Kids docking boat - opinions?

[willyswagon]

It's a great thing if you can get your kids tieing up the boat by the time they're 10, docking, and launching by the time they're 12. It's so much easier teaching them before they learn to drive a car. Then they don't have the dirty habit of hands @10 & 2. Newbies need to realize that it is one hand on the wheel, one hand always on the throttle. Proper use of the throttle is what makes a true boat handler. The throttle controls the trust that actually allows the boat to maintain course, pivots the boat at the appropriate time during the docking sequence, and provides the brakes and transverse thrust to bring the boat along side in a parallel motion.

It is so much easier to teach to someone that has no bad habits.

PS Teach all newbies to never fend off with their hands or feet( Ya can't fixed crushed hands). Place a couple of fenders out as normal, then keep a fender on a rope to be placed as required between the boat the wharf if the boat is about to contact the wharf. This is how we teach our students at work.

[Tuscany]

The big lake and the 11 Mph current that passes near Buffalo makes it a real challenge sometimes.
A rudder indicator...My biggest order regret that I hope I can add.

[MnLakeBum]

I started docking the boat before age 10 but it was only a 19’ ski boat and I had already been taking the 14’ fishing boat out for the day by myself at age 8 or 9. My kids were new boaters last summer at ages 13, 18, and 20 and only my son who is the oldest was capable of docking the boats last summer. He did have a small mishap pulling the pontoon into the lift but luckily no damage to the lift or boat. I sent both my girls to the boaters safety course last summer and I’m sure this year they will both be able to dock either boat no problem.

[gdane]

Bum, Sent my kids to boaters safety. Then started them off slowly at first but now they are better drivers and dockers of boats than myself.

[akorcovelos]

My 5 year old can do everything except dock, including navigating the no wake channels where he has to manage the low sped wander which was much works on my old Alpha 1 than then B3 in the Cobalt. My 3 year old is learning now, and due to sibling rivalry is learning much faster than my older son. I think my 5-soon to be 6 year old will be docking this summer.

[Kate]

what age was it you started to let kids dock the boat ......or even just operate the boat?

It's not age, but maturity and confidence. There are "adults" I wouldn't allow within a zip code of the captain's chair. This child (age 4!) I'd allow to dock in a thunderstorm.

[Big Block Power]

what age was it you started to let kids dock the boat ......or even just operate the boat?

It's not age, but maturity and confidence. There are "adults" I wouldn't allow within a zip code of the captain's chair. This child (age 4!) I'd allow to dock in a thunderstorm.

Hey Kate
Is that Parker in that excavator? Have you seen Parker and Mitch drive a boat. No way I wouldn't let him in my chair

[NautiGirl]

what age was it you started to let kids dock the boat ......or even just operate the boat?

It's not age, but maturity and confidence. There are "adults" I wouldn't allow within a zip code of the captain's chair. This child (age 4!) I'd allow to dock in a thunderstorm.

Damn it, why won't anyone named Kate let me drive a boat.

[Big Block Power]

what age was it you started to let kids dock the boat ......or even just operate the boat?

It's not age, but maturity and confidence. There are "adults" I wouldn't allow within a zip code of the captain's chair. This child (age 4!) I'd allow to dock in a thunderstorm.

Damn it, why won't anyone named Kate let me drive a boat.

Because everytime you do it gets more chunks takin out of it

[Kate]

what age was it you started to let kids dock the boat ......or even just operate the boat?

It's not age, but maturity and confidence. There are "adults" I wouldn't allow within a zip code of the captain's chair. This child (age 4!) I'd allow to dock in a thunderstorm.

Damn it, why won't anyone named Kate let me drive a boat.

Because Kates know that water is good for boats . . . rocks, not so much.

[akorcovelos]

It's not age, but maturity and confidence. There are "adults" I wouldn't allow within a zip code of the captain's chair. This child (age 4!) I'd allow to dock in a thunderstorm.

Damn it, why won't anyone named Kate let me drive a boat.

Because Kates know that water is good for boats . . . rocks, not so much.

You have to admit, if you’re going to ground on rocks this person nailed the landing.