Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

I neighbor of mine just bought a 22' Shockwave. He went to pick it up and the saleman said, "do you have any questions?" ....that's it!!
He never showed him around the boat, gave him a quick lesson on procedures to use the boat, gave him an idea of what safety equipment needed, etc...

No wonder why we have so many boaters on the water having accidents these days. :( I know not all manufacturers are doing this, but alot of them are. The marine industry should wake up and smell the coffee. Every year it's getting harder to boat with restrictions, etc....

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

ABSOLUTELY. Every customer of my dealership gets UNLIMITED time with a uniformed, trained captain. The process includes "first day" delivery with an emphasis on the particular boat and basic safety and hands-on running the boat for 1-3 hours. The next "class is on docking, trailer loading, putting gas in etc. The third one is on navigation and to cover any areas the customer is not clear about. This usually totals 8-10 hours of training before we really "let" the customer just take off. For real high-powered stuff I will take them to the factory for hands-on Reggie training (100 MPH+). Dealers who just give someone the keys should be held just as liable as the operator if a problem occurs.

Whew! My .02!!

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

While it is cool that your higher end dealers like Bill go the extra mile... I think that it is the buyer's responsibility to learn safe boating skills and practice them.

It's still a nice touch when certain dealers do this.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

A buddy of mine has been selling runabouts and skis for years. Awhile back he took a new job at another dealership. On the day of delivery for the first boat he sold there, he came in and hooked the boat up to his own truck. They thought he was nuts and asked what he was doing. Not one person at that dealership even had an interest in going out on the water...EVER. They couldn't believe he was going to water deliver the boat. (And they wonder why they went out of business a few years later)

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

So let me ask you this:

Do you think there is a viable market for a person with good boat handling skills (such as myself) to start a business that would allow boat dealers to "hire out" the delivery process? I don't have a captains license, but would be willing to get one if that's what it took.

Think about it... all the dealer would have to do is contact me (or whomever) to do the delivery... handle all the training, etc... with no liabllity to the dealer? Does anyone thing this could turn into a viable job market? I could see a small service like this being busy from ice out to
Christmas around here!

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

I see your point, but when you buy a car they dont teach you how to drive it.

What about when you buy a used boat?

I think its the responsiblity of the driver.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

I don't like the government to interfere in my life anymore than they already do. That being said, I believe that you should be required to have a license to drive a boat. No different than a car or motorcycle. And you have to pass tests to acquire these. In some states boating violations go against your drivers licenses anyway.

Just my opinion.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Foul that may be an idea to look inot but at the same time do YOU want the liability if they were to do something wrong and blame you for something you may have forgot to tell them? Theres TONS of things that happen on the water that you can only get from experience you wouldnt be able to teach people in just a few hours of opperation.

On a side note.....i believe that they should make it mandatory to go through the powersquadron saftey course before they let you get insurance on a boat...that would atleast give newbies a good overview of thinngs to come....

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Since neither foul or I can keep a boat running and in the water, maybe we should get our captain's licenses and drive YOUR boats. :D

I don't want the liability of training newbies.... but I would be very happy transporting cruisers to and from Florida for old people.

Sorry... just dreaming.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Since your talking boating.....does that make it WET DREAMING? :eek: :D

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Exactly!!! You can't blame a dealer for the boat buyers inexperience as well as for the reason why there are boating accidents. Thats retarded. Ultimately, it's the responsibility of the boater him/herself to become educated on safe boating, ect... I do agree it is great customer service when dealers provide extra info.
I read in the news the other day that some girl was on her way home from a car dealership with her newly purchased car and got into an accident. Should we blame the car dealership for not asking her if she knew safe driving habits?

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

To most of us here on the boards we look at accidents and think "WTF were they thinking?" when infact people just assume things when they dont know any better.

Take the story i read about some motorhome company that was sued by a lady that bought a biga$$ motorhome and drove it home on the highway.......she set the cruise controll and went to the back to make a sandwhich!!! You can guess what happened next....she sued the company cause no one said she could do that!!!! AND SHE WON! :mad: You read something like that and think, Is she retarded? does she have ANY common sense?? Well when it comes to covering you a$$ from lawsuits now a days you need to explain things to people like they are 5yr old kids!!! :mad:

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

I pictured myself at the helm on a flybridge, waiting to lock through somewhere and smiling at the pretty lock girls.
I think we have our answer. :D

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

I think a basic hands on boating instruction is really needed by a lot of people out there ,the problem i see is most of them think that there is nothing to handling a boat and they will pick it up soon enough.

I see alot of older people down here that could definitely use some instruction and hands on rules of the road.A lot of people take boating safety and power squadron courses and thats a good start,but really lack any hands on experience and coudn,t began to dock their boat in any thing but the best of conditions..not to mention trailering ,anchoring, etc.

Even the captains license is a real joke that proves nothing other than that you know how to study for an exam and pass it.It does not have any hands on exam.I know this from my own experience from being in the position of hiring captains for my 15 years in the parasail business.I would get a lot of applicants that would apply wanting to be referred as CAPTAIN so and so and i would put them behind the wheel and they could barely handle the boat much less fly a parasail behind ,but thats another story.

So to answer your question mike i would say yes there has to be a market for it,and going to the dealers would be a good start.There is nothing to getting a captains license other than getting another captain to verify some sea time for you which is cake, and 40 hours of instruction and an exam and about a thousand bucks.For what you want to do a captains licensee is not required since you are offering instruction not a captaining service. Go for it.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Are you serious? She won???
What the f????
Some people are so retarded. I think I'll go dig my eyes out :eek:

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Sorry, but this sounds to me like someone just went to McDonalds and bought a cup of hot coffee :(

Why can people not own up to thier own responsibility and get the training ahead of time.

You go buy a motorcycle, they do not teach you to drive it
Same with a car, motorhome or even a bicycle.

YES Licensing should be required for boating, the same as any other power equipement. Hell the thing does not have brakes :(

By the way, next time yuo go and buy a lawn mower make sure you sign up for the training class! :rolleyes:

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

By the way, next time yuo go and buy a lawn mower make sure you sign up for the training class! :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

LMAO!!!!!!!! :p

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

You know now that you bring up the whole licensing thing and look at what you have to have just to ride a motorcycle in which you are most likely the only one that could be injured on it and than see what some NEWBIE in a 70mph 30 footer is required to have ,and it just doesn't make since that there is no license required.
But my brother inlaw brought up a good point a while back after my 73 year old dad bought a new 45 foot 40,ooo pound motorhome.He says isn't funny that he has to have a CDL and a yearly physical to drive a semi but some 80 year old guy can buy a 50 foot PREVOST bus and drive with no instruction.license ,or physical.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Thats true about the motor home statement....but on the flip side how many 80yr olds are willing to drive more then 8 hours to their destination straight through? They are not out there trying to make a living....just maxin and relaxin during their retirement......
Some lisecing should be required for motor vechicle that could potentially cause death to others.....ut the way the DMV places are so F%$kd up right now it gonna happen for a long long time :(

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Back when I was in College and working at a marina, I kinda helped with this end of the sale. Some salesmen, once the the sale is done they are on to the next person to prey on. Yet, Some wouldn't let anyone else talk to their customers in fear of losing the next sale.......Still I would help show the new owners around their new boat, but I never really got the chance to take them out on the water and spend 1/2 a day showing them how to dock, load, launch, drive the boat unless I was delivering the boat to theor dock and they were giving me a ride back to the marina.

Is there a need for this..........Yes

Will a marina owner pay you to come onto their property and show their latest customers how to drive a boat.......doubtful

Will a new boat owner seek this kind of person out to get instruction from.........Not really, Just like when we started boating.........we thought we knew EVERYTHING!!!

If the new boat owners insurance company required this, then yes, marinas would either educate one of their own employee's on how to do this (i.e. Get Certified)
or the new owners would seek out on their own a Certified instructor.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

If I were to start a business like that, I'd make sure to get a signed contract stating I am in no way, shape, or form responsible for what happens after the boat I am delivering to it's new owner leaves my hands. I could see a couple hours of training in launching, tieing off to a dock, another boat, basic seamanship skills, re-fueling, and retrieving the boat back onto the trailer. That's about all I'd be interested in teaching. I've been doing all these things mis-hap free for many, many years. I've taken the power squadren courses and have a LOT of hours behind the wheel of many types of watercraft. I just have to wonder if the dealers would be willing to offer this kind of service as a "delivery package" deal on a new or used boat?

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Foul'
I don't think the dealers would be willing to offer this unless they were required to.............................

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Okay everyone...I think I might not have been that clear.....I wasn't saying that a dealer should be responsible for an inexperienced boater.
What I am saying is that whover sells a boat, new or used, the seller or dealer should take the time out to go over the features of the boat. Inform the customer about any safety items or hazardous items, make sure they have knowledge of how to launch or retrieve a boat., make sure they even know what safety gear (lifejackets, flares, horn) is mandatory.

Buyafountain....KUDOS to you for the time you take to inform a boater of their boat and boating safety. :drink:

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Okay everyone...I think I might not have been that clear.....I wasn't saying that a dealer should be responsible for an inexperienced boater.
What I am saying is that whover sells a boat, new or used, the seller or dealer should take the time out to go over the features of the boat. Inform the customer about any safety items or hazardous items, make sure they have knowledge of how to launch or retrieve a boat., make sure they even know what safety gear (lifejackets, flares, horn) is mandatory.

Buyafountain....KUDOS to you for the time you take to inform a boater of their boat and boating safety.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

You are probably right, but if it comes down to that (and there has been talk of this very thing here in Michigan) it seems like it could be a viable service to offer.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Yesterday I saw some idiot in a 18 foot run about with a 125 ouboard doing donuts like he was on a jet ski,, my buddy and I sat there in amazement waiting for this numb nuts to flip and roll... To make matters worse he was zipping in and out of the ramp at full speed :rolleyes: :rolleyes: and passed within about 30 feet of us while we were stopped on our ski's... :mad:

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

You do realize that in most other warm countries the girls don't shave (or hardly wash) I can see the 23 yr old
"hottie" at the panama canal locks with no teeth and 4 kids to feed. (Not to bust your bubble or anything :eek: :D )

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

The cost to a dealer or marina are NOTHING. I have had roughly 3 or 4 training captains over the past 10 years. I pay them an avg. of 20-25/hr. They typically log 8-10 hours w/ a customer. Thats approx. 160-250.00. If that is unafordable they don't need to be in business.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Did your neighbor ask any questions about the boat? I am friends with Barry at Shockwave, and from my experience with him he has been more than happy to educate his customers on their boats. Barry is a boater and I know that he has taken his customers to the lake in their boats many times to show them how to operate them.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

My boat salesman took me to the boat...showed me that everything on the invoice was actually on the boat...of course a few things were missing and noted...then a Sargent Sacto Salute and away I went...by myself!

...I think anyone buying a boat capable of going
80-150 mph...needs a few lessons over a period of time....maybe over a 2 week span say 6-10 hours.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

I don't know exactly. My neighbor only told me what I previously mentioned. I went to look at the boat when he brought it home, and he had alot of questions, so I know that the people @ Shockwave didn't really go over any details with him.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Even Kachina who is a small west coast builder delivers all their boats on the water. You pick it up at the factory, follow the tech to the lake, he drives it off the trailer, runs around for about half an hour, comes back to get you at the marina, shows you how to run it, trim it, operate everything and then shows you how to put back on the trailer and secure it. I can't imagine a new boater just hooking up the boat for the first time and going home. At least they water test all the boats too, so you aren't the first guy to drop it in the lake, he wont let a boat go home with being delivered at the lake period. Even my buddy who just bought his second one from him had to go through the process again.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

Hey tommy- Holland is full of them right now! Neighbor bought a new 38 bus few years ago and wasn't long before he made it a convertible - blamed the bridge height on the wife- peeled it whole. Some companies that have had lawsuits are getting quite tight with their dealers - friend bought a Honda atv for his son and less than 48hrs later got a call from Honda hqts asking if the dealer had shown them the video and did the safety checklist.

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

My dad has traveled the whole uinted states in the last 7 years with these motorhome rallys that they some times hook up with and my dad is a great driver but he's getting up there in years ,when i say dad how much longer doyou think you can drive around like that, he just tells me that he is the young one at most of these rallys and it's mostly the wives driving because the old man is on oxygen. :eek: :eek:

Re: Part of the problem today with boaters......
 

I used to own a Polaris dealership, and they did follow ups with customers all the time to make sure we were doing proper training and education on skis and atvs. (we didn't sell sleds) When I bought my Donzi the dealer did thorough in water training with me.