Driving a car is fairly easy. You’re typically on a paved road, with lines marking your boundaries to the left and right. There are signs alerting you to what’s around each bend in the road And when you need to slow down and stop, there’s that convenient pedal on the left — the brake ­— that halts your vehicle almost immediately.

 

Piloting a boat, on the other hand, is tricky.

 

You’re on a lake or a river, with nothing but open water in front of you. Sure, there are rules of thumb that boaters follow — but on busy summer weekends, it can get a little crazy on the water.