If he is so inconsiderate that he would TEXT, not call, you that he needed to borrow, not asked to borrow you boat, should tell you something about him. I would not loan my boat out to anybody. I would NEVER ask to borrow anybody's boat, friend or family. NONE of my friends would ever have such gall as to ask to borrow my boat. But, if they did, not loaning would not have as much to do with not trusting, as is would to do with..."what if something happens?" Has he completed a boater safety course? What is his boating experience with the type of boat he is borrowing. Sure, you can say if anything happens he should pay for it. But what if it is a mechanical failure. How do you know if it was faulty equipment, or was it something he did. What if he gets caught in unexpected bad weather that damages your boat? This can happen to anybody. What if he has an accident and it is his fault? It is YOUR insurance and YOU will be the one the insurance company comes after. What if it isnt his fault? If the at fault boater has no insurance, is your friend expected to replace/repair your boat? There are many things that can happen, and it isnt really fair, nor is there a way to anticipate any possible event. If your friend is insulted and angered by your refusal: 1. He has NO idea what he is asking; 2. Since he has no idea what he is asking, I seriously doubt if he would accept responsibility if something happened; 3. He isnt much of a friend!