GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

[GABE]

MY GIRLFRIEND GOT IN MY BOAT AND WANTED TO DRIVE( BIG MISTAKE) SHE HIT THE GAS TO HARD AND ALMOST WENT INTO A HUGE ROCK WALL, MY BOAT IS OK...OH AND SO IS SHE...SHE TURNED THE KEY OFF WHILE IN GEAR SO SHE WOULDNT CRASH, BUT IT WOULDNT GO BACK IN NEUTRAL, AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES OF FIGURING , I TURNED THE ENGINE OVER AND IT POPPED BACK IN GEAR, WE DROVE AROUND AND <br />ALL SEEMS WELL NOW, COULD THERE BE ANY DAMAGE DONE?? LET ME KNOW GUYS..THANKS. <br />OH AND ITS A MERCURY 125 HP 2 STROKE..

 

[495v]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

That's exactly why I'm always weary about letting someone else drive my boat. Most of my buddies have no boating experience and therefore no respect for the horsepower and I alway's hear them say, "I'll drive your boat." I alway's think to myself," Ya, you'll drive my boat right into the ground!" About the only one I let drive is my wife and that's because she's gotta be the safest driver in the world, like "Driving Miss Daisy", unfortunately, it's not much fun on the tube doing 15mph. Oh well, at least I know BOTH of my babies are safe!

 

[GABE]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

THANKS ALOT GUYS..IT SEEMS TO RUN FINE, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL IS WELL...AND NOONE DRIVES MY BOAT AGAIN....

 

[Franki]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

I hear you on that one..<br /><br />I don't let anyone drive my boat unless they own and regularly use one of their own, particularly a similiar sized one..<br /><br />I let my girlfriend drive with the tiller kicker moter while I had a nap, and we were going around in circles.. <br /><br />no way I'd trust her till she came home with a boat license.. (not legally necessary, but a good indication that they at least know how to do the basics..)<br /><br />As to any damage, I doubt it, but it depends on your model and gearcase type as to wether or not that problem indicates there is already damage/wear there...<br /><br /><br />rgds<br /><br />Frank

 

[495v]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

I can trust my wife a little. I first had her started on an old 69'larson tri hull I had with a 35hp johnson, and she did great with that. But now my rig is capable of some pretty high speeds (70mph) and she is intimidated. At least she's not niave like some of my buddies, I sure would cry if anything ever happened to her.( My boat not my wife...just kidding)

 

[SeaDawg]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

Fellas, I fish in saltwater mostly, a lot of times out of sight of land.<br /><br />So, I do just the opposite. When I get into open water (away from the dock and shore), I show the crew (kids too) how to drive my boat, and how to use the VHF, GPS and sonar. I show them where the charts are, and what compass heading we need to go to get back home, if the electronic fail. I show them where the flare kit is, along with the life jackets and first aid kit. If they can't swim, they always have a life jacket on, or they don't get in the boat. <br /><br />I supervise them and let each one of them drive the boat for a while. Then I mentally pick the best one that I could trust if I had a heart attack or stroke (or got shark bitten), and I tell them if anything happens to me, they drive the boat back in.<br /><br />I routinely ask them "how do we get back", and get them to look over their shoulder, so they know what the coastline looks like.<br /><br />Just some thoughts to add.......

 

[Trailbum]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

Excellent idea Seadawg!!! Wish everyone travelled with a competent crew like you do!!

 

[Terry G.]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

We all got to start somewhere. Right now my 12 year old son is studying to take his boating certification course test. My 14 year old daughter too. It's required here in KY if you want to drive a boat(over 10 HP) or jetski. I spend a lot of time on the water with both of them going over situations that occur and what the driver should do. My wife of 18 years is the only person I would get behind on a ski. She is terrific with the boat and does a great job with the trailor too (better than me). Although our Bayliner is a deep V, I require the "Driver" (wifes, son or daughter) to wear the kill switch lanyard. On our first boat, we had a 140 Johnson. I hit the throttle and the steering cable broke. Had I not yanked the lanyard out of the control box, I'd say we would have been in a big mess. Could not find the key switch for some reason. Same goes for the fishing boat with a 50 Merc. I am a believer in using the kill switch lanyard. I hook that sucker to my vest anytime the engine is started.<br /><br />tg

 

[MGuckin]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

Ditto SeaDawg.<br />For all passengers: First thing I do before boat is launched is show location of life jackets, fuel tank, extra battery, first aid kit, fire extinguishers (Have 3) and flare location. Also how to work the radio and anchors. If you can't swim, you wear a jacket. Once in open water, everyone drives, usually scares the **** outta a few, but at least they all know what it can and can't do and I know what they can do. Everyone helps in loading and unloading. Ages range from 14 - 67. Only one other person I will trust to drive off and on so far. He has a good feel for the boat and he is 67. <br />My lanyard is weight triggered similar to a lawn mower and has surprised some when they stand up rather than sitting and I tell them they broke something when they stand up. My fiancee refuses to drive the boat, she just wants to fish and would be very happy if we had paddles. Her son is the 14 year old and he likes it fast but won't touch the throttle unless I let him. He got a lot of promise and respect.<br />Proper training is the answer.<br /> <br />Mike

 

[DJ]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

They have to start somewhere. There is no better training than actually doing it. Congrat's to you all that let them run it with close supervision and make them THINK about what they are doing. My father was very trusting with me. Not so much with my brother. He knew that I cared more about the boat than anyone in the family. Still do. We're all different.<br /><br />Interesting comments about women. I once had a customer tell me that he trusted women alot more with expensive on/off road equipment. The reason being that when some light came on they would shut it down and ask questions instead of burning up a $25,000.00 engine. The men would rely on their machismo and run it till it smoked.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

I would definitely trust my wife if she showed an interest and listened to my advice when given. That's the hard part. She likes to learn the hard way, but overall she is cautious and would defer to me in situations that she is unsure of..<br /><br />About kids.. My family ususally goes to our neighbors cabin a couple of times a summer. I bring my pontoon and they have an old pontoon as well. One day we are out fishing on their pontoon, just trolling along, and the young daughter (approx 6) decides its time to go home.. she complains to her dad and he says 'just a few mimutes'. Well thats not good enough.. The little s**t goes over to the console and jams the throttle home while everyone on the boat nearly falls off of their feet. Granted this boat only has an old 9.8 Merc, but thats enough. Does Dad scold her ?? nope, just slows the boat down and heads for shore. <br /><br />Well the next day were out on my boat and the little s**t starts in again. I said, since it is my boat, we're not ready to go in yet. Take a seat and relax for a while. Well that's not good enough she starts calling me names and heads for the console. Where's dad?? Fishing.. I get in front of her, stoop down until I am about two inches from her face and say "This is my boat, I make the rules, and you obey them. If you touch that console or pop off any more names at me or my kids, I will, by god, through you in the lake and you can swim home. Am I clear?"<br /><br />Well this gets dad's attention. She looks to him and he says "You better listen cause he'll do it." and he was right. I would have tossed her in right there (the kids always wear pfds). She went and sat down and moped. But I have not had that problem since.<br /><br />The moral is that when you have kids on the boat, they need to know who is in control and that there are rules that are not optional. Casual attitudes towards the operation or the controls lead to a lack of respect and then accidents.

 

[495v]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

That's a good story. I've only had a couple of kids out in the boat with me and I have a feeling that there parents, (my buddies) must of warned them before hand how anal I am about my boat. Even the neighborhood kids; I tell them I will take them out with there dad and they say, " I'm to little to go out in that thing, I could get tossed overboard." It's the adults I have to worry about, You know the ones that have a set of brass hueves between their legs. Those are the ones that will never get closer to the steering wheel than the passanger seat!

 

[EatMoreFish]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

"GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT!!"<br />Oh god that's funny. There are just some things that girlfriends are NOT good for

 

[DJ]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

rogerwa,<br /><br />Good thing you were out in the middle of the lake. Otherwise the child police would have gotten a hold of you and reported you to child protective services.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

In all honesty I wouldn't have made her swim back.. The kids jump off in the middle of the lake all the time. It's more a symbolic thing..

 

[DJ]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

rogerwa,<br /><br />I was poking fun. I would have!!

 

[495v]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

Just throw the kid in a dingy and tow it about a 100ft back. That will give her some quiet time to think about what she did. I have a bass boat so I would just threaten to lock them up in the port side rod locker.LOL

 

[SeaRay245]

Re: GIRLFRIEND GOT A HOLD OF MY BOAT !!!

if your wife or g/f is your first mate like mine is she and all first mates should know how to run the boat and dock and also use the radio for help u never know what might happen be safe not sorry