speeds.

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Types of Boat Hulls

Examples of Planing Hulls

Flat-Bottomed Hull Vee-Bottomed Hull

Most small power driven vessels, Personal Watercraft, Some small sailboats

Flat Bottom

Vee Bottom

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Types of Boat Hulls

How Planing Hulls Operate

Displacement Mode

Pushing through water at slow speeds

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Types of Boat Hulls

Plowing Mode

Raised bow as speed increases, reduces visibility and throws wakes.

Avoid maintaining this speed.

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Types of Boat Hulls

Planing Mode

Boat glides above the water.

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Length of a Vessel

How do you measure the length of an outboard boat?

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Length of a Vessel

How do you measure the length of an inboard boat?

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Length of a Vessel

Outboard

Inboard

Length

Tip of bow to center of stern

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Length of a Vessel

Why is knowing the length of a boat important?

Determining number and types of required equipment on board
Registration fees, Docking Fees

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Length of a Vessel

Less than 16 feet (Class A)
16 feet to less than 26 feet (Class 1)
26 feet to less than 40 feet (Class 2)
40 feet to less than 65 feet (Class 3)

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Types of Engines and Drives

Outboards

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Types of Engines and Drives

Outboards

Engine mounted on the transom, outside the boat.

Ease of maintenance, more maneuverable, and can be tilted out of the water
Can be less fuel efficient and may not be suitable for larger boats.

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Types of Engines and Drives

Inboards

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Types of Engines and Drives

Inboards

Engine housed within the boats hull. Driveshaft connects engine to propeller, located under hull.

Can be more fuel efficient and have a longer lifespan.
Can be more complex to maintain and less maneuverable.

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Types of Engines and Drives

Stern Drives

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Types of Engines and Drives

Stern Drive (Inboard/Outboard)

Engine is located inside the boat, but the drive unit is mounted on the stern.

Combines the fuel efficiency and longevity of inboards with the maneuverability and ease of maintenance of outboards.
Can be more complex to maintain than outboards and may not be as maneuverable as outboards.

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Types of Engines and Drives

Jet Drives

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Types of Engines and Drives

Jet Drive ( May be inboard or outboard)

Uses engine to power a strong water pump, which sucks up and forces out water, creating thrust for the vessel.

Fast, easy to maneuver.
Needs to stay away from dirt and gravel than could clog the intake. Needs to be running in order to steer.

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Types of Engines and Drives

Jet Drives

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Personal Watercraft

Jet-propelled watercraft come in many sizes. The personal watercraft (PWC) is the most common for recreational boaters.
PWC:

Use an inboard jet drive as primary source of propulsion.
Are included in the group of inboard vessels less than 16 feet in length.
Are subject to the same laws and requirements of any other vessel plus some specific to PWC.

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Personal Watercraft

steering control

starboard

safety lanyard

port

throttle lever

fuel cap

1

2

3

4

5

6

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Personal Watercraft

steering nozzle

stern

impeller

drive shaft

jet pump intake grate

draft

bow

1

7

2

5

6

3

4

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Sailboats

mast

headsail

(jib)

hull

keel

rudder

boom

mainsail

halyards

sheets

6

7

8

9

5

4

3

1

2

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Chapter 1 Review

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Review Exercises

The maximum width of the hull is known as the:

Quarter.

b. LOA.

c. Beam.

d. Tiller.

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Review Exercises

Freeboard is the:

Right side of a boat when facing the bow.

b. Distance from the water to the lowest point of a boat where water could come aboard.

c. Height of a boat’s gunwale measured inside the cockpit.

d. Provision of food and quarters for volunteer crews on ocean races.

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Review Exercises

The measurement of how deeply a boat’s hull penetrates the water is its:

a. Draft.

b. Head.

c. Helm.

d. Beam.

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Review Exercises

A displacement hull is one that:

a. Skims along the surface of the water.

b. Moves through the water pushing it aside.

c. Is capable of very high speeds.

d. May easily capsize in heavy seas.

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Review Exercises

Required on-board equipment for a boat to comply with Federal law is determined by:

a. The boat’s freeboard.

b. The boat’s state registration fee.

c. The boat’s weight.

d. The boat’s overall length

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End Chapter 1