Rental includes: boat, fishing gear, life jackets, cooler, and use of the wakeboard, and other equipment if requested. Boat will be full of fuel and should be returned full.

GPS and Sonar: Remove the cover from the GPS and Sonar and put the cover in the bimini pocket. Press the power button and wait about 30 seconds for it to boot up. Once up, you can use the main navigation screen. There are many advanced screens but you can just use navigation unless you are fishing. Be sure to use the GPS, the lake has many surprising shallow spots and it is very easy to run aground where you wouldn’t possibly expect it. Note that there are two screens, but only one can be used at a time.

Life jackets: Ensure all kids have a life jacket. There are 10 adult and several kids life jackets in the main storage compartment. You need to turn the lock, open the door, then reach in and release the hatch to lift up the hatch.

Safety Equipment: The horn button is on the main console. In the compartment under the port bench, you will find the flare gun, first aid kit, and registration paperwork. The fire extinguisher is under the console. Feel free to use the sunscreen if you forgot yours. No one enjoys sunburn

Navigation: Note that the rangers often patrol right outside the marina, be cautious of your wake and ensure everyone is seated while underway. Keep the motor trimmed all the way down and accelerate. Be aware that the lake is known to have many floating logs so be cautious about traveling at high speed. There are many coves to your right as you leave. Going around the duck blind is a very large cove in front of Senator Black’s house. If you know the lake keep going to the main channel and go left to head up to the 109 bridge for the good fishing, turn right to head towards Hendersonville and the many popular coves or go right across the lake to pass Boxwell Boy Scout came for plenty of open space to tube and waterski. Note that the GPS and channel markers show the correct path, go slow! It gets very shallow in the middle of the lake. You need to stick to the channels. There is often a lot of debris floating in the shallow water.

Towing: If you are planning to tow a skier, the lines are under the back seat. There is a tube foe use the the brown storage box on the left side of the slip and the inflater is under the bench seat. Be sure to use the bridle and tie off to both sides of the rails! We pull from the rails because its a higher point and pulls the tube up much better. You can also use the kneeboard/wakeskate board in the storage locker.

Anchor: the boat has two anchors. A small mushroom anchor in the back locker under the ski lines that you can toss out and simply tie to a cleat. Or there is a power windlass that you can lower by pressing the lower button. you may need to pull it out a bit to release it but it will lower down easily. However, it only lets out line as long as it under tension. When its time to bring it in, just press the button and it should lift it right up as long as its not totally embedded in the mud. It will not automatically pull the anchor in completely, you do have to reach over and load it unto place. Keep in mind that if the anchor is not locked sideways, it will fall out while underway! Important to ensure it lifts all the way up and locks in sideways. WATCH YOUR FINGERS! While the windlass is great, I still use the manual anchor unless I am going to park for several hours.

Swimming: The swim ladder in the back is self explanatory. 🙂

The head: A bathroom on a boat is referred to as a head. The head on our boat isnt glamorous, its a 5 gallon bucket with a bag and a lid. Do your business before you hit the lake, but if nature calls, just open the door to the main storage locker where the life jackets are stored, reach in on the right side and release the catch. The lid will lift up. You will find the bucket all ready to use. If you want some privacy, unstap the curtains, flip it up and pull the curtain around you. Its not the most comfortable thing, but it is great in an emergency. Please dispose of the bag! We will put a new one in for you.

Trolling: One of the best features of the boat is the GPS guided trolling motor. You need to open the front door (lift up and swing in) and the press in and down on the lever to release the trolling motor. Push the tube forward and the motor will extend and drop down into the water. Lower it slowly by hand and watch your fingers. Once its in the water spin it around until it clicks into place. While you can control it from the foot controller, it best to use the controller in the compartment with the flare gun. This allow you to pilot the boat from anywhere on board. Press the N button use + or – to adjust speed and left or right to change your heading. You can manually navigate and press R to backtrack your path. Or press the anchor button to lock the boat in one place.

Fishing gear: There are rods, nets and tackle on board. Feel free to use anything, if you lose any lures, please just leave some cash with the keys to replace it with whatever you feel is fair. There is a lot of tackle and I don’t have an inventory of everything.

Refueling: Be sure to stop at Gallatin marina and fuel up before returning to the dock. Fuel is running about $6 per gallon for regular, but it is non-ethanol fuel. Regular is fine, but boats do not like ethanol fuel so please use the marina fuel and not cans from the local station! The marina will pump your fuel and you can pay by cash or card. Keep in mind the boat burns 2mpg at 30+ knots but 4mpg at 20knots. Keeping it slow will save you a lot of money. A trip to 2 foot is 24 miles round trip, be aware that going fast is fun, but be prepared to pay for it at the pump.

Returning to the dock: Follow the GPS back to the Lock 4 boat launch. Give me a call while you are fueling up and I will come meet you are the launch.

Final: Power down the GPS by pressing power and the touching power on the screen. Put the cover back on the GPS. Return the key under the bench, and plug the boat back into shore power. Return the keys to the lockbox.

Emergencies: Uh oh! Hopefully you dont ever need this section… but if something goes wrong please just let me know right away. Your most likely emergency will be a ticket. This is almost always going to be for going too fast in a no wake zone, not having kids in a life jacket or driving dangerously! Just go slow, be responsible and you shouldn’t have this problem. If you do get pulled over, all safety equipment is on board. Paperwork is under the bench seat with the insurance cards, towing card, and registration. If pulled over, they will check for alcohol, life jackets for everyone, the flare gun, sound the horn and show the registration and your rental agreement. Call me and I can confirm anything they might need. If you have any other emergency, the boat is covered by BoatUS for unlimited towing. Just call the number and they can get you unstuck, jump the battery, bring you fuel, or tow you back to the dock.

Thanks for taking care of our boat! This is our family vessel and we are renting it to cover the cost of the slip, FUEL and maintenance. Any profit we make is invested back into the boat for us and others to enjoy. Hope you enjoy your time!