Tips:
(1) If you purchase a small used jon boat with a 1988 motor, and you know nothing about boats, do not take it out at 10pm on a very cold night in January with your buddy, who knows something about boats (but not much more than you) if you have not at least tried to fire up the motor before hand.
(2) Otherwise, you might put in at the St. Marks River 98 bridge boat ramp and use your trolling motor to guide you down river with the current. You might get some confidence because you feel you have control of your rig with the trolling motor.

You might be having so much fun in your new rig, that you keep right on traveling past Shields, past the fort, and into a strong moving current where the St. Marks meets the Wakulla. No big deal, because you can always fire it up and fly back up the river. This is where your buddy attempts to start the motor--if by chance it doesn't start then panic ( I don't know what you should do here).
(3) But don't, and I stress "don't" call your wife at home for help, especially when it is now well after midnight and she and your children are well asleep, and don't let your buddy call his wife for help either. Chances are, you might wish you had just forgot to put the plug in back at the ramp.
