Some hard truths about recreational trailer boat day-tripping

However, you’re back at the jetty and all of a sudden no one’s really interested in heading out again.

That first experience on the water can make or break a family’s acceptance of boating as a recreational activity. It’s in your interest, then, to make sure the day goes as smoothly and comfortably as possible.

There are some things that will ruin a day out on the water for some families. It pays to watch out for them and react as soon as they surface so that they don’t ever become a barrier to a return trip.

Here are the boatsales.com.au top tips for making those first few family boat trips an experience that everyone wants to be a part of, time and time again.

It’s always the way. You pull away from the jetty and start to head out across a gently rolling swell, and suddenly someone will start to feel unwell.

Everyone gets seasick. What differs is how badly they’re affected by it – everything from feeling queasy right through to desperately ill while hanging over the side.

There’s little point in continuing a trip if someone starts feeling seasick – it’s a thoroughly unpleasant experience for those stricken by it. Chances are they will get worse as the trip continues, and not better, so telling them they will be okay won’t work.

That doesn’t mean the day is lost. All you need to do is head back to where you launched the boat looking for more protected waters. Don’t worry if this is almost right back at the ramp or marina where you launched from.

If there are people fishing from the nearby jetty, drop your lines in the water to see if anything is biting and fill in the time.

If you’re close to where you put the boat in the water, it also is going to be easy to put someone ashore if you have to.

The promotional photos all show images of smiling people sitting or standing in boats skimming along at high speed across glass-like waters in brilliant sunshine.

These sorts of days are rare. Most of the time there will be prevailing winds whipping up waves, ocean swells rolling in from across thousands of miles of open ocean, and changing tides that run with or against the waves and swell.

Not to mention, most of us only have two days of the week where we can plan a day trip, limiting our choices in terms of picking the best day to head out.

Swell, wind and waves all make for a wet ride in the boat. Modern boats are designed to minimise spray, with flared hulls that cut through the water and deflect spray to either side.

However, if you’re hunting along in chop into the wind, and particularly if the wind is to your quarter, the breeze will push spray back towards the cockpit where everyone is seated.

Some of this spray will be blocked, but chances are some will get over the windscreen as it is either blown back off it or the water is thrown higher than the windscreen.

Anyone who gets wet and is exposed to the wind will start to get cold. You don’t want this, so carry towels that people can wrap around themselves.

One of the questions you should be asking when you buy a boat is if it is a “wet” boat, which means it is prone to copping lots of spray. If the answer is yes, money spent on good wet weather gear for everyone onboard will go a long way to making the ownership experience better.

Remember, too, that if you’re pulling up on a beach or loading or unloading the boat on the trailer at the ramp, someone is going to have to get wet up to the knees to make everything work. It may as well be you, so pack a pair of shorts and thongs to change into when necessary.

If you’re inviting anyone on board for the day ensure that they understand some wading may be involved if the plan is to pull up on a beach.

Sometimes boating is a compromise between speed and comfort. On millpond days where the water is as flat as a road, this is not an issue. As soon as you add waves to the mix, though, it is.

You’ll need to learn how you can trim the boat to suit the conditions or extract the most speed for the least impact on comfort.

The problem is that the boat could come down hard off a wave, slapping on the water and creating a sudden change in vertical movement. It’s worse on a lighter alloy boat than it is on a heavier fibreglass one.

For the skipper, firmly planted at the helm with two hands braced on the wheel, it’s not usually that bad an experience. But for everyone else on the boat who is not as firmly anchored to the boat, slamming down off a wave can be an unsettling experience.

This is where boat engine trim can be very important. The trim changes the bow’s angle of attack compared with the water so that it points up more – great for very calm conditions where you skim across the water using the flattest part of the hull – or down more to slice through waves.

If you can’t get the trim right, look at your speed. Slowing down might help, and in rough conditions it can sometimes mean travelling at a brisk walking pace, but sometimes too speeding up will smooth over the rough stuff.

Toileting on a trailer boat can be a mixed experience. Bigger boats will have a chemical toilet in the cuddy cabin, but privacy can still be an issue for some.

If you’re on a smaller boat with no cuddy, it’s a case of going over the side or using a bucket. The best sort of bucket is one made for industrial use, such as one that was originally used for something like bulk washing powder.

If someone needs to use the bucket, put a bit of water in it first. Place it in between the front seats where the sides of the boat tend to be higher, and offer a towel for more privacy. Then get everyone else onboard very interested in the scenery beyond the transom.

We can also take a lesson from ski boats. Their quick solution to the problem is for people to just jump into the water and let nature take its course. Summer wetsuits and buoyancy vests make the whole experience much more pleasant.

The other way to keep everyone happy is to provide regular toilet breaks. Boating-specific apps, some of them optimised for cruising, usually have toilet locations marked on their maps. These will allow you to schedule stops throughout the day.

Boating is made up of mixed experiences. The day might start fine, but by early afternoon the sea breeze comes in and conditions can deteriorate. Sunshine can turn to cloud, and cloud can turn to rain.

But in between will be the picture postcard days where everything falls into place. These are the days that will one day feature heavily in the mix of social media memories.

That one perfect day will make all the less-than-perfect ones seem worthwhile.

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