Bada Bling and What are your rules?????

[Devildog]

Bling'd up the interior yesterday for the first time. Based on many of your comments, I bought the Boat Bling Vinyl and Conditioner products off Amazon. Just a smidge under $50 for both.

Tough to tell the results after just one application. The Vinyl product did remove many of the smaller stains/etc., but there were a couple of other ones that still need some help. The Conditioner product smelled great (as many of you guys have mentioned) and was easy to use. All in all, it took me about an hour to apply both products to all of the vinyl on the swim platform and interior. I am sure this time will be reduced once I get into a routine.

On another note, I find it comical and interesting at some of the rules that boaters have for their boats. But totally respect them as well. Was talking to a co-worker last week and she forbids red wine and Cheetos on her boat. She says that when people eat Cheetos, her boat gets orange powdered finger prints all over the place. She says especially the big barrel of cheese balls . Not allowing red wine is understandable. Another buddy of mine does not allow any spray lotions. Again, totally understand. I may have to start this one after a few stains in my boat I believe are from the lotions.

What do you guys forbid on your boats? Happy 4th ALL!!

 

[txav8r]

I only forbid the tanning oils. Lotions are fine and won't stain. Zep vinyl cleaner will remove red wine as well as the orange from cheetos...but it is a PIA to have to clean up. Not mentioned are the fruit drinks the kids drink in the boxes with the little straw, some of those stain bad and they are hard to remove. We enjoy red wines on our boat but don't eat or drink the other things so no big issue there. However, you bring up a good point of conversation here, because I am to be a grandpa either this month or beginning of August, and my grand daughter may get to eat or drink whatever she wants or maybe not. There are plenty of snacks and drinks to enjoy without using ones that cause you more work. And I guess we will make our own rules to deal with that. My solution works well, but it too isn't 100%, that is large non breakable stemless wine tumblers that don't allow wine to splash out easily.

 

[Wayloncle]

I don't like spray sunblock on the boat either, it'll leave a film on the seats and stuff, Actually, I don't like it at all, i think you waste more product than you use in a can.
I frequently see people trying to spray themselves in the wind and nothing gets on them.
When my wife used to buy it she didn't understand why I would spray it in my hand and wipe it on me

We had some friends out last year, their two boys and mine were in the bow eating Pringles, they were cracking up because the wind would pull a chip out of the can and that one would break if they held it up, their dad was getting pissed but it didn't bother me, it'll wash out.

 

[Eric Popper]

1) No stepping on upholstery with shoes. Bare feet only. I have a friend that doesn't allow shoes on his boat unless carried.

2) The food rules are moving targets. We bring boat appropriate food but friends always insist on bringing something, no matter how much we beg them not to. A good friend that is always with us insists on bringing something and it always is the messiest food possible. I joked to her recently that she should just go for the gold medal and bring a fondue pot.

However, anything with icing, cheetos, red-wine, glass bottles, and ice-cream are all no go...

Preferred foods are chips and guacamole, pretzels and Owl's Nest Cheese, pre-cut fruit with grapes being number one, sandwiches, small cookies, potato chips, etc...

3) Spray lotion is an absolute disaster on a clean boat. No go. Gets on everything including sunglasses. Impossible to clean. I would almost rather have smoking on my boat than this, almost....

4) No smoking. Anywhere on boat. At anytime.

5) It's my boat, I make the rules, and they can be changed multiple times during the same outing.

6) Boat Bling products rule. The whole interior is cleaned with Vinyl Sauce (upholstery) and windex (gelcoat) at the end of each trip. It can be a pain, but it pays off the next time that you go out and show up to a perfect boat.

E

 

[Wayloncle]

1) No stepping on upholstery with shoes. Bare feet only. I have a friend that doesn't allow shoes on his boat unless carried.
2) The food rules are moving targets. We bring boat appropriate food but friends always insist on bringing something. A good friend that is always with us insists on bringing something and it always is the messiest food possible. I joked to her recently that she should just go for the gold medal and bring a fondue pot.

However, anything with icing, cheetos, red-wine, glass bottles, and ice-cream are all no go...

3) Spray lotion is an absolute disaster on a clean boat. No go.

4) No smoking. Anywhere on boat. At anytime.

5) It's my boat, I make the rules, and they can be changed multiple times during the same outing.

E

I like your #5

 

[scokill]

I have similar rules for family but guests and friends are invited and honored on my boat. They bring self and drinks and I guide them on etiquette if they aren't boat people, but don't bark rules at them nor place signage.

 

[Bennie]

Respect my stuff and I promise not to leave you away from your car!!

• First off you WILL go through my Boat Safety orientation. How to use PFD/fire extinguishers and their location(s), sit when I say sit, how to put engine into neutral and deploy anchor, don't touch = ask first.
• Accidents happen and I keep a few Magic Erasers on the boat just for that. Simple rule - you make the mess, you clean it. If you don't clean you don't get back on my boat!!
• As for the food I don't really care -- just eat it on the beach and wash your hands before you get back on the boat. If you want to eat on the boat - buy your own boat!
  • That said we will eat sandwiches and chips on the boat. But the wife makes the food and cleans the interior - so I just say 'thank you'
• Wine is ok. If it's in my hand or my wife's :-D
• I'm with @Eric Popper - No smoking and It's my boat... ( love that one!!)
• We use spray lotion - down wind. If someone can't figure that out I can't help them.
• Have fun - if you're a downer I know where your car is and I can drop you off there (well maybe a few feet away, let you swim the rest)

Boat Bling - haven't used it yet. But these threads are slowly selling me on trying it out. So far we just clean it and keep the boat covered.

 

[Glassman]

Wait...what?..

You guys let other people on your boats??

 

[Eric Popper]

You may be on to something!

Wait...what?..

You guys let other people on your boats??

 

[Glen]

Been boating my whole life-
Maybe it is like have 12 kids or something. Over time, experience (or laziness) sets in-
Bottom-line for us is that the only thing on the boat that is really valuable is the people.
The boats job is to provide an environment where the people enjoy themselves and we learn more about each other.
It is an advanced consumable.
I accept that dings and stains are part of that (like wrinkles and fat on me), but keeping it ding/stain free, is not the mission.
I respect the rules of others and if a guest is disrespectful to our 'asset', then they will be asked to adjust.
We just don't have many 'going in' rules, for day boating.
Now, our kids are 17, 15, 13 so most of the little kid controls are no longer necessary.

Enjoy your boat, boating and people you share them with!

.02

 

[jawsf16]

Well said @Glen

My rules are be safe and have fun! Everything else will work out.

 

[Eric Popper]

Actually, the context of the thread was food and stuff, but safety is paramount.

Safety Rules:

1) I Brief everyone that hasn't been out before that they may want to help, but not to unless I (or whomever is driving) asks. This includes ropes, cleaning, docking, trailering, etc. I make a point to let them know that no one's hands should be outside the boat while docking unless specifically asked. It looks harmless to try to grab the dock or a mooring rail while docking, but someone can get hurt. Especially kids. I have found that it helps to give people jobs if they want to help so I get productive help and I know who is doing what.

2) All kids must be "butts on seats" while seated in the bow. This is to prevent a chin from coming down on the rails in chop.

3) No diving from boat unless I say it's OK. Feet first. Don't want anyone diving into shallows.

4) We try to boat during the week, when the crowds are down. If we're out on weekends, we usually don't tube or ski unless conditions are right. Too much traffic and too many unpredictable people. I set this expectation before getting to the boat so there's no disappointment.

5) No barefoot on docks. All of the docks on our lake are wood and splinters are a reality.

6) Have good safe fun! In 4 and a half seasons we have had no injuries so far (knock on wood) and have built a lifetime of good memories!

E

 

[JerryG]

Short and simple. No shoes, no messy food and don't let my boat touch the dock!

 

[Devildog]

Safety Rules:

1) I Brief everyone that hasn't been out before that they may want to help, but not to unless I (or whomever is driving) asks. This includes ropes, cleaning, docking, trailering, etc. I make a point to let them know that no one's hands should be outside the boat while docking unless specifically asked. It looks harmless to try to grab the dock or a mooring rail while docking, but someone can get hurt. Especially kids. I have found that it helps to give people jobs if they want to help so I get productive help and I know who is doing what.

2) All kids must be "butts on seats" while seated in the bow. This is to prevent a chin from coming down on the rails in chop.

3) No diving from boat unless I say it's OK. Feet first. Don't want anyone diving into shallows.

4) We try to boat during the week, when the crowds are down. If we're out on weekends, we usually don't tube or ski unless conditions are right. Too much traffic and too many unpredictable people. I set this expectation before getting to the boat so there's no disappointment.

5) No barefoot on docks. All of the docks on our lake are wood and splinters are a reality.

6) Have good safe fun! In 4 and a half seasons we have had no injuries so far (knock on wood) and have built a lifetime of good memories!

E

Not sure if you boat on the Chain, Popper. Agree that any moving water sports should be avoided on the Chain during weekends.

Had a dangerous one yesterday. My cousin and friends picked me up at the end of my pier with his 25" Bennington Tri Toon. As he as approaching the end of my pier to pick me up, one of his guests jumped off the bow into the water. She did not give any warning. So the boat was within 6 feet of the pier and coming in pretty hot. The girl almost got crushed between the boat and the pier. Thankfully my cousin threw the boat in reverse and I was trying to pull her up onto my swim platform. She had to go to the bathroom and thought that this was her chance before we got to our destination. She was laughing and smiling and had absolutely no clue how dangerous that was. She got a good tongue lashing from from the other guests. My cousin and I really didn't have to say anything because they reamed her so bad.

So needless to say, the multiple comments on this thread about setting a few boating expectations is important. But doing it in a way that you are not perceived as being a @%?$ is part of it as well.

Happy 4th!!

 

[Eric Popper]

Devildog,

Totally agree.

We boat almost exclusively on the COL and it can be an a-hole festival on the weekends. We have found a few times when we could tube or ski, but not always. We recently discovered Dunns Lake too which seems to be secluded and not a thru-fare. Sometimes Stanton Bay works. Otherwise we go to the sandbar or Pistakee Bay for swimming.

Don't mistake my lists that I posted for being an ass about the rules. I know your comments weren't aimed at me, but sometimes keyboard communication can be lacking in tone or follow-up.

The best way to lead as a Captain is to lead by example. Once you have to tell people that you're in charge, you've lost control.

In the case of the guest you jumped in like that, they are lucky.

E

 

[Devildog]

Devildog,

Totally agree.

We boat almost exclusively on the COL and it can be an a-hole festival on the weekends. We have found a few times when we could tube or ski, but not always. We recently discovered Dunns Lake too which seems to be secluded and not a thru-fare. Sometimes Stanton Bay works. Otherwise we go to the sandbar or Pistakee Bay for swimming.

Don't mistake my lists that I posted for being an ass about the rules. I know your comments weren't aimed at me, but sometimes keyboard communication can be lacking in tone or follow-up.

The best way to lead as a Captain is to lead by example. Once you have to tell people that you're in charge, you've lost control.

In the case of the guest you jumped in like that, they are lucky.

E

We'll be out on Channel Lake today. Either in the Western Cove or Sandbar. A little overcast, but that will probably not stop the masses from coming out. Should be a good 4th regardless. Enjoy!!

 

[Matt Phillips]

All new people go through a safety orientation on the boat. Beyond the usual safety things, I also show people what they can grab on to in regards to the tower vs. Bimini.

As for rules, here's a few of mine:

1. No spray sunscreen as at least 50% of it will land on the deck and on a moving deck it can become a safety hazard (that and I don't want to clean it up). As an alternative, might I suggest you use some of ours we keep on the boat (there's always an ample supply).

2. We are a small boat and we like to be balanced weight-wise port to starboard. As you're sitting, please try to balance yourself appropriately. People surprisingly do this rather well.

3. No red wine or grape juice. It stains.

4. The closet and floor storage locker are designated dry zones...nothing wet goes in there.

5. No one is allowed on the swim platform while the boat is moving. It's a a safety hazard and I'll get a ticket for it.

 

[Eric Popper]

We'll be out on Channel Lake today. Either in the Western Cove or Sandbar. A little overcast, but that will probably not stop the masses from coming out. Should be a good 4th regardless. Enjoy!!

We went out for the fireworks on Nippersink on the 2nd. Crowded but very good show.

Have fun!

E

 

[tdonoughue]

I love this thread. It has given me lots of ideas for my amended rules. Here are mine presently:
1) Follow directions. Don't worry, I will tell you what to do when.
2) Fire extinguishers are located forward the helm (x2) and by the batteries. If there is a fire in the engine DO NOT open the hatch.
3) Emergency exits are forward, aft, port and starboard.
4) Sunscreen on the swim deck only.
5) Here is the radio and the distress button. Waving your hands over your head means you need help, so don't say hi that way.
6) Here are the life jackets. If you are under whatever age I think is too small (or if one of your friends is), then you must wear one all the time until I tell you you can remove it. Otherwise, if you don't feel safe or if I tell you, put one on immediately.

I don't know that it is exactly a rule, but Doritos and Cheetos are also relegated to the swim deck.

I am definitely adding a tutorial on the lanyard...

 

[robert843]

No Bananas that is the only real rule on my boat. Thanks @tim h !