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THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

You must endeavor to return the boat in better condition than you found it.
Pretend you are borrowing a friend's boat. Yes, we are now friends 🙂

What to Expect

This rental is for experienced boaters only. You are expected to be able to handle a small motorboat with proficiency. If this is not you, please cancel this booking and obtain a full refund. No harm no foul.

From the time you leave the berth until you return, you are the Captain of this ship. As Captain, you are fully responsible for the boat until it is returned to the slip. This responsibility extends to you even if there is a mechanical breakdown. See the section below on losing power and calling for emergency towing.

You will do a self-check-in and check-out process and will be communicating directly with the owner to ensure your safety and satisfaction with this rental. There will be no one on hand to teach you how to handle a small boat beyond this document that you are reading now. All you need to know is described here. If you have questions please call in and ask. If possible, we recommend doing the checkout process the day before so you can enjoy the boat right away on your rental day. We will be using our phones, text, and Facetime or Google Meet to meet at the boat before and after the rental to answer any questions. We recommend headphones if it is windy.

Bringing the boat in and out of the slip requires using your hands to fend off without using the engine. It is impossible to simply drive it out of the slip.

Pick whichever format works best for you, JPG or PDF.
This form must be completed at the dock. Please also send the pictures along with the form.

CHECKING IN TO THE BOAT
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The boat is registration MS 2746 DS

It is the first one on the first finger pier.​

ONLY UNHOOK THE LINES. DO NOT UNTIE THE LINES FROM THE DOCK OR PILINGS.
Observe how it is all set up beforehand. All the lines will stay on the dock.

Port Spring and Stern Lines

1. Un Hook the port spring line hook - It is on the first piling you come to on the wharf. This will give you 5 feet of slack to pull the boat forward to the floating dock.
2. Get onto the floating dock - You should now be able to pull the boat very close to the floating dock and easily step onto the bow of the boat. If you can't get the boat close you probably have not released the black line.
3. On the boat - Release the port stern line and clip it onto the middle of the black spring line you just slacked.
4. Stow the spring line - Unclip the black spring line from the base of the port forward cleat. Clip it onto the blue flecked rope on the port floating dock piling. The spring will now be tight and out of the water. Any spare gear life jackets and bags can be attached to this blue line also
5. Check the Safety Gear: Make sure you have the right number of PFDs. If not, go to the 1st cellar up the driveway of 80 North Water St. Inside on the left you will see additional PFDs.
6. Retrieve the key - The key for the Ventura is located in a WordLock Key lock box that we keep in the dashboard locker in front of the passenger seat.
7. The boat key is a two-part device. A metal key and a black kill switch at either end of a red lanyard. You have to attach the kill switch around the bottom black button or the engine will not start. There is also a fuel key.
8. Turn on the battery - lower the engine using the thumb switch on the throttle, and make all preparations for going to sea
9. Attach any loose cushions using the thumb snaps. The bow uses a webbing strap through the anchor padeye. New Cushions are only available in a set and cost $$$. Make sure they are secure.
10. GARMIN - Uncover the Garmin and place the cover in the left dashboard hatch in front of the passenger seat. Turn on using the rocker switch labeled Garmin and then the right bottom GPS button on the Garmin itself.  Press OK -> Vessel to see your speed. Maps are also available.
    DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LEARN THE GARMIN WHILE UNDERWAY!!!! Your trip is located here   Home -> Info -> Trips & Graphs -> Trip  There you will see Odometer
11.  Lower the engine by using the rockerswitch on the end of the rocker. Bring it down to fully cover the propeller but not all the way down
12. Start the engine in neutral.  Place the key in the ignition and the black "Kill Switch" key (at the end of the red lanyard) under the black button. ENGINE WILL NOT START WITHOUT KILL SWITCH INSTALLED  No additional gas is required. It should start right up. If it doesn't the kill switch is not attached.

 

To Release Lines - Hold on to your neighboring boat

The Starboard Stern line unclips from the forward station of the aft cleat. All the clips and bumpers get clipped onto the piling so they are out of the water,

The Bow Lines get unclipped and stay on the dock neatly laid out so as not to trip anyone

DO NOT PUT THE ENGINE IN GEAR until you are pointing where you want to go - It is way safer to pull yourself out of the slip by hand

The BEST WAY to exit the long channel behind all of the boats is to reverse out. Go in and out of gear constantly. 

You cannot stay in gear. If you do you will go too fast

When you do go into gear use only brief spurts. - GO SUPER SLOW

Put the engine into gear by squeezing the throttle handle to undo the lock and gently putting the throttle forward. The boat will idle faster than you want to go so prepare to put it back into neutral.

All hands should stand by to fend off and help you get the boat out of the slip. It is better to give the propellers a wide berth and stay on the land side. Carefully maneuver the boat out of the slip and then back to the wooden bulkhead behind the boat.

The boat tends to pivot on the bow like a wheel barrow pivots on the front wheel. The engine will push the stern around. Turns have to be initiated early. When in doubt put the boat into neutral.
As you leave the docks be alert to traffic in the channel. Once in the harbor turn left and motor towards the lighthouse. This is open water where you can familiarize yourself with the boat and how it operates. This is also a good time to get comfortable. Be sure to keep a weather eye out. There is a lot of boat traffic here.

UNDERWAY

Tips on Operating
1) While maneuvering in the slip or along the dock use the power sparingly. Go from neutral to forward and then back to neutral. Never give it any gas. It will go plenty fast.
2) When in doubt, put the boat into neutral and use your hands to move the boat. Only apply power when you have at least 10 feet in front of you.
3) The boat pivots around the bow. This means that if you turn to the left the stern will swing to the right. Plan for that by starting a left turn close to what you are rounding and allowing plenty of room on the right for the stern to swing around. The boat acts a little bit like a wheelbarrow.

Lower the engine all the way once away from the docks. You will hear the sound change when it is fully down

4) If you want to accelerate onto a plane you will need to push the throttle all the way forward smoothly. The bow will rise way up and then flatten out. Make sure nothing is ahead of you before accelerating as you will lose sight of the horizon for a few seconds as the boat climbs onto a plane.
5) The engine is the maximum for this boat. Try to load the heaviest people into the bow seats. This will assist in climbing onto a plane.
6) The boat turns very slowly at top speed and is very fast. It can reach speeds of 35 mph. Be cautious and stay alert. Do not distract the helmsman.

If you lose power
1) Check the black kill switch/safety clip that allows the engine to run.
2) Do not abandon the ship or get off the boat
3) Prepare the anchor (located in the bow hatch) and set it when you are within 100 feet of the shore and safe
4) Do not allow the boat to drift onto the shore or rocks
5) If you have to raise the engine, straighten the engine and raise it until the engine is halfway out of the water
6) Make sure the control and fuel lines are clear and not kinking when the engine comes up
7) Make your phone calls

EMERGENCY CALLING ORDER:
============================
EDGARTOWN HARBOR MASTER 508-627-4746
Sea Tow 508-564-9555 Local or 800-473-2869 - $$$ charges will apply
Platt 401-575-0328

7) Wait for assistance - do not get off of the boat - you are the captain and the responsible party until the boat is back in it's slip or you are relieved by an approved service provider.

NAVIGATION

CROSSING THE FERRY: Do not cross the ferry until you see the ferries leaving their berths. Only cross once the ferries are entering their berths.

The speed limit within the harbor is 5mph and is strictly enforced.

Do not go North or East of Cape Pogue light. Do not go West of Hart Haven.

Do not enter Calebs Pond

Anchoring in Cape Pogue is ONLY at the entrance on the west shore where the bottom is sandy. Keep an eye on the boat while anchored. changes in wind can move the boat. You should lay out at least a scope of 8 to 1. For 3 feet of water have 25 to 30 feet of line out.

Katama is tricky and shallow. Use the depth meter and mind the tides. A falling (ebbing) tide can leave you stranded. It is harder to see the channel when the sun starts to set.

This is a small boat and not suitable for waves over one foot. Seas over one foot will call for slow 5-knot speeds or less. A trip to Oak Bluffs ( for example) is not treacherous unless the conditions are dead flat and the forecast is for calm seas. The boat handles better with fewer people. A full load of six will impair the seaworthiness of this vessel and will call for reduced speeds.

AFTER ACTION ITEMS

FUEL

Refueling is difficult due to the short hours that the dock is open.  We will estimate the fuel used.
North Wharf Packer Fuel Dock Phone 508-627-5050 Summer Hours are 10-2 on Weekdays and 9-4 on Weekends and when the yellow Shell flag is up
The Ventura has a 45-gallon 170-liter fuel tank.

Do not overfill it
6 gallons per 1/8th
11 gallons per 1/4
17 gallons per 3/8
22 gallons per 1/2
28 gallons per 5/8
34 gallons per 3/4

Hours

Take a picture of Garmin screen
Home -> Info -> Trips & Graphs -> Trip  There you will see Odometer around 725 miles and Moving Time 77:41 hours:minutes

RETURNING THE BOAT

IF the fuel needs re-filling do so before entering the slip
Fuel must be topped off before 1/4 is left at North Wharf Fueling 1 Dock St. Edgartown 508-627-5050
Fuel is open when the Shell flag is up or Google for hours.
Take a picture of the Engine Hours before and after your use and the fuel receipt.

Bringing the boat in is much more difficult. You need to go VERY SLOW but also not let the wind or current grab you. Put the boat into neutral and get the speed down enough so it can be stopped by hand. We are talking a slow crawl. Aim the boat for the widest opening you can. Be aware of current and wind causing drift. When you can, put the boat into neutral and grab ahold of something and use that to pull the boat into the slip. The wooden bulkhead opposite the berths is a great place to stop and gather yourself and then pull yourself in.

YOU CAN NOT GO INTO THE BERTH UNDER POWER. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM. YOU MUST PULL YOURSELF INTO IT.

Before you turn off the motor

[1] Take a picture of Fuel Guage and Garmin 

Take a picture of the fuel guage and of the Garmin Engine and Trip & Hours located at this location on the screen
Home -> Info -> Trips & Graphs -> Trip  There you will see Odometer around 725 miles and Moving Time 77:41 hours: minutes
These are required for the BoatSetter Check-in and check-out procedures.

[2] Take a picture of any damage

[3] Take a picture of the boat properly tied up to

[4] Text the pictures to 401-575-0328

Turn Off the Motor

Securing the boat

See pictures below

Bow lines cross to the far cleats. Attach to the lower aft part of the hole in the cleat. The hook should not dig into the boat.

Starboard Stern line - Place on the horn of the cleat. This is one of the vertical parts of the cleat.

Port stern line - Get the black spring line and put the port stern line onto the aft vertical horn of the port cleat. The black spring line hook goes onto the aft vertical horn part of the starboard bow cleat.

Remove all gear and do your final checklist

1) Straighten the engine and then raise it  to about 10" from the rollers. Make sure the cables are not pinched and then raise until the Island Sports rack pads start to roll over

2) Turn off the battery using the starboard aft switch

3) Cover the Garmin

4) Place the key back into the key vault and place into the port dashboard locker

5) Straighten the seats and close the front windshield

5) Step off the boat

6) Tension the black spring line at the wharf piling by clipping the intermediate clip into the loop that goes around the piling. The aft starboard corner of the boat should now be right at the piling and the bow about three feet from the dock.

DON'T FORGET - Place any extra life jackets back into the toolshed to the left on the upper nails. 

OPTIONAL

Wash the boat with the available hose. We do not have people available to wash the boat. Use the boat brush in the tool shed to remove algae and seaweed from the boat

401-575-0328 by text 

 

EXAM

Dear Boston Whaler Renter

Congratulations on reading our manual. Now please take the following exam.

Seamanship and Boating Experience Exam
Instructions
Copy and paste this exam into the APPs messaging and then answer the questions

-------------------------------

TRUE or FALSE
1) I take all the lines off of the dock. True or False

2) I use the motor alone to go in and out of the slip. True or False

3) I have rights over the ferry. True or False

4) When done raise the engine until it stops. True or False

5) I can anchor anywhere I want in Caleb's Pond. True or False

6) I can run at full speed anywhere I want. True or False

7) I need to care for this boat as if it was my own and leave it in better condition than I found it. True or False

8) I can operate at full speed at any time.  True or False

9) I can operate slowly in 3' of more of water. True or False

MULTIPLE CHOICE - list the correct answers, for example 13,15,19

What do you do if you lose power in the boat and are drifting towards shore?
10) Wait until you drift ashore onto the rocks before setting an anchor
11) Set an anchor when you are within 100 feet of shore
12) Call the owner and then the harbor master for help
13) Raise the engine until it is 10" from foam rollers
14) Abandon Ship
15) Scream at passing boats

Thank you for taking our test

Boston Whaler Ventura 160

Detailed Information

We rent our boat on Boatsetter
https://www.boatsetter.com/boats/cqqvmwd

Except for instruction and emergencies, all booking communications should be done only through the Boatsetter Application so we have one place to look.

Boatsetter Terminology:  When you take the boat out you "Check-In" to the rental.  When you return the boat you "Check Out"

Boat Specifications
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2000 Ventura 160 with 2020 115 hp Yamaha
Length: 16' 3"
Beam: 7' 1" (85")
Draft: 14"
Weight: 1900 lbs. (standard configuration)
Passengers: 6
Max HP: 115 (this boat has the largest engine allowed)
Min HP: 50
Motor Shaft Length: 20"
Internal Fuel Tank: 45 Gallons

Mass Registration MS 2746 DS
Boat HIN / Serial # US-BWCBB764H900
YAMAHA F115LB Serial # 6KKL-1087655

Garmin Navigation System
GPSMAP 743xsv US+Canada GN+
1-800-800-1020
Serial# 6UB001640
PART NUMBER 010-02365-61

Safety
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Located in the locker in front of the helm station are the following items:
Flares, Horn, Whistle, First Aid Kit, and fire extinguisher.
In a red plastic waterproof case is the Registration.

Bow Locker has an anchor with 100 ft of anchor line, bumpers, and spare lines

US Coast Guard Approved Type III Wearable lifejackets and Type IV throwable Cushions. Children 12 and under must wear a TYPE III while aboard.
Life jackets are provided in bags. Spare life jackets are located on the left side of the small tool shed up the driveway of 80 North Water Street.

Insurance
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PURE Personal Watercraft
Policy #PW23703031300 Effective till January 19, 2027

THE PRIME DIRECTIVE
-------------------------------------
You must endeavor to return the boat in better condition than you found it.
Pretend you are borrowing a friend's boat. Yes, we are now friends 🙂

Weather Stations

Cancelations for weather are based on our experience with the area and the data from these weather forecasts. We reserve the right to make the weather call. This rental experience is "Rain or Shine". Cancelations are considered for winds over 20 knots, Thunderstorms, Heavy Rain (.5" or more), and, of course, lightning.

Our chief forecast tool is MyRadar. This is excellent to see, what is coming my way." Boaters should be prepared with windbreakers, warm fleece clothing, and a cheery attitude. You will be exploring the sheltered waters of Edgartown harbor (outer and inner). A few clouds, some sprinkles, and a cap full of wind are not supposed to discourage our guests.