Mercury Marine Survey - Would you loan out YOUR boat?

[uniwarking]

Hmmm. I'd trust a stanger almost as much as my wife....

Gotta get her trained! I made my wife learn how to back the truck, pull the boat on and off, etc. She can put some of the boys to shame at the ramp

[bergermaister]

Careful with that one. A friend of a friend taught his wife everything about backing down, launching, loading, etc. She got so efficient that she decided to take the boat out without him a few times. Her and a couple girlfriends while he was at work. Drove him nuts!

Think of it- truck and boat pull up to the launch, 4 hot bikini clad women hop out and start prepping. No men to be seen. How many guys do you think zip right over and offer to help once they gauged the situation...

[kaneboats]

"Hi, ladies! We seem to have forgotten the key to our boat and we happen to have this cooler full of beer and Mike's Hard Lemonade. Plus we are certified wake sports instructors."

[patrick232]

Gotta get her trained! I made my wife learn how to back the truck, pull the boat on and off, etc. She can put some of the boys to shame at the ramp

Mine does put many to shame when backing the truck and trailer down. She is too concerned about damage to the boat when docking so no worries in her taking out alone yet.

[rc5695]

Haha. I don't think too many guys would come running when they saw a whole bunch of kids come running outta the van after her. lol

She could probably back it in, but I can't even get her to hold a speed so I can wakeboard, let alone dock it. She's done alright pulling it onto the trailer a couple of times. Usually let the older boys drive it off the trailer, pick me up & drop me off at the dock (not actaully docking the boat usually, just getting close enough for me to make the step off), and back onto the trailer. Some of ramps are pretty steep and you can't see the trailer once it drops down, but I need to teach the boys to back the trailer in one of these days. Ramps are usually busy enough I don't want them running my trailer into somebody's truck or something.

Not going to lie, I took off somebody's tailight before I have moved people's trailers by hand many times when they block me in ot out of a space though .

[kaneboats]

I need to teach the boys to back the trailer in one of these days. Ramps are usually busy enough I don't want them running my trailer into somebody's truck or something.

Go to a school parking lot at night when nobody is around and have them practice. I've done this with all my drivers to get practice. Have them back and turn till it's second nature. By the 4th time you go they will be pros. Then get to the ramp early (or kind of late) for their first try. Also, remember it is hard to see with the boat off the trailer. With your van they probably have to use mirrors anyway and that is the best way to learn b/c it's harder to learn later. When you practice, try covering the back window, the rear view mirror, then the side mirrors. Once they can do it under any conditions they'll be pros.

[rc5695]

Good idea. there's a school near the house too.

They have a little experience backing/driving with trailers pulling sleds/cushions, etc. behind dirtbikes and with the little lawn trailer behind the trailer. I"ve had them hook the van up to the boat and my flatbed a bunch of times, and back up my flat bed a few times down the driveway (its ~400' long). You HAVE to use the mirros to back it up since it is low and the vans tall. Good practice for them for sure.

[94Boom]

Rent it NO, loan it to a select few for sure, and mine is only a Boomerang haha. Those that I would loan it to all have better inboards than me. One time I was driving a 23' Scarab of a close friend of mine, his wife was with my ex wife and I, she was guiding us around there lake with me driving. I was just putting along looking at the beautiful cottages of Muskoka when I hit a rock. She refused to let me pay for the prop as she told me it was fine to go through there. A few weeks later we see some other friends that are friends with them as well and they tell us a story about Collen (scarab wife) destroying a prop. Long story short that is a good friend as she refused to blame me weeks later. They now have a Tige and are one of the few I would trust without a doubt.

Brian