6.3 Driving and navigating

As the driver of the boat, you are responsible for ensuring that you and your crew take safety seriously. This includes:

  • Acquiring the necessary boating and navigation skills before setting out to sea.

  • Understanding the safety features and limitations of the boat.

  • Behaving responsibly.

  • Obeying the navigation rules of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREG).

Carefully read section 2 Safety for more details.

Visibility

The visibility from the steering position can be compromised due to:

  • Trim and speed of the boat.

  • Sea conditions or interior lights.

  • Obstacles in the driver’s field of vision.

Always make sure that the visibility from the steering position is as good as possible:

  • Make sure passengers sit in the designated seating areas. Place equipment and curtains so that they do not interfere with the visibility.

  • Always adjust your speed to the circumstances and your surroundings. Do not drive continuously on the edge of planing speed.

  • Use windscreen wipers when necessary.

  • Use navigation lights in poor visibility and in the dark.

  • Keep an eye on the stern for passing vessels, especially in ship fairways.

Trim and maneuvering

The running trim heavily affects both the handling characteristics and the fuel consumption of the boat.

The primary means of adjusting the vertical trim are the engines. You can also change the running trim by adjusting the trim tabs and the positioning of the crew.

The boat's two-stepped hull construction affects the boat's driving characteristics and trim behavior by creating air pockets between the hull and the water. This reduces friction, providing many benefits:

  • Better fuel economy.

  • More comfortable ride with softer landing and less splashing. 

  • Consistent plane with improved visibility.

  • Easier maneuvering at any speed.

Get to know your boat's driving characteristics.