Gonna get my first boat hopefully tomorrow anyone have any really good advice?

Don't forget the drain plug.

Develop a routine for launching and never but never vary from it. For any reason. Myself, I have a rule that once a transom tie is in my hand, I can't set it down until the plug is IN. Then if I forget the plug, at least the boat won't leave the trailer.

or the kill switch

Gas is a must also

Make sure you are ready to take the boat off the trailer before you back down the ramp, and don't start the big motor without a life jacket on.

Buy a spare drain plug. I got one at Walmart for $3 and it works better and easier than the one that came with my boat.

Cool thanks for the tips yall keep them commin.

Take a boater safety course if you haven't already.

I also keep 2 drain plugs in the boat, 2 in my truck (I'm a bit overcautious).

Go ahead and make the rule, no alcohol on your boat...If something happens to you and you're the only one not drinking, things can go bad in a hurry.

Before entering the ramp area, make certain your boat is loaded.

Remember to keep the bearings on your trailer greased.

Make certain you have enough life jackets for everyone on board.

Check out the fire extinguisher to be sure it's still effective.

Make sure you are familiar with the boat when it's trailered before you even think about putting it in the water. Read the owner's manual for both the boat and the motor.

Did I mention taking a boater's saftey course (I can't emphasize this enough)?

Also, a CPR and First Aid course is a good thing to take as well.

If you have not backed a trailer before practice in a parking lot.

Stay calm, if people are waiting behind you at the ramp do not get in a hurry, you will forget something i.e. plug.

Most of all stay off my fishing hole.

Bring plenny of "horse-sense" to the lake and leave the "non-sense" at home or standing on the bank.

Treat your boat as you would a motorcycle, respect it's potential is what I am saying.

All rules mentioned above apply as well.

I was on LL last evening, launched out of Westlake. Found some new boaters near the launch and they were unable to get the inboard lowered down. They had an older Capri Bayliner. My Skeeter is my first boat and trying to apply outboard logic to their situation did not work. Plenty of battery power, just nuthing when they tried to trim down (no trim pump noise, nuthing). First time in the water for them. Before they knew it, they were couple hundred yards from dock with no trolling motor to get back. Is there a locking bar on an inboard Mercruiser that holds the lower unit while trailing and does it prevent power to trim pump if not disengaged? Also, no main power switch like my Skeeter. Is that odd? Towed them back to launch to work it out.

Suggestion to new boater: Get to know your boat very well "before" leaving the doc or before even putting it on the water for that matter...

Antfish89,
Remember the happiness that you feel today !! Cherish the grins, the smiles and that proud feeling. Feel that pride when you get out on the water and start motorin in your very own boat !!

Most of these feelings will once again come around on the day you sell it !! lol

Nut

After your pre-launch checklist has been completed ( having done it somewhere out of the way, but NOT on the ramp itself), back it down into the water and start it before it leaves the trailer. Make sure it idles correctly before backing it off the trailer. Tie it near the END of the dock and quickly remove your vehicle from the ramp so others can back down while you are parking your vehicle. Dont sit in it for 10 minutes while at the dock. Start it up and idle out into the lake away from eveyone else to get situated if needed. Just dont tie up the dock or ramp while fiddling around.

More :
Make sure you have a safety chain on your bow eye as well as the winch strap while trailering.

I have a rule in my boat. If the engine is running, everyone on board WEARS a life vest, no matter how hot it is, or how good of a swimmer they are. Period. I can out swim anyone on my boat at anytime and I wear one. They will do the same or they sit at the dock.

I'm a new boat owner also, and the best advice i can give is... Keep asking any and all questions you have on this forum, these guys are great and you wont find a more knowledgable/helpful bunch anywhere!

One of my goofs as a new boat owner was during launch. I hadn't quite backed the trailer far enough into the water so the boat wouldn't easily slide off the trailer. I got out of the boat, backed the trailer another foot or two, got out of my truck just in time to watch my boat back easily off the trailer. I'd left the shifter in reverse instead of in neutral.

Just as important as your unloading routine is your loading routine, beginning with trimming your motor up before you hit your trailer and basically reversing the process for unloading.