Your First Boat

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A primer on the language and lore of boating by David Schoonmaker

In 1949, while outfitting themselves to look for oil in the jungles of Guatemala, my father and his partner, E.B. Shade, were shopping for an outboard motor in Guatemala City. In Guatemala at that time, shopping for American items was by brand name—accompanied by a whole lot of gesturing. They went into a sporting goods store and asked the proprietor in their limited Spanish if he had Johnson. The owner replied "no" in Spanish (thinking that they were asking for Johnson & Johnson athletic supplies), but said he had Bauer & Black. Dad answered, "Vamanos a ver." (Let's see!) The shopkeeper returned with a box of first-class athletic supporters.

Chances are good that your initiation into the language of boating won't be quite so difficult. Ask for an outboard and you'll get one. Still, you'll be a lot more likely to obtain a package that suits your needs and finances if you learn to talk nautical. The lingo of the sailor—boatspeak, if you will—is a bunch of fun, and it's also key to joining the clan.

There's a wealth of information contained in the minds of enthusiastic skippers; all you've got to do is ask. You'll find that boat owners enjoy expounding on the merits of their vessels almost as much as they do running them. Visit marinas, boatyards and shops, and ask questions. There you'll learn as much as a person can hope to secondhand.

This article aims to offer enough background to allow you to converse with those who know more. It covers only small powerboats—craft that can be transported by trailer or on a car top—but you'll find that much of the terminology will apply equally well to the larger vessel you may someday own.

Hull Types

On the best of all possible waters, the ideal boat would be fast, stable, dry and able to knife through chop with comfort. On a real lake, river or stream, however, boat design is a compromise. The type of hull that's right for you will depend on what you'll do with the boat and where you plan to do it.

If there's anything approaching an absolute in hull design, it's the distinction between displacement and planing hulls. Viewed from the front (bow), displacement hulls are rounded or shaped in a deep V to push water out of the way, rather than rising onto it, as a planing hull does. Most recreational small powerboats have planing hulls, because skipping along on top of the water allows you to wring more speed from a given amount of power. Displacementhulled powerboats are the province of commercial saltwater fishermen, who value the ability to move smoothly and steadily in big water.

The concept of a displacement hull is still important to the recreational powerboat owner, though, because every boat runs slowly (at hull or displacement speed) at times—when maneuvering in crowded harbors, approaching a dock or preparing to beach, for example. A boat's handling at hull speed—the quickness and predictability of its response to the helm and its resistance to side winds—is a very important aspect of its performance. Don't succumb completely to the thrill of velocity and fail to check out slowspeed manners.

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