Is you spouse capable of driving your boat?

Can your Spouse drive the boat?

  • Yes - And can even dock it!

    Votes: 58 27.1%

  • Maybe, but not really comfortable driving.

    Votes: 115 53.7%

  • No - No interest, too scared.

    Votes: 37 17.3%

  • Where is the brake pedal?

    Votes: 4 1.9%
  • Total voters
    214
My wife liked to drive our 260 Wellcraft as soon as we left the marina until we were almost in...sometimes jumping up at the last moment and shouting "I'm done, you take over" when it started to get a little tight... This past summer she decided it was time to learn to drive the 370 a little better. We took a 4 day cruise and she drove thru 5 locks both ways and into the first marina with her father looking on from the dock as she backed the boat in perfectly next to theirs! Her smile did not go away for several days...although I still get the jumping out of the helm once in a while when she gets nervous. I still want her to take a woman's course so she get's more comfortable behind the wheel without my input.
 
Wife has no real interest. I have taught her the basics, gear and gas. I have however taught her how to use the VHF and the GPS so in the event something does happen she can hail someone and give them the coordinates of the boat!
 
Sloppy
 

Attachments

  • Gary [640x480].jpg
    Gary [640x480].jpg
    61.9 KB · Views: 136
My wife can handle the boat when I need her, but she is generally timid with her. She can not dock her, but if required she can get her in. She has taken the boater safety course and knows the basics.

Several years ago when we had our first boat, the 240, I was trying to teach her to dock. She was very timid and slow when shifting from forward to reverse. Well while she was at the helm she got a little too close to the pier for my liking and I got a little excited. In my moment of fair I yelled at her and called her by my ex wife’s name. Bad habit, and trust me not highly recommend here!:smt009
 
I agree, completely. In an emergency I don't think that age would count for much, but ability certainly would.

And, yes, my wife is quite adept at running our 'dancer, but a little more experience couldn't hurt either. Sounds like another summer project...
 
My wife is very good with our boat. When we bought it the dealer showed her how to take it on and off the trailer and she does it every time now. Course she would much rather drive the boat than back up my F250! LOL

However, she would rather me drive the boat on the lake so she can sight see and lay out! I get to dodge the crazy boaters and dash for a good cove to anchor in!
 
My wife USED to run our previous boat (26' Crownline). She even took the helm as I jackassed the anchor up and out (which involved putting a Bravo3 into and out of gear). She is either afraid of this boat or has lost interest completely. I have tried the old "suppose I have a heart attack" argument to no avail.

With the luxury of a windlass, she now minds the anchor while I'm at the helm. She is also an excellent deckhand, getting everything (lines & fenders) ready as we approach a foreign dock or a raft up and getting lines cast off and tied back up at our home slip.
 
hack4alivin said:
My wife can handle the boat when I need her, but she is generally timid with her. She can not dock her, but if required she can get her in. She has taken the boater safety course and knows the basics.

Several years ago when we had our first boat, the 240, I was trying to teach her to dock. She was very timid and slow when shifting from forward to reverse. Well while she was at the helm she got a little too close to the pier for my liking and I got a little excited. In my moment of fair I yelled at her and called her by my ex wife’s name. Bad habit, and trust me not highly recommend here!:smt009
Click to expand...

Well, there are way worse situations where you could yelled out your ex-wife's name. I'll just leave it at that! :wink:
 
In all seriousness, I think many women are cautious about taking the helm, not because they don't want to learn, but rather they don't want to disappoint the husband during their 'lesson' and utilmately don't want to do any damage to the boat. They avoid the lesson all together to avoid the stereotypical husband yelling at the wife when the do something wrong. I'm sure husbands don't mean to make their wifes feel like an ass, but I'm sure everyone has done it one time or another. I guess it's all about making them feel comfortable around the boat and realizing that as a 'teacher' you need to be calm and collected. Once you can do that she will be much more receptive and then teaching them to drive the boat will become the easy part.

Doug
 
douglee25 said:
In all seriousness, I think many women are cautious about taking the helm, not because they don't want to learn, but rather they don't want to disappoint the husband during their 'lesson' and utilmately don't want to do any damage to the boat. They avoid the lesson all together to avoid the stereotypical husband yelling at the wife when the do something wrong. I'm sure husbands don't mean to make their wifes feel like an ass, but I'm sure everyone has done it one time or another. I guess it's all about making them feel comfortable around the boat and realizing that as a 'teacher' you need to be calm and collected. Once you can do that she will be much more receptive and then teaching them to drive the boat will become the easy part.

Doug
Click to expand...

Maybe some wives. My wife, on the other hand, loathes having to admit that any man, especially me, knows something that she doesn't. Beyond that, she especially despises anyone correcting her mistakes
 
I guess you could throw that into the reasoning as well. Frustrating sometimes, isn't it?

Doug
 
fc3 said:
Maybe some wives. My wife, on the other hand, loathes having to admit that any man, especially me, knows something that she doesn't.
Click to expand...

I know how to pee standing up... my wife doesn't.
 
My wife can drive the boat and keep it in the channel. She is good with the ropes but has no interest in docking or learning more about navigation. She is getting better with the charts.


Jerry
 
My wife was an ace at docking our 18' runabout. She actually docked both the runabout and my buddy's 23' Rinker that she was towing, on the first try, onto either side of a finger dock. (I keep telling her it was shit luck, but she won't let me forget it!)

The Sea Ray she is a little more hesitatant on, but is eager to learn. We are going to spend some time practicing on the empty docks in our marina once the water gets less hard. I wonder how many fenders I can borrow for the practice? 50 or so should be good! :)

Actually I expect her to be better at it than me, she doesn't panic, as long as I'm not yelling at her, and she has WAY more patience than I do.

Hey, she's put up with me for 15 years, she HAS to be patient.

Cheers,

Randy.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,190
Messages
1,428,252
Members
61,100
Latest member
Raneyd85
Back
Top