silentwitness33
Cadet
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2010
- Messages
- 6
Hi there,
I am fairly new to boating and want to ask the masses on proper ettitquette. I was recently out with my family on the boat and had the boat tied up along the dock near a launch. While I was tied up waiting for my wife to go get the truck and trailer, a lady operating a pontoon boat was attempting to load her boat onto another trailer. It seems she was having problems and in her attempts at getting her boat loaded on straight she backed up...way up...and put a six foot scratch down the side of my painted boat (which I owned for all of two days).
Without so much as a word, an apology, or anything this lady loaded up her pontoon boat and drove off. My wife (wide eyed by this point) chased this couple down and approached the couple who tried to deny any wrong doing.
Long story short, I obtained their contact details and requested they pay for damages. The quotes I have received so far suggest it will cost about $900 to fix the damages. Having said all of that, I've been told that "rubbing is boating" and that I should expect a certain amount of damage, etc., from other boats. However, am I out to lunch expecting these people pay for the damage they caused to my boat? If I were to hit another boater I would feel compelled to pay for the damage...it just seems right. But is boating ettiquette different? Please let me know your thoughts.
I am fairly new to boating and want to ask the masses on proper ettitquette. I was recently out with my family on the boat and had the boat tied up along the dock near a launch. While I was tied up waiting for my wife to go get the truck and trailer, a lady operating a pontoon boat was attempting to load her boat onto another trailer. It seems she was having problems and in her attempts at getting her boat loaded on straight she backed up...way up...and put a six foot scratch down the side of my painted boat (which I owned for all of two days).
Without so much as a word, an apology, or anything this lady loaded up her pontoon boat and drove off. My wife (wide eyed by this point) chased this couple down and approached the couple who tried to deny any wrong doing.
Long story short, I obtained their contact details and requested they pay for damages. The quotes I have received so far suggest it will cost about $900 to fix the damages. Having said all of that, I've been told that "rubbing is boating" and that I should expect a certain amount of damage, etc., from other boats. However, am I out to lunch expecting these people pay for the damage they caused to my boat? If I were to hit another boater I would feel compelled to pay for the damage...it just seems right. But is boating ettiquette different? Please let me know your thoughts.