Teaching the wife to drive the boat...

TBarCYa

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 13, 2005
Messages
781
I'm thinking they handle a little different than our 27' walkaround.
 

SkaterRace

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Mar 20, 2016
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I'm thinking they handle a little different than our 27' walkaround.

Yes and no, they teach the bare basic but by the sounds of it she knows that. I'd just take her out and practice everything you might need. I'd also have you do each thing twice before she tries and first time explain what you are doing and second just left her watch and ask questions.


If she is even willing to learn lucky you, talked to my GF last night about it, guess the idea was so crazy she thought I was joking. Something about not wanting to ding my new boat
 

legalfee

Petty Officer 1st Class
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May 10, 2018
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371
I would suggest the Boat Ed course https://www.boat-ed.com/
It's state specific and it only costs $20 or $30 and you only pay if you pass.
It has specific instructions such as docking against the current, etc...
 

TBarCYa

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 13, 2005
Messages
781
I don't know if it's the same course but it looks like the same site as the BoatUS site that has the same course for free. She's going to start taking it later this week.
 

legalfee

Petty Officer 1st Class
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May 10, 2018
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371
I don't know if it's the same course but it looks like the same site as the BoatUS site that has the same course for free. She's going to start taking it later this week.

It's not the same.
 

JASinIL2006

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
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5,524
I would suggest the Boat Ed course https://www.boat-ed.com/
It's state specific and it only costs $20 or $30 and you only pay if you pass.
It has specific instructions such as docking against the current, etc...

I did this course, and I agree it was pretty good. Not the same as a face to fce course on a boat, but still useful.
 

Mechmagcn

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 25, 2018
Messages
137
In almost 40 years of marriage, one thing I've learned is never try to teach your spouse how to do anything. Get a friend to teach her. Saves some hurt feelings.

The best advice given yet.
My wife knows how to operate our boat, kind of a necessity since we commute daily by boat, but doesn't unless she has to. When it comes to strong winds or cross currents, she'll wait for me at the dock.
 

Lowlysubaruguy

Chief Petty Officer
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Dec 3, 2012
Messages
514
The first thing I do when teaching my wife to drive a new boat is encorage her to hit the first solid object she can find. Thats what happened with my last new boat. Second day in the water. It was a small dent in an aluminum boat. She has not operated my new boat yet but the day is coming shes going to need to be able to come get me when Im drift diving :)
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
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Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,942
Boating, docking, on and off the lift while dealing with wind etc is all about the details...my wife is a CEO and she literally won't do details. High level only, don't attempt to bog her down in a single detail or the outcome will be very bad. It can get extremely frustrating. Sometimes I feel like it's a disability. The reason she has never driven my new BMW 750LI is that it would take a lesson or two and she refuses to listen to the details of how to operate it because it isn't a jump in and drive type of a car. On one hand she feels insulted, she has never driven it and on the other it cost $113,500.
 

Lowlysubaruguy

Chief Petty Officer
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Dec 3, 2012
Messages
514
I dont think I was actually encouraging that it just happened to be the way it turned out. If you read the next line I explained that’s exactly what she did. This was in 97 and she drive that boat from time to time but she hasnt really driven the new boat but that going to change shes got to be able to pick divers up when were drift diving and im sure she will do fine.
 

roffey

Commander
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
2,187
Got it, you had me scratching my head thinking she might learn how hard she could hit the dock, lol. My wife will have nothing to do with the boat other than a once a year cruise down to the ice cream store on the lake.
 
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