Always double check behind your friends or family if they help getting the boat ready...

[haknslash]

Sunday when we were leaving the lake we made it in just before a storm rolled in and the bottom fell out. As I'm going over the transom straps my friend installed (too loose for my tastes so I redid them without him knowing lol), I forgot to double check when he connected the trailer wiring to my truck. Usually I prefer to do all of the trailer checklist myself as I have a bit of OCD and I like to know it's done to my liking but he was helping out since rain was coming. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the help but man it sucks I need to buy a new adapter and a new 5-pin pigtail since the trailer side connector was ground to nothing too.

The trailer lights were working and at some point down the interstate my 7-pin to 5-pin connector became disconnected. Poor thing grinder itself to death lol.

 

[Bruce]

I prefer to cut off the 5 pin connector and install a 7 pin connector on the wires.

 

[MrMoose]

That sucks @haknslash, sorry about that.
You're right when it comes to the boat. Ultimate responsibility falls on the captain, and unfortunately I find that crew and passengers don't seem to possess an appropriate level of common sense to be trusted on my boat, so far anyway.

 

[robert843]

I agree I gave up on letting others help a while ago I just do it all myself. Most the time I try to even leave before everyone else so no one can even offer to help I found it takes twice as long when I have other in listing there assistance.

 

[rkluck]

I hate that for you. I know we wish everyone did everything the way we want to do them but many times the help I get is from people who don't really what to do or do they best they can. At least they offer. Many don't even do that. I will go around and just double check things to make sure what they helped with is Ok.

 

[Bennie]

That sucks @haknslash, sorry about that.
You're right when it comes to the boat. Ultimate responsibility falls on the captain, and unfortunately I find that crew and passengers don't seem to possess an appropriate level of common sense to be trusted on my boat, so far anyway.

Thank God for my wife! She's the ONLY other person in can trust when it comes to the boat. Other buddies will help but she just knows the routine and is also attached to the same checking account that would be effected if something broke (key part!)

 

[Gym]

I always turn down help. Not so much that I don't trust or appreciate their help but more because I forget things if I don't do them my way and in my order.

When I get that look after telling them it's a one man job I usually come back with, "actually you could help. Could you go up to the house, open the hot tub, crack open a couple of beers and I'll be right up." That usually changes their focus real quick.

 

[Bill D]

@haknslash I was always bothered by using an adapter, so like @Bruce suggested, I cut the 5-pin off and installed a 7-pin plug. Btw, the plug was cheaper than the adapter, so it was a win-win.

Let me know if you want to do it and need any help!

 

[haknslash]

The 7 pin uses a different color coding compared to 5 pin, correct? What colors from a 7 pin connector go to what colors on the 5 pin trailer?

I agree I'd rather get a 7 pin connector and wire it up than deal with an adapter that I always remove after launching so it doesn't get stolen.

 

[Ronnie]

@haknslash , that sucks but at least it was a relatively cheap lesson, when I saw the title I thought I was going to be reading about fiber glass damage and/or personal injury. Briefly stated, it comes down to doing what you stated in the title of this thread, especially when it comes to trailering, before my tow vehicle is put in drive I will double if not triple check that everything is "right", sometimes this means walking the rig twice or putting it in park before we get on the freeway and checking it again, so be it, I've never fielded a complaint and the verification relieves me of undue stress.

My take after being on the water for 25+ years is to trust and train very few people when it comes to the boat and pwcs. Some of my friends have their own boats, have been on the water longer than I and trained me I initially or still do, most of them "get it" and often don't just offer to help, they do whatever needs to be done (like deploy the fenders and docking lines, pull the anchor, etc.). My son has been watching and helping me prep and stow the water toys for years now and so has become a good but slow in the making first mate, I can't wait until he gets his driver's license. My wife sometimes points out things I've missed or just haven't gotten to yet but otherwise she and our friends are clueless when it comes to boating. However they do try and are good with things like putting up and stowing the Bimini top, setting up the BBQ, cooking, cleaning, etc. while we are underway.

 

[Zarrella]

I too am OCD about doing it all myself.....until my wife started taking charge of all the trailer duties while I secure the boat.
Now I get told....if I try to help her! She usually tells me to get her a drink and meet her in the truck!

 

[KXCam22]

I always do a once around look. Now I even have to do it for myself (old and stupid). Cam.

 

[ncnmra]

I hear you. I was just talking about this exact topic with my father too. Even if you have two experienced boaters, it can lead to a disaster if you assume that the other did something. I always politely ask any guests, etc to mind packing their stuff up and or watching my kids. The best help is if everyone buggers off for 5 minutes so that I can concentrate on my checklist. Even someone standing nearby making small-talk to "keep me company" has caused me to forget things. Fortunately, I keep my boat on a rack at the marina, so trailering is a rarer occasion, but even then, I have a lengthy checklist of before and after items to take care of.

 

[OrangeTJ]

When guests offer to help, I almost always ask them to help with cleaning out the boat and/or wipe down. Hard to mess that up, it's a help, and it lets them be involved.