Just bought new AP 240 SL, first day on the water questions.

[ourlee]

Hello,

Our boat is getting delivered in a few days to Lake Hopatcong and I'm wondering what stuff I should not forget to bring along. Also, I'd like to make our slip a little more "cushioned". Any opinions on the best dock "wrap" to help us newbies as we come and go for the first few times?

Thanks,

Rick

[ronb]

As a recent newb, I ended up buying..
8 of the cheapest adult life jackets available (its not about quality, just about legality)
(we also have 5 childrens life jackets that we inherited from family/friends)
1 'throwable' life preserver
1 horn/whistle (legally required)
1 anchor (our toon came with one, I recommend 2 for anchoring opposite corners when parked)
2 additional bumpers with tie off ropes (our toon came with 2, so we have 4 total)
2 additional 30ft 3/8" ropes (cause you never know...)
Spare fuses, my toon uses 5 and 20amp, so I bought a couple 'variety' packs

lots of bottled water, and some water toys (buckets, shovels, swim noodles, squirt guns...if you have kids), sunscreen..

I am of no help on dock wrap though, I trailer mine 41miles each way when I want to go.
My local Fleet Farm store has pontoon specific bumpers, they are sort of 'clam shell' shaped. Maybe adding a couple of those permanently to the side?

-ron

[Bamaman]

And, don't forget a heavy 50' tow rope. I've used it to tow and to be towed many, many times.

I buy hollow core nylon rope, and put loops on each end of 12 1/2' lengths. I keep one on each corner of my boat. If I need more length to tie off, I'll just loop another rope through the other. I store extra lines in zip lock bags.

I also like those 12 volt air compressors to blow up floaties. Too bad it's getting so hard to find good 16" truck inner tubes--my preferred swimming floatie.

And, don't forget to take some extra tools--screwdrivers, pliers, diagonal wire cutters. You never know when something needs tightened up. Wire cutters are in case a fish hook needs cut off.

[ourlee]

awesome stuff guys, thanks.

[HandymanHerb]

On the safety side, get a 30 foot 1/8 inch line, tie one end to your helm seat the other to the throwable custion your sitting on, the line will lay under your seat out of the way.

If someone gets in trouble, throw it and pull them in, even if your just floating while swimming, doesn't take much wind to blow a toon away faster than someone can swim, throw the custion and pull them back in.

[Doctordeere]

All of the above, plus:

Fire extinguisher. I carry a five-pounder class ABC, not one of the little toys (there's still a lot of old wooden boats around here).

Sunscreen.

12v auto charger for cell phone (hard to call in for an emergency if the battery's dead).

Sunscreen.

Aloe Vera gel... for when you forget the sunscreen.

Oh, and don't forget the sunscreen.

I am of Irish descent. I do NOT tan. I go from white to crimson, peel & repeat. And I can be a bit forgetful, so usually what reminds me to slather on the sunscreen is when I've already started stinging. That's why I'm more of an authority on various aloe gels and the like than I am on sunscreens.

Plus, I'm a rather large fellow, 6'7" @ 300#, so I've got a few extra square feet of surface area for mean ol' Mr. Sunshine to do his magical radioactive tapdance on.

Maybe I ought to just spray myself down with 303 before venturing forth.

[curtiscapk]

boat hook!! and beer!

[ourlee]

boat hook!! and beer!

i love that pic. my two swimming bouviers each weigh 95 lbs. lol i need a crane/winch set up.

[hyper]

Dont forget the viagra, you need to break in that boat the right way!!