Checkpoint Charlie is the first and only mission when you have purchased the Boatyard. It’s a test of your boat piloting skills and for once there are no shortcuts or cheats. You’ll need to collect all the packages before the time runs out.
It goes without saying, but make sure you don’t have any wanted stars when you start the mission or you’ll waste time dodging the coastguard boats when you should be concentrating on making those tricky turns. Also, it’s a good idea to save your game in the boatyard, so you can restart easily if you want to abort the mission, as you don’t always get the restart mission option.
This mission is all about learning how to control the boat. Unless you are accelerating you can’t easily turn the boat so get used to pressing the accelerator at the start of your turn, if you don’t you’ll just drift sideways. Tap the accelerator and turn for small adjustments.
Choose the left-hand boat as it’s slightly faster, although this doesn’t always trigger the mission and it’s more about mastering steering than raw speed, although every little helps in the times when you can max out.
The key to the mission is the three jumps through the jetties. You need enough speed to make the jumps, but too much and you’ll overshoot.
You also need to make sure you are properly lined up or you’ll be struggling to align the boat correctly with the sharp turn required in a restricted space. Generally, it’s best to abort if you mess these up. Our advice is to attempt the first one at medium speed, lining up for the second and if you make that slow down and line up the third.
When you are in open water after the three jumps you can then go up to full speed making small turns and taking care not to miss any checkpoints as you’ll lose lots of time having to turn back around.
Keep clicking on the map both to check where the next checkpoint is and also to check your alignment as the view from the boat is slow to catch up with your actual position as you turn whereas the map shows exactly which way you’re facing. Unlike the driving checkpoint missions, you can’t see two checkpoints ahead so will need to keep checking regularly to make sure you are pointing in the right direction.
The start is full of sharp turns, but once you’re through the jetty’s it’s a more straight course requiring more gentle turns and here you can make up time.
Basically, once you’re pointing in the right direction, floor it and once you’re through the checkpoint make your turn with a quick press of the accelerator then floor it again and you should be accurate enough and fast enough to make all the checkpoints in time.
Once you’ve completed the mission you can attempt it again in different weather and with five seconds less each time earning more money each time you complete it up to a maximum of six times and $15,000, although if you’re anything like us you’ll be relieved to have passed it and not exactly willing to have another five attempts!
1 Pingback