Solo Boating?
 

Most of our boating outings are with other performance boaters. One day runs or a group will get slips for thew weekends. And then there are the poker runs and such. It's great fun to run with other boats and socialize.

A few years ago when I was single I would often haul my boat to the ocean and go out all by myself. The ramps at the ocean harbors are seldom crowded, especially during the week. I could easily back down the ramp, pull the boat off the trailer and tie it up, then pull the truck out and wash down the trailer without being in anyone's way.

Once the truck was parked I could take my time checking everything on the boat, fire it up and cast off. It was nice to be able to have the time to kind of play around with the boat and check things out without any distractions.

Once out past the breakwater I could run as hard or leisurely as I wanted, go where I wanted or stay out as long as I wanted. It always gave me such a satisfying feeling to go for a hard run by myself.

Even cleaning the boat afterwards was relaxing. No one rushing me or getting in the way, asking what they can do to help or (sometimes) messing stuff up. You can take your time, running your hands over every inch of the hull, wiping and polishing the stainless, checking fittings and clamps on the engines.

Don't get me wrong, I love boating with friends and family and getting help with the clean up but sometimes it's nice just to be by yourself and on your own time schedule.

Am I a loaner or does anyone else go solo boating?

Yeah, I love it... Very relaxing ( when I get the chance ) I can clean, organize or whatever in peace. Very few people I know outside of my hard core boating friends actually care about keeping a boat nice... Most just power wash theirs after a season and call it good. Took my brother in law out once... Should have seen his face when I handed him the " shoe bag" and smiled :)

I have no problem going out solo.

I like it as well and enjoy it for the exact same reasons as you do. Having the family on board is great too but they do not like to run the boat hard. They can also "get in the way" when cleaning. I have some OCD when it comes to cleaning the boat and actually prefer to do it by myself.

I'm with you. 90% of my boating is alone. I boat to relax. Most of the crowd I run with are more interested in getting to one spot, parking then drinking for the rest of the day. These folks aren't boaters just drunks with boating problems. I put my boat in the water to run it and run it hard not cocktail cruise.

I wanna run with Bob sometime! "...drunks with boating problems..." That's a man after your own heart.

Do it all the time and love it. Also one of the reasons I got a self inflating life vest and installed a lanyard.

I've only done it a few times and I did enjoy it. I'd like to do it more but I am always concerned that if I break I don't have a buddy to help out/tow me back.

I love having a small boat for this reason, I can launch,dock,beach or whaterver ALONE!
love it!

+1

Only been out a few times by myself, but I really ehjoyed it each time I did.

Boat solo a lot, love having people on board but....something special about being alone with the boat and the ocean

I don't mind solo boating. I used to do it more frequently back when I had a lot of weekday time on my hands. During the week it's hard to find any crew.

I love coming home during the week and just going out by myself, clears my mind and eases tension, I find when I dont do it for a long time I start getting grouchy..

I also like going out on runs and weekends with friends but not as relaxing to the mind.

There's no better feeling of freedom than being out on the water on your own, in command of your own boat, just you and the sea. When you just need to clear your head, there's no better prescription.

+1...use to be a bass fisherman so a lot of time on the water alone. I would also run the boat alone during the week later in the afternoon when I needed some time to relax and clear the head. Nice calm 70+ running and no worries because there were very few boats out. the sunsation is on a lift at the camp so now it's even easier to go out alone. I love it.

Can't think of anything better. Turn some music on, and go wherever you want, however fast you want. It is always relaxing

Exactly! Sometimes I'll leave work early during the week, or not go in at all ;)

Nice to go wherever, just cruise along, do what you want without having to listen to anyone or do anything. It's a great place to have some solo time.

Don't get to do it very often, so it remains special.

I usually take the wave runner or fishing boat for solo trips & the cat for two or more.

Couldn't have said it better!

Years ago with my old boat, I used to go out in the bay by myself constantly. During the week after work, the launch ramp is only a mile from storage so it was nice to go blow off some steam and get some city sights in while cruising. Great to be able to just enjoy running the boat without having anyone else there to entertain. I haven't taken the new boat out alone yet but I'm planning on it. Maybe a day trip early in the season to the lake alone. **** - I might even be able to launch before noon if I don't have to wait on other people. :)

+1

I do it all the time. Love it actually. One of the women from the marina always comments on it too... Says she wonders if I have any friends :lolhit:

I love boating by myself. No people complaining about the music you listen to, no yelling, no tripping over people and going as fast or as slow as I want. I take my time idling for a while, opening the hatch and just looking at everything while its running at idle. Something good about being by yourself at times. A LOT of my best boating days were always ruined by so call drunk friends by the end of the day.

I like going for car rides by myself and I love going for boat rides by myself...

About 6 or 7 years ago I got to the lake early for a 3 day weekend with friends. I decided to launch and take a cruise alone before anyone else showed up. Shut the boat down for a few minutes to chill and organize some gear. When I tried to fire it up - nothing.

It was a bit choppy and windy out as I was trying to figure out what was happening. Lifted the hatch and climbed into the engine bay with a beer in hand, determined to utilize my non-existent mechanical skills to fix this thing. Didn't help that I was slowly drifiting towards a rocky island. No radio, no anchor, and nobody in sight.

As I'm getting sick while being tossed around in the windblown chop, I'm literally just staring at and fumbling with anything around the motor. I finally starting peeking underneath towards the starter and found 6 wires of varying gauge just laying in the bilge. This can't be good. With the rocky shore now approaching fast and 3 beers deep, I finally figured out what happened. Don't ask me why, but the boat was rigged with 6 wires that were all connected to the now broken stud on the starter soleniod. It may have had 3 threads remaining.

I did what any other clueless solo boater would do praying for luck. I grabbed a 2' section of 12 gauge wire out of my tool bag, connected one end to the 6 wires and the other to the remaining threads on the starter solenoid stud. Hit the key and sure as hell the thing fired right up and I was outta there. I ended up roughly 30' from the rocks before I was able to start back up and leave.

Great solo boating day. Not sure what anyone could have done to help except drink beer (unless they had skills a notch better than mine). :lolhit:

I have Sunday and Mondays off every week I always go out by myself on Mondays it truly is beautiful not having to entertain everyone.

Loaner!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL :D

Used to take the Mini Hawk out alone to city island....a passenger is nice but.... its nice to relax by yourself and enjoy the day!

I don't get the chance to go out alone very often, but I always have a blast when I do. My guests generally prefer to just cruise around, so I don't tend to push it much but I like to whip her a lil' harder when it's just me.

:D

That dirves me nuts! My wife takes forever to get ready!

+10000000:poopoo:

Wake up Saturday morning, blue sky, great forecast. Friday Night's discussion was all about how great the weather was going to be. Wake up Saturday morning. We have to clean this and that. I mention the boat.























About 1:30 Saturday afternoon

We START to head to the boat.

SHE SHEEEEEEEEEEE wishes we had started out earlier:eekdrop:











This summer, I'm sleeping ON THE FRIGGIN BOAT FRIDAY NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!





EOM

It sounds like a few of us are dragging anchors ......:bsflag:....:picard1:....:boat:

Boating solo is relaxing. Don't get me wrong, it's always nice to have people around, especially if there is a problem. But going solo clears your head. I always felt the same on a motorcycle. It's just you and your thoughts. Either put the hammer down and go on a crazy all out cruise with nobodies life in your hands but your own, or take a nice easy going cruise and enjoy a cold beverage. Either way, enjoying boating solo does not make you a loner. I'm sure you work your butt off to have your stuff and sometimes it's nice to just go out and be proud of yourself

You hit the nail right on the head. I get up around 6:00AM and start washing, cleaning, and checking every single thing. She wakes up around 7:30AM and we still somehow never leave the house until 11:00. I will not ever figure this out or even try anymore. I have tried for the 9 years we've been together. I pre-pack everything the night before.

Did a major renovation to the boat dock and this first year I have been able to put the boat on a lift. One of the things I have been looking forward to is being able to take off work on a Friday and beat the wife to the lake house solo run the boat without my passenger seat revlimeter telling me to slow down every time she hears the blower spool up.:lolhit:

I spend a lot of time out running solo. I like having people along, but then you have to work around their timeframes/agendas, or them bailing out at the last minute after re-arranging my plans to accommodate.

If I'm solo, I leave when I want and go in when I want. Made many a day trip this past summer from Toledo to Kelleys for lunch and back, during the week (I work nights).

Al, now that you've painted this idyllic, rosy picture of boating solo, and being the boating Lone Wolf, how in the h*ll are you and rest of us boatless people suppose to get a ride now? :throw::D

Besides,

:worthless_without_p

I want to see happy people with no else in the boat. :D

Michael

Great thread! I love being out on the boat/water solo. I like company as well but having company is not relaxing and can add a degree of stress to your so called day of enjoyment.

I love getting up early on a Sat or Sun morning and getting to the boat by myself. Prepping, cleaning, tinkering all while listing to the tunes. Then taking a solo cruise before noon when my family/friends show up.