would you let your kid use your boat again?

[mr.Johnson]

Ok, here's the story:

My teenage kid borrowed the boat, he's 19 (this is the first time he ever got to take it out alone)

he does well with the boat when he's with me, but he can be a little scatter brained, he took a date on the boat, but left the life jackets in the back of the truck, (big no-no) then when he got the boat home, the trailer safety chains as well as the electrical pig tail (the wiring harness that plugs the trailer lights into the back of the truck) was missing, I called him up and asked him, "hey, where are they at?" he said, "in the boat dad"

they weren?t in the boat, and no one took them out of the boat while it was parked in my driveway, I live on a farm, no one is going to come down my driveway and take a safety chain and a wiring harness out of a boat, and not take anything else.

what I think happened, was at the dock, the safety chains and wiring harness were removed from the trailer when he was preparing to back the boat down the ramp, and were left laying on the ground (and my son forgot to pick them up) and he launched the boat, parked the truck and took off for the day completely forgetting about the safety chains and wiring harness, and someone else picked them up and made off with them and he didn't want to fess up to it.

I just spent the better part of 30 bucks replacing the stuff that went missing, my kid still insists that he put them in the boat when he got home....

He wants to borrow the boat again, I don't want to have to replace more missing stuff, but I also want him to learn a little responsibility, and be able to use the boat.

Mom says no, I?m thinking No, but if he could show a little more responsibility ?maybe?

What would you do?

 

[Big Pete]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

Make him pay for replacement ..it was in his care at the time.. and give him a second chance i bet he will be more careful ,,once he knows he pays for damages losses etc..

 

[lncoop]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

Make him pay for replacement ..it was in his care at the time.. and give him a second chance i bet he will be more careful ,,once he knows he pays for damages losses etc..

+1. It will be a good learning experience for him. Thirty bucks is a memorable sum for a young man. I believe this is what the child rearing experts would refer to as a "teachable moment." Welcome to iboats.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

Sounds like he failed the first test.

I'd hesitate to let him borow it again(right away that is) as that would send the wrong message. Have him go out with you a few times again first...only have him do everything required on the entire trip.

This will make him feel like a kid as he should after this debacle, but will also prove to you that he does know the proper procedures for safe boating. That way you won't be as worried next time.

I'm curious, why are these items removable? My life jackets stay in the boat at all times, and the safety chains and wiring harness aren't removable either. Just a thought.

 

[Billdc]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

I probably resembled your son 30 years ago and I know my son resembles him(alittle, he's only 10), and I know I got a couple of chances after I messed up. I'm sure the last thing on his mind were safety chains and a wiring harness, your lucky he didn't leave the truck parked at the ramp because he was in such a hurry to get on that boat. You say you live on a farm, I'm sure you can find $30 worth of nasty, dirty, smelly chores for him to do before he takes the boat out next time. It worked for me.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

he is 19, he isn't a kid... I was on my second boat (and 3rd tow vehicle) that I held to the title to, in my name, by 19.

Absolutely he should pay for it in either chores or $$$.

 

[KermieB]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

Well my question is... .why do you take the chains off the trailer and why on earth do you take the wiring harness off??

 

[H20Rat]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

Well my question is... .why do you take the chains off the trailer and why on earth do you take the wiring harness off??

I'm guessing its a pigtail... 4 pin on the boat, 7 pin on the vehicle. Need an adapter or pigtail between them, not something you generally leave on the boat or plugged into the vehicle.

 

[robert graham]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

Make him pay, review all the rules for using the boat, let him use it again, and be very thankful he's not dead or injured from "some incident" that always seem to happen to teenagers/young folks. I mean at 19, I know where my brains were, and it wasn't on taking care of dad's stuff, mostly thinking about little "Mary Lou" and having fun!~Good Luck!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

all of us are likely to forget something once in a while. But what's so aggravating about teens are the "leaky lies" about it. They don't understand that they would fare better with an admission, an apology and a promise to do better. If they are good at it, it might save them $30!

My daughter had our boat out recently and one of her friends grabbed or fell on the stern light and broke the socket. She told me right away and apologized. I suggested that her friend needs to get us a new socket (ended up, I fixed it w/ JB weld). IN that case, to me, it's the friend that needs the educating!
But I wouldn't make my daughter pay for it; stuff gets broken on boats all the time, if you use them hard like we do. I keep the boats for everyone in the family to enjoy. Even my adult friends are likely to grab a stern light--stupid to us boaters but novices don't think.
I would, however, have her go through the inconvenience of going out and getting the broken part "I buy you fly" and helping me fix it--which she would willingly do--and she'd learn how to fix another thing.

So to answer the question with a question: would you rather have him laying around the house playnig video games, turned off on boating, or go back to learning about a life-long source of pleasure? (the boat. I'm talking about the boat. The GF's pleasure is not "lifelong!")

 

[DianneB]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

I would, however, have her go through the inconvenience of going out and getting the broken part "I buy you fly" and helping me fix it--which she would willingly do....

I think that is an important point - it isn't just about money.

If it was my kid, I would expect them to get the replacement parts (out of their own funds) AND to install the replacements. Often the fetching and replacing is far more inconvenient than a few dollars.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

Unless I'm missing something, nobody has pointed out the obvious....unless someone DID lift them from your boat at the farm, he is a) not telling you the truth and b) he trailered your boat with no safety chains and no lights.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

That is part of being 19. He needs to pay the $30, then you need to forgive and forget. 100 years ago, 19 was an adult. Today, there is a lot more to learn. For example, 100 years ago, ole everude was still just starting up. Now you can buy a a 250Hp (or more ) outboard. Nobody had a truck to tow the boat.

Two weeks ago, as I was pulling my boat out, the boat next to me was pulling in and the boat rolled off the back of the trailer. Kids about that age. Girl using dads boat with another gal and two guys and some boose. NOT thier fault, the clicker on dads boat winch failed. Fortunately no real damage, just a nick in the skeg.

One observation... Boy plus girl = stupidity. Maybe next time with just a sane buddy.

TerryMSU

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

I have heard way worst things turn up missing or broken from supposedly responsible adults. Especially on their maiden voyage. So for your son to do it, I would think oh well, lesson learn. But absolutely make him pay for it before he takes it out again. Otherwise, if you keep bailing him out monetarily, he wont learn. Also, tell him that if, in fact he did trailer it home without chains and lights, that the fines will be way worst than $30 if he gets pulled over, or causes an accident. I think a good talking to and make him pay for his mistake and you will be good.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

Two weeks ago, as I was pulling my boat out, the boat next to me was pulling in and the boat rolled off the back of the trailer. Kids about that age. Girl using dads boat with another gal and two guys and some boose. NOT thier fault, the clicker on dads boat winch failed. Fortunately no real damage, just a nick in the skeg.

i'd consider that either a lack of attention to detail if they were taught correctly, or poor boating knowledge by dad if they weren't. Either case, failure of the winch had nothing to do with it. Safety chains (if there was one!) shouldn't be taken off until the boat is over water, and the vehicle doesn't move when loading until it is back on.

 

[HondaPower]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

When my son's did something like this I made them pay for the gear lost or damaged discussed it with them calmly pointing out what could have happened due to their carelessness. I would then let them use the boat again, if they learned from their mistake and there were no further incidents I would give them their money back telling them that this was a one time break and would never be repeated.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

I like the idea of the good conduct refund, if you don't tell them in advance. My dada was good about stuff like that--I'd save up to pay for something, like insurance or snow tires on my car, and then he'd surprise me by covering it.

Smoke while you are 100% right you are describing something that happens a lot to a lot of people. New boaters, as well as old boaters who never had their winch fail (and got lucky). All the perfect people here know about not removing safety chains early. The rest of the world, not so perfect, but still OK.

 

[cheburashka]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

Everyone's focusing on the chains and the pigtail, but I'm wondering about the PFDs. Did he really go out on the lake with a date and no PFDs for either of them? If that's the case, I wouldn't let him use the boat for a long time.

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

I say make him pay for the chains and pigtail, and withhold at least 2 weeks for the PFD's. It shows that if he breaks or loses something he needs to repalce it. If he puts lives at risk (including his own) by not bringing PFD's, he loses boat time.

 

[mr.Johnson]

Re: would you let your kid use your boat again?

Everyone's focusing on the chains and the pigtail, but I'm wondering about the PFDs. Did he really go out on the lake with a date and no PFDs for either of them? If that's the case, I wouldn't let him use the boat for a long time.

That part really bothers me, and before he left with the boat, I told him to be sure they have the PFD's, we keep them in the back of the truck so they don't blow out of the boat on the highway.

I'm still not getting a straight answer out of him over the chain or pig tail.

If they came home with the boat, they would be at home ...somewhere ...which leads me to believe that they didn't make the trip back home from the boat dock.


the reason for the electrical extension (pig tail) is because the trailer is a 4flat, and the truck is a 7 round, and the chain not being fastened was my fault, I lost the bolt that secures it to the toung the other day and hadn't replaced it yet, it's replaced now, with a new chain.

I'm a little steamed at the moment, but I'll get over it