Teaching new driver

[JoshOnt]

Recently one of my friend got his boating license and I would like to teach him to drive my 14 ft runabout. I let him drive the other night and wow not too good at it, did not understand you can not just turn the wheel quickly or how to shift in my boat since at idle it runs a bit slow (yes I intend on fixing it once I figure out how). He is not the smartest by any means, not even average.. what are some good ways to teach him and deal with his lack of ability to get thing the first time around.

 

[thumpar]

Have him watch you control it. He needs to see how you turn the wheel and work the throttle/shifter. Docking will be the hardest to learn.

 

[JoshOnt]

Have him watch you control it. He needs to see how you turn the wheel and work the throttle/shifter. Docking will be the hardest to learn.

Only issue with having him watch me is he is about 280 lbs in a 14 ft runabout so just how we have to sit not to tip the thing both can't be at the from at the same time or it is unstable and the bow is plowing the water. Docking is something I might let him try one he can drive is a semi straight line since he is unable to do that as of now. Figured it would be pretty simple guess not.

 

[littlerayray]

Get him in deep water and have him head to a certain point and tell him to treat her like a woman nice and smooth easy gradual changes on the controls that's what I've been doing with my gf but instead of a woman I tell her to treat it like a baby she is good mind you just needs to practice on letting off a little bit at a time when up on plane she usually let's off to much and drops off plane lol I'm trying to teach her so I can ski behind the boat lol

 

[JoshOnt]

Get him in deep water and have him head to a certain point and tell him to treat her like a woman nice and smooth easy gradual changes on the controls that's what I've been doing with my gf but instead of a woman I tell her to treat it like a baby she is good mind you just needs to practice on letting off a little bit at a time when up on plane she usually let's off to much and drops off plane lol I'm trying to teach her so I can ski behind the boat lol

I am teaching him for a similar reason, tubing and skiing maybe next year. Will have to let him out in some deeper water I guess, last time I took him out we were in sorta shallow and narrow water.

 

[garbageguy]

Also, if you can find some soft floating markers in relatively deep water with no traffic, have him practice going around them. If you're going to have him pull a tuber/skier show him how you do it first, then have him try with no tuber skier practicing getting up, circling back, etc. Then progress to dealing with current, wind, backing etc in relatively deep water with no traffic. Then leaving the dock, the lastly, pulling into the dock

 

[Frank Acampora]

Well, It is all very good to comment on what to do with him but the main thing will be to control your frustrations. If I read you correctly your friend has a couple of problems, possibly special needs, and simply put, you need to be in control of yourself at all times. It can be an almost thankless task. After all, he is not trying to bother you, he is probably trying his best. So: Repetition, repetition, repetition, and then more repetition until habit forces him to drive correctly. Once he "gets it" correct actions will be there forever. However,start with one simple task and repeat that until he is good then add in another task. Too much at once is counterproductive.

And bless you. you are a better man than most. I would not have the patience.

 

[JoshOnt]

Well, It is all very good to comment on what to do with him but the main thing will be to control your frustrations. If I read you correctly your friend has a couple of problems, possibly special needs, and simply put, you need to be in control of yourself at all times. It can be an almost thankless task. After all, he is not trying to bother you, he is probably trying his best. So: Repetition, repetition, repetition, and then more repetition until habit forces him to drive correctly. Once he "gets it" correct actions will be there forever. However,start with one simple task and repeat that until he is good then add in another task. Too much at once is counterproductive.

And bless you. you are a better man than most. I would not have the patience.

He is not so much special needs as he is just very dumb with most things. I think yeah maybe doing it over and over again might be the only way. Guess I am going to need a bit of gas and time.

I don't have the patience which is going to be the biggest challenge. I am thinking just take him to a non busy open lake and let him go while I just look and watch the trees go by.

 

[littlerayray]

Stand by the helm and coach him he may need someone in his hear at first and lots of praise when he does something correctly

 

[JoshOnt]

Stand by the helm and coach him he may need someone in his hear at first and lots of praise when he does something correctly

I would if the boat was bigger, he is so heavy (280 lbs) he has to stand in between the seats to make sure we don't come close to tipping, best I can do is sit at the back and watch then say something after he does a run around and stops.

 

[southkogs]

I've taught by simply giving commands ... for example: one of my kids wanted to learn do dock the boat, so we picked a channel marker on the lake and shot approaches to it. She had the helm, and I coached her with commands: slight turn to the right, add a little power, neutral power, hard left, etc.

We've done a few things like that. I've just sat in the passenger seat.

AND if the learner doesn't want to listen to my commands a few times to learn how ... slide over and enjoy the ride

 

[Silvertip]

You also need to realize that there are people on this planet that simply have very poor hand-eye coordination and never do master certain tasks that seem simple to others. For your safety I would have an extension added to the kill switch lanyard if you have one. If this person is as much of a problem as you make him out to be, you need to protect yourself should the situation get out of control.

 

[littlerayray]

That's a good tip sliver I might consider that with my gf she is still very nervous

 

[JoshOnt]

You also need to realize that there are people on this planet that simply have very poor hand-eye coordination and never do master certain tasks that seem simple to others. For your safety I would have an extension added to the kill switch lanyard if you have one. If this person is as much of a problem as you make him out to be, you need to protect yourself should the situation get out of control.

Not so much a problem as dumb. I will be sitting right next to the motor so if all goes bad a know I can use the handle to steer from there, done it before when teaching my father how to drive.

 

[oldjeep]

If he is that big and your boat is that small, then what is going to happen when he is in the drivers seat and has to turn hard right? Tube driving is kind of a spastic activity anyways where you are going to be hitting your own waves/mess in the water, so if the boat is tippy it seems like it would be pretty easy to dunk the rail at some point.

 

[Grub54891]

Some people just can't be taught. Years back my friend wanted to learn stick shift on a car. After a week of failing to get it right on back roads....He say's, you know I'm just going to buy automatics...lol. He's a good driver but just can't do the stick. Saw him 20 years later,and asked him, ever figure out the stickshift? Nope was the response.....

 

[JoshOnt]

If he is that big and your boat is that small, then what is going to happen when he is in the drivers seat and has to turn hard right? Tube driving is kind of a spastic activity anyways where you are going to be hitting your own waves/mess in the water, so if the boat is tippy it seems like it would be pretty easy to dunk the rail at some point.

I normally just stand in the middle when I drive and I figure he will do the same by the time by I let him drive with someone on a tube.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Here is my take from reading your comments..

This isn't pleasant but I say it with nothing but the best of intentions... First you are not a teacher... If you were you wouldn't be asking this question... Some people have a knack for teaching and some don't..... Second, yours isn't the boat to be teaching him in if he is so heavy nobody can be at the helm with him.

He needs a different boat and a different teacher.

 

[JoshOnt]

Here is my take from reading your comments..

This isn't pleasant but I say it with nothing but the best of intentions... First you are not a teacher... If you were you wouldn't be asking this question... Some people have a knack for teaching and some don't..... Second, yours isn't the boat to be teaching him in if he is so heavy nobody can be at the helm with him.

He needs a different boat and a different teacher.

Well the options are I teach him in my boat or he does not learn. So while it is no where near ideal, it will have to do. You are right I suck at teaching and likely my boat will cause us some issues, I think I might be able to solve the only 1 person at the helm with some sand bags.

 

[littlerayray]

Not sure the sandbags are a good idea make sure you don't overload your boat