Sometimes perfect pass just isn't enough.

So a little rant and request for advice here. My girl normally does "ok" driving for me and is usually willing, but for some reason this weekend went really bad...

We had decent water, a few other boats and waverunners to contend with, and some extra family in the boat. Had a nice stretch of water along one shoreline that was pretty much only being used by us and a few others for boarding so we were staying in that area.

My turn in the water so I give her the low down on where to drive, PP is set, we're all good. She pulls me out just fine and heads for the nice stretch and I kid you not the woman starts doing figure 8's. I motion like an air traffic controller to head down the shoreline and go straight. Left, right, circle, and I'm fighting my own waves. I'm back there thinking she's on crack or trying to get away from a swarm of bees and getting frustrated...

After I wipe out hitting all my own rollers she swings around and tells me the depth gauge is not working - flashing instead of reading. I guess that explains the figure 8's ?? but we had been running that same stretch of water for a few hours already. Hmmmmm, ok well just stay out in the same areas we've been running all day here and you'll be fine.

Off we go again, headed to another little cove in search of fewer boats and better water. On the way there I'm messing around, do a board slide, planted my ass on the water but popped right back up and was all proud of myself. Nope, she cuts the throttle (after I'm already back up) and I end up doing another board slide, pulling the rope up over my head as high as I can to take up the slack but dumped it again as she then punches it and rips the handle out of my hands, tearing the padding half off it.

We finally get to this little cove and I remind her again to just stay where we've been running and she'll be fine with no depth gauge. Nope, she heads WAY in towards this sediment dam where I know it's maybe 6ft deep and there are big stumps. Once again I'm back there flailing like a chicken trying to fly and pointing for her to head out of here in that direction. Nope, she actually turns the opposite way and keeps heading in even further to the shallows at which point I threw the rope.

Floating there looking at the weeds right under me, I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to say to her so we can work on her driving and navigation skills without me unloading a wrath of "WTF was that?!" She swung around and I could tell she was flustered, so I held it in and told her she did good, gritting my teeth and muttering to myself.


So - what has been the best approach/tactic for coaching your woman on driving, but in a way that is not belittling or demeaning to her? Especially when you have a group with you! We talked about it a little afterwards but I think we've got some work to do. We don't get much one-on-one driving time as we almost always have a group. So I'm all ears...

(Sorry for the page long rant - had to get it out...)