Operating the Boat's Throttle
Think of a boat’s throttle just like the accelerator pedal in a car. Unlike a car, however, once you adjust it to a specific speed it stays there. So slowing down requires more than just taking your foot off a pedal, you have to actually grasp the throttle and pull it back. This is important to keep in mind, because when you see a large wave or lots of traffic coming, you need to be prepared to move the throttle accordingly.
This brings up an important point we haven’t covered just yet: situational awareness. When driving any motorized vehicle it’s important to constantly monitor your surroundings for anything that might require a response—a traffic light, pedestrians, other vehicles, and so on. The same is true when you’re operating a boat. In boating terms this is referred to as “maintaining a proper lookout,” and it means that as the captain of a boat, you have to always be watching your surroundings and recognize when there’s a risk of collision, running aground, hitting a big wave, or any other factor that could require a response at the helm.