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[wizard]

get your boat completely ready to launch before you actually approach the launch. I see too many times unprepared people bring their boat to the launch only to sit on the ramp for too long getting the straps off,  organizing their boat etc. when people are waiting behind them.
have a spare prop with you and get sufficient in replacing it. tool kit, medical kit. enough fuel. spare spark plugs aint a bad idea either.

[Jewelz]

Okay... I see there are 3 categories going; Launch Checklist, Load Checklist and a Bring aboard Checklist. This is awesome guys, keep it coming! I'm gonna start making the list now! Thanks y'all.

[RainbowMan]

There are 3 things that you should ALWAYS carry on your boat:
Good knife
Marine air horn - and have it always handy!
Fish bonker 

BTW, a FREE courtesy check will be a good learning opportunity for you and your family. Your local Power Squadron should be able to help you with that.

[firstlight]

You will want to make up a little tool kit and just leave it in the boat.
Prop nut wrench,spare plug,spare spark plug,spare prop.nut and cotter pin.
Vise grips pliars,adj wrench,multi bit driver etc.
Don't forget the duc tape,electrical tape and a few zap straps.
Toilet paper and Advil as well as a small first aid kit.
Eventually you will want an anchor of some kind but that depends on where you are going.
If you need any quality rope,check out my add on the buy sell pages.

If on a trailer then you will want a spare tire and a spare bearing set at minimum for one side.
Bearing buddys are a good way to keep the hubs greased.
Grease your trailer jack assembly as they like to get sticky.
If a new trailer you should be good for a while depending how many miles and if in salt etc.
Once they get some use on them they need a little more attention but nothing you cant do yourself or view on you tube to learn.

An old piece of carpet is good for beaching as well as a piece of pvc pipe cut in half lengthwise.
This will give you two pieces of half pipe and you can drag your boat just about anywhere on this stuff.
I used to drag my 16 ft Lund right onto the beach when doing overnighters on the Fraser.

[bigblockfox]

since you are in tsawwassen i would go to the launch beside captains cove marina. from your place it cant be more than 20 min away. in that area there is a couple of nice coves that shield you from the real flow. if you look at google maps you will see what i am talking about. get the tides app for your phone because that launch isnt the best during low tides.

[Damien]

Great tips by all!

I just took my trailered boat on the water for the first time since last year and STILL made a couple blunders. 

Got jammed up in the Wendy's drive through.  It is a weird angle, and we got jackknifed and generally bunged up.  Had to unhitch, get the traffic to back out and I pushed the boat backwards out of the drivethrough.  I have brought my boat through dozens of drive throughs over the years, but this one...it just wasnt happening.  The manager came out and said it happens all the time.

It was scorching hot, I was flustered as was the guy with me at the time.  In our haste, we didnt make sure the tongue was seated on the ball properly, just as we are leaving the parking lot, sure enough the ball popped up and the tounge was dragging.  Safety chain was there so it was fine, but a hell of a racket was made and we felt like tools....again.

Then we lost a sleeping bag on the Port Mann.  Insufficient cargo management, generally packed in haste to get to our campsite and on the water ASAP.  Not safe.

Drain plug rubber was a bit rotted, so it wouldn't seat properly.  So we were bilge pumping and sponging a little more than we would like.

Oh, one more thing.  I forgot about the side kill switch on my outboard.  So 10 minutes on the launch checking 'everything' and yanking on the pull start 30 times before remembering the switch.  Starts on the first pull , as usual, after flipping the switch.  Felt like a knob, on a busy launch with alot of people looking at me.

Moral of my story.  Plan ahead properly,  slow down.  Triple check.

[armytruck]

get your boat completely ready to launch before you actually approach the launch.

Don't do one of these 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_wjWD60YRg

[firstlight]

Great tips by all!

I just took my trailered boat on the water for the first time since last year and STILL made a couple blunders. 

Got jammed up in the Wendy's drive through.  It is a weird angle, and we got jackknifed and generally bunged up.  Had to unhitch, get the traffic to back out and I pushed the boat backwards out of the drivethrough.  I have brought my boat through dozens of drive throughs over the years, but this one...it just wasnt happening.  The manager came out and said it happens all the time.

It was scorching hot, I was flustered as was the guy with me at the time.  In our haste, we didnt make sure the tongue was seated on the ball properly, just as we are leaving the parking lot, sure enough the ball popped up and the tounge was dragging.  Safety chain was there so it was fine, but a hell of a racket was made and we felt like tools....again.

Then we lost a sleeping bag on the Port Mann.  Insufficient cargo management, generally packed in haste to get to our campsite and on the water ASAP.  Not safe.

Drain plug rubber was a bit rotted, so it wouldn't seat properly.  So we were bilge pumping and sponging a little more than we would like.

Oh, one more thing.  I forgot about the side kill switch on my outboard.  So 10 minutes on the launch checking 'everything' and yanking on the pull start 30 times before remembering the switch.  Starts on the first pull , as usual, after flipping the switch.  Felt like a knob, on a busy launch with alot of people looking at me.

Moral of my story.  Plan ahead properly,  slow down.  Triple check.

Too funny.
Would loved to be at Tims to watch that.
Did the switch thing more than once too.

[arimaBOATER]

Personally think you should go to McDonald Beach Boat Launch next to the airport.
If you can get away during the week days it is not busy & lots of close parking.
Launch on the south side of dock as pavement goes far into the water. Other side is much shorter & on lower tides tires will end up in mud.

Also check the tide table on web & launch on high tide days. A must & also river ( N Fraser ) will be 100x calmer & safer.

When launching do the steps exactly the same each time. Start from the bow & work your way to the stern. ( thus lastly back straps off & plug in )
In fact as a new boater do everything & have a paper with a list & read it to double check.

When backing go slow & position your hand at the very bottom of the steering wheel.
Turn the wheel the direction you want the trailer to go.

After getting the trailer in the water, stick in P. & set the parking brake. I even put a small wood block under the front tire.
Normally leave my vehicle engine running. Push the boat off & if there's room pull your boat down the dock & tie it up. This way as you go park your vehicle, there is room for others to launch or take their boat out.

On the N Fraser  this time of year the river flow should be ok.
Suggest you boat for .5 to a mile east up river & practise.
Go slow first to check the river for floating logs or dead heads. Do not boat too close to shore.
Stay mainly near the middle but of close stay to the right of approaching boats.

If the river looks free of logs or debris then open up the throttle more.( breaking in engine? Do the recommended procedures )

Also have 2 sets of sun glasses.
One light & other very dark.
Lots of glare on the water & when the sun sets it can be near blinding. Skier ( snow ) googles worked great. Could see well going near full throttle on the Fraser to & back from Sandheads.

Oh ya a piss bottle comes in handy.
When you find areas you like to boat you will get more comfortable but always use that extra caution when going in new areas.
Low wind days & high tide is the very best.

After you become a pro possibly ya will like to find a nice quiet spot in protected water & just throw out your anchor & just enjoy the day.
My dad & I had 1-2 beers max in 4-8 hrs plus coffee ,food, & many tales & lively games of crib.

Lots of fun & fuel bill $10.

Drink lots of water because being in a boat on a sunny day you can get dehydrated.

Lastly 99% of boaters are safe & great folks BUT their are total jerks who operate their boat un safely. Any boat approaching you from the back or front keep your eyes on them.
Had boats near hit us or overtake us within 5 yards & they had some big wake.

If some big tug going full throttle or pleasure boat goes past possibly you can slow up & turn your bow into their wake.

At the launch we have seen drunk boaters who could hardly stand.
Other times some get out of their boat &'in full view of kids & females take a long piss at the dock !!!!
But that's the 1% that do the above.

Have fun & always keep your eyes peeled to the front mostly.
Just never know of some floating near submerged branch or log ahead !!!


 

[firstlight]

Id leave the River until you are more experienced.

[Jewelz]

I was gonna do all my practicing to the lakes and then move on to the river. I was thinking of taking a course on boating essentials when I plan on venturing out in to the salt. However, Wellington Park in my neck of the woods seems to have a nice launch with dock and water in that part of the river seems really tame. I might try my luck there.

[arimaBOATER]

I was gonna do all my practicing to the lakes and then move on to the river. I was thinking of taking a course on boating essentials when I plan on venturing out in to the salt. However, Wellington Park in my neck of the woods seems to have a nice launch with dock and water in that part of the river seems really tame. I might try my luck there.

On high tide & low winds this is a good area for ya to learn.
Take your boat out before tide change as there will much more current going out to sea.

Make sure you have a depth finder to learn where the sand bars are.
Just go slow & check the depths & map out the area in your mind.

For instance after you launch from the park just around the corner going to the single lane bridge there is a sand bar to your port side. ( port is your left side "PORT has 4 letters as does LEFT"
Starboard is then of coarse to one's "right". )
As ya get braver & more experienced if you boat in this general area do keep an eye out for dead heads or debris.
There sometimes are a few in the area.
Go slow & check the body of water & then in return you can up the throttle.

Happy boating!

But firstlight makes a good point that lakes are safer to learn on.

Whatever ya do in the future if you boat in the Fraser or Straight of Georgia I'd only head out on high tide days & come in before tide change.

We have many stories of being in very crazy water conditions because of not following the above sentence guidelines. Standing waves or huge white capped wind generated waves.