Mistakes happen, and like everyone, boaters are not immune to their fair share of slipups and embarrassing blunders. Whether you’re a seasoned salt or a first-time boater, some accidents are unavoidable, while others happen out of just plain stupidity. To help you proactively avoid boating fails while you’re out on the water, check out these seven common mistakes made by boaters.

1. Drifting from the Dock: Inferior Cleating

Docking itself is hard enough as it is, but once docked, you’ll want to ensure that you tie up properly. Countless boaters have learned the hard way about the consequences of not securely cleating their boat to the dock. Before you know it, your runabout may be drifting out into open water or crashing into other nearby vessels.

We’ll dive further into docking in #5, but until then, be sure to always follow these docking tips from BoatUS. If the hardware is the problem, consider investing in new boat cleats.

2. Fuel into Water Fill, or Water into Fuel Fill

At tne time or another during an avid boater’s life, you’ll likely have to experience how to deal with water in your fuel—or vice versa—due to a variety of external factors; however, when you accidently make the mistake of mixing up the two yourself, that’s a face-to-palm, yikes moment. Luckily, fuel stabilizers and fuel filters can help with these issues.

3. Failing to Secure Your Anchor Line

Although it may sound simple, securing your anchor line to your boat’s bow cleat before dropping it down into the water is essential. Check and double check that your anchor line is fastened—if overlooked, you may just find yourself staring directly at the “bitter end,” not to mention, you’ll be down an anchor.

For tips on anchoring from the U.S. Coast Guard, visit Discover Boating.

4. Forgetting the Drain Plug

Unfortunately, there’s no easier way to sink your boat than forgetting the drain plug—definitely a double yikes moment in any boater’s life. This boating fail can ultimately ruin your vessel or lead to costly repairs. We highly recommend keeping a spare drain plug for your boat onboard, and be sure to remind yourself of the drain plug whenever launching.

You can purchase additional drain plugs at Marine Depot Direct.

5. Slamming into the Dock

We mentioned one common docking mistake earlier, now it’s time to examine another. When docking, you’ll want to use enough power to get you successfully in place while also being conscious of the wind, current and other outside factors; however, you don’t want to use so much power that you find yourself on top of the dock or slamming right into it. We recommend hanging your docking fenders in advance to help proactively protect your vessel and the dock itself.

6. Running Your Engine on Land without a Water Supply

It’s good practice to rinse down your engine after use, particularly if you’re a saltwater boater, or test your engines on the trailer before heading out on the water. While your intentions may be in the right place, don’t forget to give your engine a supplemental water supply if you decide to start it up while on land. Running your engine dry can lead to severe damages to your impellers.

7. Dragging Your Stern Drive Across the Asphalt

There are not many sounds that immediately make you cringe like the sound of your prop dragging across the boat ramp as you go to trailer your boat. To avoid this painful mistake, think about creating a checklist for yourself for launching and retrieving—this check list can include reminders about your drain plug (see #4) and remind you to lift your outdrive before trailering your boat.

Conclusion

Whether it’s your first time on the water or you’re a seasoned boater, it’s always good to be aware of what could go wrong. If not prepared, you could end up sitting in the hot sun with no cell reception hoping to reach a local tow service before things get worse.

Or, you could very quickly become “that guy” holding up the launch ramp, provoking eager boaters to yell and curse at you with rage while you struggle to tow your boat trailer. Prepare yourself now so you can avoid the embarrassment later.

What boating mistakes have you made? Let us know in the comments below!

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