Letting your kid take your boat?

[Snowking]

So the daughter wants to take my boat , and I'm just not sure if I should let her. She's been driving the truck with the trailer on for a couple years so she knows how to trailer a boat she's a lot better backing it up than her boyfriend is hands down. She's loaded it a couple times but never has done it without me. So do you let your kids take your pride and joy out by them self? Thanks chad

[Stick in Mud]

We talking about a 20 ft Ranger or a 14 ft old red Lund?

For what it's worth, my dad didn't let me take the boat out alone until I had a salary that would've allowed me to replace it if something bad happened. Which essentially means I didn't take it out until I was out of college.

[highlife4me]

We talking about a 20 ft Ranger or a 14 ft old red Lund?

+1

[Old Dewjabber]

+1

Nope not this early in the year! At least not my boat! To many little things could go wrong, which some big could happen! I hate borrowing things, as much as lending!

[Snowking]

It's a 16ft fisher with a 50 horse on it.

[highlife4me]

As long as she knows how to handle everything I would consider it.

[leechlake]

I'd let her take it and also let her know she'll have issues. Those little things you know about your boat she won't know. At the end of the day if she gets it home and she's safe and the boat is in good shape who cares. She may be bummed cause she couldn't figure some little thing out without calling dad (be available) but I hope to be in your situation some day. It's a blessing and a fantastic learning experience for both of you (dad trust's me).

[IcePro]

I feel age has nothing to do with it.

Demonstrating that she knows how to operate, trailer, load, etc. is far more important.

I know some adults that I would not trust.

[paceman]

That is a tough one. How old is she? You mentioned she knows how to back it down and unload it but has never loaded it without you. You did not mention if she knows how to handle it on the water, if she can drive it around safely, if she is a good safe respectful driver on the water than I would considerate it.

[Esox_Magnum]

If you trust her then yes, would I let mine no but she hasn't been around them enough to know what to do... I only trust 2 people I know to launch or tow mine and then only so it's in the water when I get off work so saves me time...

[Greenhornet84]

I would take her out before hand but just sit back and watch let her do everything that she will need to do to have a successful day on the water. Have a nice afternoon of fishing and maybe throw in some tips for what to do if some situations occur that she haven't seen before. I know at least in my boat there's so many odd ball little "tricks" you need to know to have a good day fishing. The more your on the water the more ya learn.

[pushbutton]

I say go for it.........with conditions......... kinda like mentioned above, maybe have her take you out on a test run first, where you just shut up watch. Then when she actually does go by herself, make sure it is on a close by, less crowded access/lake, and maybe only one other person with. In general girls are a lot smarter/more responsible than boys, and you should consider yourself lucky

[Stringerless!]

DON'T DO IT ! Wish I never taught my kids to fish now !! Just kidding but it does get frustrating when rods and lures are missing and I get the old " Not me ! " Boats out of gas all the time. Been through 3 motors in a few years. Scratches all over boat. Get off work early cause rain or something and get home to find both boats gone.Just Friday I bought a new battery. Was gonna go out last night for an hour or two. Battery gone ! No way to start. ( No recoil ). There is dear old Dad fishing on shore ! Just a warning. All in all I put up with it thinking there is a he11 of a lot worse things they could be into ! Good luck !

[MaxGoldman]

Haha this reminds me when my dad finally let me take the boat a few years ago. Some buddies and I went over to one of their uncle's places on a lake an hour from home. The forecast didn't show any signs of rain or anything so we weren't expecting weather. Well we were fishing and all of a sudden I noticed some dark clouds coming at us crazy fast! I kept tellin my buddies I think it's time to pack it in but they just kept laughing since they had a few adult beverages. Another minute went by and the clouds had moved a mile already almost on top of us, that's when they came to their sense and we realized something's not right. There wasn't any wind or rain yet and all of a sudden a light tornado came blazing over the trees a hundred yards away from us, picked up water and was swirling it all over, grabbed our hats and other loose debris. Luckily we were just a few hundred yards from where we launched (private) and got everything packed up in a flash without a scratch, just soaking clothes, my buddies said they'll never see me back the trailer down any faster lol.

Anyway I think it'd be good for her to take the wheel, she'll learn a hundred times faster!

[TravP]

DON'T DO IT ! Wish I never taught my kids to fish now !! Just kidding but it does get frustrating when rods and lures are missing and I get the old " Not me ! " Boats out of gas all the time. Been through 3 motors in a few years. Scratches all over boat. Get off work early cause rain or something and get home to find both boats gone.Just Friday I bought a new battery. Was gonna go out last night for an hour or two. Battery gone ! No way to start. ( No recoil ). There is dear old Dad fishing on shore ! Just a warning. All in all I put up with it thinking there is a he11 of a lot worse things they could be into ! Good luck !

That all depends on what you taught your kids... I've ALWAYS filled my dads boat when I borrowed it. I also plugged the batteries in etc. I say go for it.

[jentz]

Let her take! You'll both develope some respect for eachother,Lay down the rules and say break em and you'll have a hard time proving your responcible to do it again.Then say Have fun,Any problems while you have it try to handle them before you call me.But if you cant handel them call right away.Bring home fish,clean and I'll cook them.

[Finns]

So do you let your kids take your pride and joy out by them self?

My kids are my pride and joy!

My boat is just my boat.

[DrJuice1980]

We've all had our first times. I like the idea of taking you first and you not doing a thing unless necessary. You'll have yourself a better answer then.

[Down Deep]

As far as I'm concerned it isn't any different than letting them drive away in a car I own. The boat is probably a whole lot safer. This is a personal decision based on whether you think your daughter has the know how and maturity to handle it. If the answer is no, then the answer is no. Might be time for some dad, daughter and boat time.

[Coach1310]

So do you let your kids take your pride and joy out by them self?

My kids are my pride and joy!

My boat is just my boat.

THIS!!!

If you are worried about her safety, than obviously not. If you are worried about your boat, than shame on you. Are we really talking about choosing to know our boat is in tip top shape over providing a great experience for our kids? I know my Dad was nervous the first few times I took it, but I can guarantee he never considered saying no because he was worried about the darn boat, it would have been if he was worried about me. I loved my boat as much as anyone, but comparing that to experiences for my kids is no contest. I remember the pride I had the first time I took my Dads, didn't wreck anyhing and my buddies and I came back with a pile of fish. That is worth more than any boat!

[pushbutton]

Yeah, as the Mastercard commercial goes....the memories are priceless, and in the end is what really matters. This is my little buddy on his third birthday......with the present I just got him....well, that's we told mom any way

[Andrew Erickson]

my dad let me do it after I proved to him I could to through the process on my own. I'm sure someday when I have my own kids i'll do the same

[BoxMN]

my dad let me do it after I proved to him I could to through the process on my own. I'm sure someday when I have my own kids i'll do the same

This right here.

It is not about loving your boat more, as some have mentioned. Or even about how you raised kids, though the proving grounds will show some of that.

nobody would let a kid or anyone take and drive a car without a license right? And getting a license is basically proving they are ready for a car, and that they will likely be safe out there. And a boat is no different IMHO. You want them to be safe, but they also must respect all aspects of borrowing or using things, that includes using it safely and with respect.

I love the idea of her taking you out and doing all the process herself to prove she can do it, and come back in one piece. My Dad let me take his boat (our boat) at 16, to Mille Lacs even. No problems, and we even still have the boat 31 years later

[chasineyes]

You mention she's been driving for a "couple years". So in my mind she's 18'ish? When I was 16 I was taking my dads Procraft bass boat out every weekend. Never had any problems, and when I did, THAT CREATED A TEACHING MOMENT.

One thing I would like to track here is how many "metro" people would say NO and how many "outstate" people would say YES. Where I grew up EVERYONE kid/guy was taking out their parents boat. I will admit, the lakes in Southern MN aren't exactly like Prior, Minnetonka, St. Croix etc..

Hnestly who cares if it's a Ranger or a cheap Lund.

[CrewJones]

so it seems that cruddy boat my dad bought me when i was 15 wasn't because I was such a good kid after all. It seems it was so my grubby hands didn't mess his stuff up. I will def. do the same when I have kids, worked very well.

I did still rifle through his tackle box, after a couple years he only had crappy lures left anyway, the rest were snagged in the rocks off the dock