your spouse

[cjaysanchez]

New to owning a boat. I will appreciate your feedback to what your involvement is of your spouse when boating. Specifically, backing-up the trailer during launch and retrieve, handling lines/boat anchor pole when docking, etc. We have been renting boats fo years, but the boats are on the water already and we hardly ever stopped anywhere to eat. We were mainly tubing, snorkeling, etc. I don't want to overwhelm her with some many requests, so if you could share how you got him/her started and what is she/he taking care of. I don't want to be the only one doing it all. Our kids are 9 and 4 in case you have your kids helping with wiping things etc.

 

[tdonoughue]

I think she went out with us one time, maybe two. She doesn't like the heat or how bouncy the boat is. Game over...

However, being married for nearly 3 decades, I will offer that you could ask her this same question you have asked us, along with that you don't want to overwhelm her. See what she says. You may find she has no interest or lots of interest, all of which may adjust what you suggest ultimately, for her to help.

 

[mwalker4]

She gets In the boat in the ready area. I back the boat down, undo the strap, she starts the engine and backs up with a shove. On the way home, she drops me off, I get the trailer and she drives the boat on to the trailer. I hook it up and pull to the clean up zone. Been doing it for 30 years.

 

[Nexus]

My spouse will generally get the lines ready as we come into dock. I'm getting her used to docking the boat at the slip. Baby steps...

 

[mwalker4]

BTW, where I boat, Alum Creek, there are 4 launches all being used at the same time with a long line waiting on weekends. It's almost mandatory to have a spouse or friend who drives a boat or backs up trailer. It gets testy if someone is blocking a lane for too long. They do have side docks if necessary, but that still takes time.

 

[Rowdie]

Use lines to load and unload boat from trailer.

the only time there’s drive on or off is solo.

 

[BigN8]

Damn, the title of this thread freaked me out at first since I had just posted pictures of "my spouse" in the show us your wives section, then I see a title called "your spouse" and thought......uh oh! Whew!

Best marriage advice ever.......rent a boat slip. No domestic boat ramp quarrel, you'll use your boat more, and you will boat at night more. It's worth the extra money.

 

[mkbcaptain]

Look Pretty, fetch beer, stay out of the way. Love her to death!

 

[dgfreeze]

We frequent different lakes, so a slip isn’t an option for us, but fortunately she took an interest in learning to back a trailer. While she is still slow, and learning, it’s better than trying to do it all myself. I’d suggest asking her if she’s interested in learning to either back the trailer, or load the boat. Just be patient. My wife works for a farm show, and we were able to use the outdoor show site as a place for her to practice. I had her back the full length of the show site, which is exactly one mile. It was noticeable how much better she got in that long, slow, seemingly never-ending mile. But that day really flipped a switch in her learning curve. Here again, it’s something she wanted to learn though... that’s important.

 

[JMDyamota]

When we first got the boat. I did everything. It took a little convincing and a bit of practice, but now my wife backs the boat/trailer down the ramp for launch and retrieve. Now we no longer have to dock the boat to launch and retrieve. Team work is so much better. It is also much faster, which is good on a busy ramp where tempers can run short.

Once out on the lake, we pretty much split driving duties. She usually drives when we are towing a boarder/tuber/skier, etc. She is not (yet!) comfortable docking the boat or driving it onto the trailer, so those are next on the list. I want her (and eventually the kids) to know how to do everything.

 

[rrmidden]

BTW, where I boat, Alum Creek, there are 4 launches all being used at the same time with a long line waiting on weekends. It's almost mandatory to have a spouse or friend who drives a boat or backs up trailer. It gets testy if someone is blocking a lane for too long. They do have side docks if necessary, but that still takes time.

Before the lake house, this, except I was in the boat and she backed the trailer in. Now, she hands me the cooler, and I lower the lift. She’ll still back the trailer in/out twice a year when we drop the boat in the spring and pull it out in the fall.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

New to owning a boat. I will appreciate your feedback to what your involvement is of your spouse when boating. Specifically, backing-up the trailer during launch and retrieve, handling lines/boat anchor pole when docking, etc. We have been renting boats fo years, but the boats are on the water already and we hardly ever stopped anywhere to eat. We were mainly tubing, snorkeling, etc. I don't want to overwhelm her with some many requests, so if you could share how you got him/her started and what is she/he taking care of. I don't want to be the only one doing it all. Our kids are 9 and 4 in case you have your kids helping with wiping things etc.

@cjaysanchez ......like @tdonoughue said what your wife thinks is more important than what we think, best policy is to just ask her.

 

[sunbyrned]

My wife tried once to launch the boat and dock it while I parked the SUV. She went in reverse and never looked back. Everyone behind her yelled and screamed and scrambled to get out of her way. She sat about 100 yards out and insisted I swim out to her because she was so rattled. Same day she tried to trailer the boat. Put a big gash in the hull. She’s done. I do it all now and I’m fine with that.

 

[Crob83]

She gets In the boat in the ready area. I back the boat down, undo the strap, she starts the engine and backs up with a shove. On the way home, she drops me off, I get the trailer and she drives the boat on to the trailer. I hook it up and pull to the clean up zone. Been doing it for 30 years.

Exactly the same way that I do it, and works like a charm!

 

[steve0617]

We put out 3 Sentry fenders and dock lines on the starboard side as that far side part of the 4 boat width ramp I prefer.

I back down/launch then throw her the lines. I unhook and push the boat off. She grabs the lines and walks the boat backwards to the far end of the dock (fortunately it’s 2 boats deep). I then park and hussle down the ramp. Board and go.

There’s too much traffic for us to leave the dock while parking and the attempt to return. So we block 1/8th of the entire dock spaces for about 5 minutes or so.

 

[topherbd16]

We bought our first boat this past June. My wife does a little, but she's too nervous to drive our truck and trailer, back the trailer, load the trailer or drive the boat near docks. She just wants the sun. She will park the truck and trailer after the boat is launched and she will pull the boat out of the water to the clean out area. She helps with plugs, transom straps, getting the batteries on and blower going. She will pull me when wakeboarding or surfing, but honestly, my 15 yo daughter is better at it, because she is much more engaged in learning how to work all of it (she wants to earn the right to take her friends out in it w/o me when she's 17 or 18... we'll see). Ridesteady (Xmas hopefully) will help my wife next summer to set it and go to be more comfortable pulling me. I'm not pushing her to learn how to drive it around near the docks just yet. When she's ready, I'll be ready to let her learn.

I think what got my wife interested was that I had her watch a youtube video on familiarizing yourself w/ your Yamaha 212x and how to launch it. She wanted to help with what she was comfortable doing. I've told her if she wants to help, then just ask what needs to be done. If she's not comfortable, don't do it, but no harm in practicing w/ guidance.

Like the others said, ask your wife if she is interested in helping... how you say it is important!

 

[Jim Davis]

With a bit of practice the wife is backing the trailer down like a pro. We use cell phones so if she gets in a jam I can tell her which way to turn the wheel but most of the time she is on top of it now. I mostly drive while on the lake but she does some.

 

[Captain_Ron65]

My wife is really good with the boat on the trailer, so she backs in down the ramp and I get the boat off the trailer and into the water. She does not like driving the boat around docks, so I handle that. she does like to be the captain when out on the lake, especially if she can get me on the tube. She does get the dock lines and bumpers ready when we are docking. She loves the boat and being on the lake so she will do just about whatever is needed, I am a lucky man!

 

[Drift Away]

New to owning a boat. I will appreciate your feedback to what your involvement is of your spouse when boating. Specifically, backing-up the trailer during launch and retrieve, handling lines/boat anchor pole when docking, etc. We have been renting boats fo years, but the boats are on the water already and we hardly ever stopped anywhere to eat. We were mainly tubing, snorkeling, etc. I don't want to overwhelm her with some many requests, so if you could share how you got him/her started and what is she/he taking care of. I don't want to be the only one doing it all. Our kids are 9 and 4 in case you have your kids helping with wiping things etc.

all you need to know

 

[Gump1976]

Everyone gets involved. Wife preps the bags for the day with towels, sunblock, food, drinks etc. While I’m outside uncovering / prepping and connecting trailer to hitch. Sometimes we do sandwiches other times burgers and dogs on the mini grill. At the ramp we have two dock lines connected to the starboard side. My son (12) takes one and my wife takes the other. I back it down with nothing connected to the boat and tap the breaks. She slides off the trailer and they pull the boat over to the dock while I pull away to park trailer. Once we get in and shove off they bring the lines and fenders in and stop them in the ski locker while I’m navigating away from the ramp through the creek. Upon returning while we’re getting to the ramp at no wake speeds my wife and son are assisting again, retrieving fenders and dock lines and connecting them to the boat. I drive the boat on to the trailer, lean over and connect the trailer winch to the boat the my wife gets in the truck and drives it up in to the lot so we can pull drain plug, etc. Once home that’s where my 7 yr old girl comes to life and will not let me clean up the boat on my own, which is great! After the boat is washed And dry inside and out my wife Likes to do the vinyl cleaning. We have a pretty good routine going 1st season in, I’m proud to say. I know everyone’s story / situation is different but it’s great when the family shares some of your boating passion.