Boat Drivers -useless Rant

[rdlangston13]

Not if I owned the golf course.


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If I owned a golf course I would probably be well off enough to where I would not expect gas money for the boat lol

[Dandy21]

Interesting thread. I always like seeing what everyone else does/thinks/what their policy is.

I found that the best way to handle this is to have an older boat. We have had boats for +/-15 years. An outboard and a few I/Os followed by 3 towboats. Our first 2 tow boats were NEW - 2013 and 2014 models. I actually searched several threads on various forums to create my "boat rules". I wanted to keep our boat pristine because we all know that there is NOTHING BETTER than NEW BOAT SMELL (I still think that). Well, by the time I put together my list (no shoes, no red drinks, no orange foods, no crumby foods....) my rules were listed - single spaced and a page long. I did not want to hand that out to our guests. I politely covered the core rules (already listed) and monitored some of the other stuff. Long story, we decided to buy and renovate a home and hence I was informed it was time to part with the towboat. When we sold the old house we had some equity and I was determined to get a surfable boat back. We went from a 2014 to a 2007 and as much as I miss the newer boats, I don't miss the payments and don't have to worry about the first scratch. There were a few stains on the vinyl, a few scuffs in the hull but the boat was sound. I take care of the regular maintenance and try do a quick wipe down every time she gets pulled out. She gets a thorough vinyl cleaning once to twice a year (removing the seats and complete clean) along with an exterior detail once a year. Yeah, she isn't perfect but with just a few deep cleanings a year she cleans up next to new. I feel that a good wax in the Spring and a good wax in the Fall is all it really needs to protect it. We determined that our time on the water with friends and family doing what we love is more important than having a boat that looks great on the trailer.

I have never expected our guests to pay for fuel. Like previously stated, we are going out anyway. Now, if I was asked to take the boat out and accommodated it, then I would expect something, but if we are out anyway...hop on. That stated, there are some guests that have dropped off/mailed Thank Yous and gift cards to my favorite restaurant...guess who get the first call to join us - not so much that they gave something, but they took the time to write us a thank you. We KNOW they appreciate us, our boat and our time. We have our short list of guests and then our other list. The short list are the ones that will send a thank you, stick around to help wipe down, show up on time, offer to grab the dock, offer to drive so I can get a run in and give my wife a break (never allowed it - but appreciate the offer), making sure that we get our chance to ride. There is NOTHING worse than guests that want to be picked up and dropped off at the dock and basically want to get their runs in and then head off to the rest of their life...these people are ONE AND DONE and very often are avoided as a whole moving forward...I would never respect them the same after...moochers!!!

Long story short for us:
1: We have an older boat and don't feel as stressed about it. We make sure it is dependable and safe and then use it
2: Minimal time on cleaning through the season, deep cleaning prior to storage and prior to season
3: Keep the guests around that appreciate our efforts and do more to show it than say "Thanks"
4: Rid ourselves of the negative attitude/mooching guests - possibly unfriend them all together. I have a family and I have a very few close friends - I am good with that. I don't need to surround myself with a bunch of ungrateful DBags just to say I have 100 friends.

[bzubke1]

Definitely try and train someone to be your driver. It was a bit frustrating for both my wife and I while she was learning, but now she's great and I can hop into the water with confidence about the pull I'm about to get. I definitely nit picked and mentioned all the little things I would like her to do different, which she did not like at the time but I think it was all worth it. I feel like there's two different kinds of people that come out on the boat with us, the people that don't go on boats often and may get a day or two on the water every summer. For these folks I just try and show them a good time and don't expect or accept any gas money. The other kind of people are the ones who come out to wakeboard and work on their riding. Most of my friends who have boats fall into this category and for the most part we trade off rides on each other's boats instead of giving each other gas money. For the ones who don't have a boat of their own I don't expect gas money but will take it if they offer. I find that now a days I prefer to get up early with a small like minded crew, get some riding in and be off the water by noon.

[bzubke1]

OMG THIS! I just don't get it sometimes. A slalom ski I can see someone having issues with but a wakeboard requires literally like 0 effort. You don't even have to have a super tight grip!

Hate to say it but this gets to me too. I love to see someone get up for there first time but after 5-6 with no progress I start hoping they will be too tired to try again.

[Ed_Geary]

same with a surfboard

[kaneboats]

Not many people get up after 3-4 tries without taking a break. I usually say "one more try" and then "last try" then tell them to get in the boat. When they are rested I go over the procedure again and give 'em 3-4 more. I have only failed twice. Once with a real tall twenty-something know it all and once with a kid from the desert who was really uncomfortable in the water. The hundreds of others all became skiers, wakeboarders and wakesurfers.

[Gqjeff]

Only 2 people I have never been able to get up on a wakeboard. Both D1 athletes LOL. We've taught 14 people over the last 3 summers.

[Gqjeff]

If you ask a buddy if he wants to go golfing do you pay his green fees?

With this reasoning it would seem the only reason you ask anyone to boat with you is because your to tight to buy the gas LOL.... I have paid for many friends rounds when I was at my private course. They bought the beverages and I covered green fees.

[stillski]

When I get a turn in the water, I love the thrill of never knowing if and when I'll get a quick trip to 40mph and back to 8mph regardless of which board I'm on! When I ride it out, it lets me feel somewhat triumphant.

[russellsmojo]

I have never asked, don't expect, and won't accept gas money. Having a few extra bodies in the boat does not cost any more than what I was going to spend anyway. This is just crazy. If I need the gas money I should not own a boat.

I do like them to keep boat clean throughout the day and help at the end if we all parked together.




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