Beginners Guide To Boating *RULES EVERY BOATER SHOULD KNOW*

This is a quick summarization of the relevant rules that the everyday/weekend powerboater needs to know and abide by to be safe and not undo create undo danger for other boaters around them.
Instagram: nickolinde
email: [e-mail]

[@zer-kz8mb]

Great video not just for first time boaters but anyone that needed a quick refresh.

[@NickOlinde]

What makes you say not for the first time boater? I think everything in the video is pretty elementary stuff that every person driving s biat should know and understand.

[@jak751]

@@NickOlindehe meant not ONLY for first timers… but also good for a refresh.

[@NickOlinde]

@@jak751 I completely misread your first comment! I apologize!

[@stepitup5409]

Thanks for the great video Nick!

[@NickOlinde]

Of course!

[@bobpotterton3956]

Well done ! Very helpful- thank you.

[@NickOlinde]

I am here to help! Let me know if you would like to see anything else!

[@EduardoPerez-qt2hd]

Good refresher. I needed that. Thanks!

[@NickOlinde]

I am glad I could be of assistance!

[@simoneromanacce3836]

Nick, I recently heard a way to remember the red/green markers in the intracoastal.. Red stays toward the red sunset & Green toward the green ocean.. or just Red west & Green east 👍

[@NickOlinde]

Not a bad way to put it for the Intracoastal

[@coop7809]

awesome thanks for a quick refresher been a few years

[@NickOlinde]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@andrewvanderklok8836]

Hey Nick, When on the gulf side the red intercostal markers are on your left when traveling south. Just wanted to make a clarification on the intercostal markers. Red markers are always between you and the main largest land mass side, and green always stays between you and the ocean. That will be true for the entire state. Great video and im sure your on the east coast and making it easier for people to understand. Happy Boating!

[@NickOlinde]

Hey man! I really appreciate the context! All of these comments with context improve the quality of the information. Yea, I on the east coast and didn’t even think of the rules of the road with channel markers elsewhere. That is my oversight. That is a great way to remember it

[@jayskolofficial1193]

Straight up bro good lesson

[@NickOlinde]

I appreciate it!

[@juliangarcia5725]

Awesome video. You went over a ton of important info and presented it in a way that made a lot of sense. Every time I thought “but what if..”, u actually came to the topic right after. Thanks for the crash course sir.

[@NickOlinde]

Absolutely! Thank you for the kind words. I do my best to hit on the important stuff, though I could go on for hours going deeper and deeper in depth haha If there is anything else you would like to see or have explained just let me know and I'll do my best to make a video on it.

[@anitalarson594]

Thank you. Great info

[@NickOlinde]

Here to help! Let me know if there is anything else you would like to see!

[@i_am_q3476]

thanks for this video, awesome content

[@NickOlinde]

Thank you! I appreciate the kind words!

[@naubel8717]

Very informative! Thanks

[@NickOlinde]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@InfluencePositive]

Fantastic infos. Well done

[@NickOlinde]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@itsokswallow]

Thank you skipper great video

[@NickOlinde]

I appreciate the kind words!

[@LiberaceProtege]

Excellent video. Really helpful. Thanks a lot. I will subscribe for sure.

[@NickOlinde]

Thank you for the support!

[@careersteer6497]

Hey Nick, great video, thanks. Moving top FL from CA (yup, fleeing the crazy...) and looking into boating for sure. Do you have any links to excellent courses a newbie could take that would be beneficial? Also, being a plane pilot already, some of the rules are very similar as far as common sense goes. Keep up the good videos.

[@NickOlinde]

Oooooo yes. Common sense goes a very long way haha and I can absolutely help you with some courses to get into boating. Send me a quick email and I will help however I can. [e-mail]

[@flcrespo1]

Iam a new boater and like your video very informative Thanks

[@NickOlinde]

I appreciate the kind words! Let me know what you would like to see more of!

[@flcrespo1]

@@NickOlinde I would like a video on how to dock your boat sometime I get in to dock and sometime I struggle with it

[@NickOlinde]

I have a video on here already on how to dock but let me know if you would like another one for another situation.

[@dakotalane3666]

Great video, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. My question is what product do you recommend I put in my freshwater tank to keep it fresh and odor free?

[@NickOlinde]

People do all different things. You can put a small amount of bleach in occasionally and that will usually take care of it. When I say a small amount, I mean a small amount. Maybe a cap full or two. The bleach is not great for the system, but in small amounts it is fine. West Marine also has their own brand of fresh water treatment solution that will tell you exactly how much to add for a given gallon amount. I believe Star-Brite makes a product too.

[@joehernandez5600]

Great info. All boaters need to see this.

[@NickOlinde]

I appreciate the kind words!

[@josehernandez-kp9rd]

Great video cap

[@NickOlinde]

I appreciate it man!

[@anthonyjones2771]

Good information

[@NickOlinde]

Thank you!

[@earthn1447]

Hi and nice intro. I do wish you spent a couple seconds opening the life jacket pack just to give a better picture. Also, you mentioned an electrical fire/smoking - I guess you want fire extinguishers which are rated for that type of fire?

[@NickOlinde]

There are just 4 life jackets in each bag and they are pretty self explanatory. Regarding the fire extinguishers, the USCG mandates class 5B or 20B on boats so that is what I have.

[@IsaiahWG24]

Great tips man. Thank you

[@NickOlinde]

Happy to help!

[@livebaitadventures420]

Ayyy I thought I saw your butt scootin around the river! Are you planning on hauling the Bahama out of the water for the hurricane? I'd call the boys at the marina soon, spots are filling up quickly.

[@NickOlinde]

That was me man! No, for this one we feel comfortable doing our usual routine of strapping the boat to the lift and then tying up the lift to it cant move or swing.

[@Murge816]

You have a videos about how to load and unload your boat into the water?

[@NickOlinde]

From a trailer?

[@aaronwism]

In order to operate a motorboat of ten (10) horsepower or greater, Florida law requires anyone who was born on or after Jan. 1, 1988 to successfully complete an approved boating safety course and obtain a Boating Safety Education Identification Card issued by the FWC.

[@NickOlinde]

Yes

[@RexxNytingale]

Great video! What kind of boat are you in?

[@NickOlinde]

Our boat is a Bahama Boat Works 41

[@jreca]

Doesn't not having your numbers on the front side of boat attract more marine patrol stops?

[@NickOlinde]

Not really no. Here in Florida it’s very common for most big boats to be documented and therefore not show numbers. I personally have been stopped and boarded WWAAYY more in my smaller boats with numbers on than on the bigger documented Bahama. Though this might just be a factor of marine patrol or USCG assuming a giant quad engine CC showing all proper registration stickers, border patrol sticker, name, hailing port, etc knows what they are doing.

[@DMann6450]

Hi late to the video here but I was taught earlier this year that when passing a boat from behind you pass on their port side (two horns if used) preferably but starboard (one horn) if necessary. Head on is port to port which you explained in the first part. But please clarify if I am getting this incorrect. Thank you.

[@NickOlinde]

You are not incorrect nor am I correct. I was always taught to pass off their starboard side when approaching from behind, however there really is not a set rule. The rules of the road allow you to pass to either side of a vessel being overtaken and want you to do whichever side is safest. You are supposed to denote your intentions with horn blasts as you mentioned, though no one really does that in the recreational boating world. I was always taught to prefer the starboard side but I am positive other people are taught to prefer the port side. There is a lot of personal preference involved since the rules allow both. Neither is right or wrong. It is important to just do what is safest.

[@DMann6450]

Thank you for that explanation. Safety is key when passing. @@NickOlinde

[@NickOlinde]

Agreed! @@DMann6450

[@willbrink]

Good info. Do you have enough outboards?! Must be fast. In FL, past an age/date you don't need a boater safety course in FL right? "...anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 is required to either have successfully completed a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) approved boating education course or have passed an equivalent course or temporary certificate examination."

[@NickOlinde]

Too many outboards. If fits our bill because we load the boat down with thousands of pounds so we need the power, but for most situations (on most boats) quads are nothing more than eye candy at the dock. And that is correct! I still believe that anyone who is not familiar with boats and wants to get into it should take the course regardless of age, but you are correct.

[@Hamptondan1515]

The guy has 24 life jackets...im not surprised.😂

[@NickOlinde]

@@Hamptondan1515 I am not sure why that is something that needs to be made fun of? First, you can never go wrong have extras. Second, we will regularly have near 20 people on the boat some days at the sandbar and so we legally need that many life jackets. I do not know about yall, but I want to be safe and stay within the confines of the law. Check my recent video about the Cheeseburger in Paradise party and you will see exactly why I need 20+ lifejackets on board.

[@Hamptondan1515]

@@NickOlinde hey man, my apologies, i was not making fun at all. I am a firm believer of being prepared. I appreciate the time and content you put out. It has helped me greatly in search if my first boat. Thanks again man!

[@NickOlinde]

@@Hamptondan1515 All good man and my apologies if I misinterpreted your comment. What are you looking to get for your first boat?!

[@kikito707]

Does a TX registration works in all the other states?

[@NickOlinde]

As far as I am aware all states allow boats with another states registration to come in their waters for a predetermined period of time. In Florida boats from other states can stay for 90 days. To stay longer you can do a temporary registration. Is this necessarily enforced strongly, definitely not. It is still the law though. If you become a resident of any state other than Texas then the boat is supposed to be registered in that state to be in that state.

[@emaxxx13]

Do boats in the channel have priority against ones crossing?

[@NickOlinde]

Depends on the situation but generally if the surrounding water is navigable and the boat in the channel is not restricted by depth then no. If the crossing boat is in your 12-3 then they have propriety

[@lawrenceciaburri8029]

Hello I am watching one of your videos I have passed the boating safety program I would like to get more information on voting I have a brand new boat. Also I like to get more information on the Garmin sonar. I am in St Petersburg I don't know where you're at but I would like to hook up if you have time to show me different things as well thank you.

[@NickOlinde]

Hey man! Feel free to send me an email and I am more than happy to help with anything

[@jeffstevens5445]

This whole RRR or red, right, returning is inaccurate. it all depends on where you are (east or west coast of florida, for example) and direction you are going (north or south).

[@NickOlinde]

Red, right, returning is only to be used if you are leaving and coming back into a port, channel, marina, etc. In the video I clearly said that it is only to used when returning or leaving a marina, inlet, port, harbour, etc. I even put another section of this video of channel navigation when you are cruising the intercostal and not leaving or returning to any ports. And yes, that depends on where you are. Here if you are going south in the intercoastal you keep the red channel markers to your port side and then vice cersa going north.

[@jeffstevens5445]

@@NickOlinde I was just saying that when I leave my marina here in Pinellas FL, along ICW, if I go north when leaving then red is on the right, hence, red on left when I return. Going south from marina is the opposite of course. My point was that it depends and should not be a rule of thumb.

[@NickOlinde]

@@jeffstevens5445 That is because those are ICW markers. As I mentioned, those have their own set of rules. The actual markers for getting into the marina itself (sometimes It is only one red and one green at the very mouth) will always be red right returning without fail here in America. There is an international standard for this governed by the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA). this body has set two different regions that have essentially opposite rules. We are in Region B. North America, Central America, South America, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines are all region B countries and RRR (red right returning) is always true in these countries when entering into a port/marina/harbour/inlet/etc. This is just for this situation. it has nothing to do with ICW markers.

[@jkg6211]

Another point to remember about the ICW markers, is the red triangles are *almost always* on the side of the channel towards the mainland side, and the green squares are on the oceanside of the channel. Instead of me trying to memorize it being north or southward travel (depending on which side of the state you're on), I just know that they run clockwise around the state.

[@xNYCMarc]

It's intRAcoastal. Not intERcoastal. Inter means "between two or more", like intERnational means "between two nations". In the US, there is no waterway that goes between two or more coasts.

[@NickOlinde]

I well aware of the naming as I have grown up on it for my entire life. It’s just how I pronounce things.

[@xNYCMarc]

@@NickOlinde Ok, so you “just pronounce things” wrong then. It’s kinda like calling someone Robert when their name is John and saying “that’s just how I pronounce it”. Inter exists and it means something different from Intra, just like Robert and John are different names. It’s kinda silly to double down on that and not correct yourself. You aren’t mispronouncing it. You’re using the wrong word.

[@NickOlinde]

@@xNYCMarc To come on a random persons informational video and start an argument over the way I am saying my words is quite the choice haha It most certainly is not the same thing as calling someone Robert when their name is John. Robert and John are completely different phonetically, whereas the two words that you are talking about are almost identical phonetically and could very easily be mistaken for each other in informal day to day conversation (verbal of course). I, like most people out there, do not sound out every word correctly when I speak on a day to say basis and rather speak informally and speak with what rolls off my tongue easiest but still gets the point across easily and eloquently. This is why there is a difference between informal and formal English. English speakers all over the world speak in difference accents and pronounce words differently than you may think they should sound to your ears with how you speak. Hell, go down to Louisiana where I am actually originally from and listen to the people there speak English with their cajun accents. You would think they all speak horribly, are completely butchering words, and pronouncing absolutely nothing correctly. Ask someone from South Louisiana how to pronounce "Robert" and you are in for quite the surprise. If you live your day to life completely sounding out every single word formally and correctly then good for you and I am happy for you, but I will not be doing that. I am very highly educated and have the ability to, but that is ridiculous. I have grown up around the South Florida boating scene with captains, owners and crew and we all talk the exact same way about the intracoastal and call it the same thing. You do not have to like my informal speech, but please do not come here and detract from the informational content of my video because you have a problem with it.

[@xNYCMarc]

@@NickOlinde I’m not starting an argument. I’m CORRECTING you with a fact. Using the wrong word is not “pronunciation”. Someone with an accent isn’t mispronouncing a word. They’re saying the CORRECT word with an accent. Calling a bicycle an airplane isn’t a mispronunciation. It’s using the WRONG WORD. IntERcoastal is THE WRONG WORD, not a pronunciation problem. It’s funny how you say everything else correctly and use the right words for things. But somehow the thing you’re saying wrong is “just easier” and “real life”. It’s not harder to say the right thing than saying the wrong thing. You can say either one with the same amount of effort. It’s an EXCUSE to say “oh, it’s easier and informal”. Wow, you aren’t the brightest guy on the planet. I came to your channel to learn something. I figured you’d be thankful that someone cared enough to not want you to sound stupid, especially when you’re trying to teach people things. I didn’t think I’d learn how to be an idiot.

[@NickOlinde]

Haha guess you’re just smarter than I am bud and care more about the pronunciation of words than I do. I’d definitely do not sound like an idiot as you are precisely the single and only person to ever say something like that. The easiest telltale sign that it is just me talking in an informal way is that there literally is no intercoastal. I can only mean one thing here. Again I am licensed captain down here running various boats all the time and have learned my entire life on the Intracoastal. Again, they are two words that are almost identical phonetically and you are acting as if that is not true. I guess everyone I work with in the boating industry sounds stupid too for using informal phonics when speaking haha good on you buddy

[@Victoriaearth143]

What about houseboats?? Any information? I'll be chartering

[@NickOlinde]

Houseboats is not a area of boating that I indulge in or know anything about.

[@AlThePal78]

for the state of FL A person must be at least 14 years of age to operate a personal watercraft in this state.

[@AlThePal78]

It's one blast for taking over and making sure your boat is overtaking in the right and their boat is in the port, also 2 means your taking over the boat over and they are going to be on your starboard side

[@NickOlinde]

I kept this video strictly about boats and boating and chose not to address jet skis or anything. But yes, that is correct

[@NickOlinde]

Yea, but I specifically said in the video that I am not getting into all of that because the average recreational boater does not need to know that. Virtually no one in the recreational world blasts a horn while passing. I have worked in the professional boating and still no one does it. Yes it is a rule that is there but no one uses it and I do not think that the average boater needs to know it. I tried to keep it simple and basic without complicating it too much.

[@carlitomadethatbeat]

Im having a hard time finding the boaters safety course

[@NickOlinde]

Where?

[@carlitomadethatbeat]

@NickOlinde florida. But i have a 2.5 hp motor i think i might not need it under 10hp

[@javiera3522]

You're a bit confusing by saying, keep the red markers "off" your right side. You actual mean...make sure you keep it ON your right side"... I'm a newbie so that wording throws me off.... but thanks for your advice!

[@NickOlinde]

The point got across and that is what matters!

[@user-jq4rq4qi5k]

does this apply to closed lakes?

[@NickOlinde]

No. There are a different set of rules for inland waterways

[@Johnny1eye]

Good vid. One thing though. Stop using "port/starboard". I have a US coastguard and NASBLA approved boating license. The first paragraph of that test, mentions what "port and starboard" are. Then uses right and left for the entire test.

[@NickOlinde]

Thank you! And I am going to continue to use port and starboard. That is the proper terminology in the professional boating world and the terminology that I have become accustomed to as a professional mariner.

[@Johnny1eye]

@@ThomasStaabUSA so is right and left. A term everyone knows. Was just saying that the national standard test for a boating license, does not use those terms anymore.

[@NickOlinde]

If you are on a boat looking towards the stern of the boat and say right side or left side then the side you are referring to is completely different than if you were facing the bow. If you are on a boat looking at the bow of that boat then if you saw right or left side it is going to mean the opposite side than if you are looking at that boat from the stern. Port and Starboard get rid if this problem and any confusion that it could bring up. It is the proper terminology and it is terminology that every boater should know.@@Johnny1eye

[@Alisha1686]

​@@NickOlindeyeah, I'll be listening to you. Awesome video

[@NickOlinde]

I appreciate that! @@Alisha1686

[@Dopydraws48]

Only helpful for usa

[@NickOlinde]

Yes. This is only applicable for my local waters (United States and Bahamas)

[@superfamilyallosauridae6505]

Absurdly rare pokemon spotted. Same last name

[@NickOlinde]

I’m lost here haha

[@superfamilyallosauridae6505]

@@NickOlinde also the video was really good, boated today boatily. was great, gallatin tn

[@johndonahue3509]

Taking swells on angles is a good talking point as well

[@NickOlinde]

I agree. How to take on waves should be a video on its own I think because of how complex that topic actually is. I think I might do that

[@Oceanlife850]

Florida you must be 14 years of age to drive a PWC

[@NickOlinde]

This is correct

[@r8drvr819]

Sorry; I can't take the "uptalk"

[@NickOlinde]

Ok.

[@AlThePal78]

LOL it is expired and the minum age is 14 it says

[@NickOlinde]

Yea, I definitely should have put the new sticker on before filming haha a little embarrassing but we do always keep our boat current.