Teaching the next generation

[dakotashooter2]

I'm sure most of you probably have kids. How many are teching them boating skills while they are young? My son is 15 and has had his sea legs since about 9 months. He has been taught and allowed to drive ,under supervision, tiller and console model boats and the proper ediquet and safegards required of boating. He has probably handled small craft, 18' and under, more in his 15 years than I did in my first 30. His next lesson is going to be backing the trailer and and already has a pretty good handle on loading and unloading the boat. Once he has accomplished that I am confident that he will have the necessary skills to present himself in a positive manner on his own and won't be classified as an idiot on the water. Of that I am proud. How about you?

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: Teaching the next generation

I have a four year old and as soon as I get my project in the water She will probably know the rules of the water better than the rules of the road when she is ready to drive.

 

[neumanns]

Re: Teaching the next generation

My son is almost 5 (sep) and he has one of those battery jeeps. It is funny to watch him he runs the wheels off it; pretty good driver though. This spring he took an intrest in pulling my lawn tractor trailer with it. I firmly believe when he reaches driving age he will be able to back a trailer better than me. There is no place he cannot back out of with it, the only catch is he still regularily jack knifes it... pull up straighten it out and on back he comes. It is a real blast watching him with it. Me, I'm all .

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Teaching the next generation

When our daughter was about 12, we made her take the US Power Squadron Safety Course with us. She had to cheat in order to pass the navigation part (actually so did I), but the course teaches you so much more.<br /><br />At that time, I had been boating my whole life and didn't have a clue about all there is to know as a boater including respect of other vessels and why. Living near the ICW and running between the bay and gulf almost every weekend, we use so much of what we learned. I think everyone should take it.

 

[ehenry]

Re: Teaching the next generation

My boy "The Swamptater" is 15, he has studied for and aquired his boating certificate from MDWFP. I've done like Dakota and allowed him to operate our boats under supervision since he was a chap. He has his drivers license now and does yard maitenance for his spending money. He hauls all his equipment on a 15 foot trailer and can handle it as well as I can. Whenever I see him driving or running our boat to our hunting camp I think of the Alan Jackson song 'When Daddy Let Me Drive'.

 

[h20skiluvr]

Re: Teaching the next generation

My boy "The Swamptater" is 15, he has studied for and aquired his boating certificate from MDWFP. I've done like Dakota and allowed him to operate our boats under supervision since he was a chap. He has his drivers license now and does yard maitenance for his spending money. He hauls all his equipment on a 15 foot trailer and can handle it as well as I can. Whenever I see him driving or running our boat to our hunting camp I think of the Alan Jackson song 'When Daddy Let Me Drive'.

I was looking through the water ski threads and stumbled onto this. What intrigued me was the fact that yesterday, my youngest daughter pulled me for the first time. I've taught all three of my kids to pull a skier; my oldest can back and park the trailer while my son trailers the boat as well as backing it off. Like some of the other posters here, I began wanting to teach them how to be responsible around boats in hope that if they ever owned one they would and not hurt themselves, others, or embarrass themselves. What it turned into was a great experience that we all can look back on and share. The first thing my daughter said when she came home to her mom, "Mom, I pulled dad today!"

 

[delta229]

Re: Teaching the next generation

I'm so glad to see people taking the right approach to teaching the younger generation to boat. I am an engineer by trade but serve as a Paramedic Training Instructor in my off hours. My family use to laugh at me because we had "Training Classes" on the boat in the driveway. They have come to appreciate it after reading about accidents. We have a five minute safety talk each time we go out. I have my Washington Boater Safety Card and they are both taking the course. Both are learning to navigate and handle the boat. I carry a full first aid kit with Oxygen and an AED. We respond to many boat emergencies and see in-experience at work quite often. My hat is off to those who choose to spend time properly training your family. Go the extra step, use a life jacket and connect your kill switch to you.

 

[BoaterFord]

Re: Teaching the next generation

Great Thread. I've tried to teach my daughter to be responsible ( and somewhat knoledgable ) in things we do also. The world would be a much better place if ever parent would follow suite.

and an AED. .

This is an amazing device. Everyone should be educated in CPR and how to use an AED.