LESSON ONE

KNOW YOUR BOAT

Key Topics

Vessel classifications

Hull types and shapes

Vessel parts

Kinds of engines

Personal Watercraft (PWC)

Sailboats

Objectives

You should …

► be able to identify the different types of hulls and their performance characteristics.

► be able to identify the basic parts of a boat, a PWC, and a sailboat.

► be able to identify the different kinds of engines commonly found in recreational vessels and their uses.

Length Classes

Vessels divided into classes by length which dictates equipment necessary to comply with federal and state laws.

Length Classes (cont.)

Four most common length classes are:

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)

Hull Types and Shapes

Displacement hulls are designed to cut through water.

Planing hulls rise up and glide on top of the water.

Hull Types and Shapes (cont.)

Hull Shapes Advantages Disadvantages

Flat Bottom Hull Planing hull with shallow Rides roughly in

draft; good for fishing in choppy waters.small lakes and rivers.

Deep Vee Hull Planing hull gives Takes more powersmoother ride in rough to move than a flatwater. bottom hull; may

roll or bank in sharp turns.

There are four basic hull shapes

Hull Types and Shapes (cont.)

Hull Shapes Advantages Disadvantages

Round Bottom Hull Typical displacement hull Has a tendency to roll

that moves easily through unless it has a deep water even at slow speeds. keel or stabilizers.

Multi-Hull Another displacement Needs large areahull; has greater stability when turning.because of wide beam.

Vessel Terminology

Vessel Terminology (cont.)

Transom: Vertical surface at the back of the hull

Engine Types—Outboards

Complete power unit

Higher HP-to-WT ratio than other engine types

Separate fuel tanks

Internal combustion engines

Steered by controlling tiller or steering wheel

Engine Types—Inboards

Mounted inside hull’s midsection or in front of transom

Four-stroke automotive engine adapted for marine use

Two-stroke engine on PWC

Steering is controlled by rudder behind the propeller (except PWC and jet drive boats)

PWC steering controlled by jet flow of water

Engine Types—Stern Drives

Known as inboard/outboards (I/O)

Mounted inside vessel and attached through transom to drive unit

Four-cycle automotive engines adapted for marine use

Steering controlled by drive unit that swivels like outboard

Engine Types—Jet Drives

Jet drives propel vessel by jet of water forced out back of vessel. Directing jet steers vessel.

PWC are most common type of vessels using jet drive.

Engine Types—Jet Drives (cont.)

May power larger vessels—commonly used for vessels designed for shallow water conditions. Jet boats can have inboard or outboard jet drives.

Personal Watercraft (PWC)

PWCs are small vessels which use an inboard jet drive as primary source of propulsion.

U.S. Coast Guard includes PWC in group of inboard vessels, less than 16 feet in length.

PWCs are subject to same laws and requirements of any other vessel plus some specific to PWCs.

Personal Watercraft (cont.)

Sailboats

Sailboats basically consist of four components:

Hull

Rigging

Keel or centerboard

Rudder