New Boaters Please Read

dwna1a

Well-Known Member
PLATINUM Sponsor
Apr 23, 2012
5,974
James River
Boat Info
88 Weekender 300 "Seahorse"
Engines
Twins 350
New folks, and there are many out there still. I’m not trying to be anything more than informative and save you some bucks possibly. If you hit someone’s boat these days it most likely has a camera set up. You are better off to leave a note explaining what you’ve done than for the owner to have to track you down!

Case in point, my friends 65’ was hit sometime Friday. It bent the davits to the point of breaking the welds. This is an easy fix for him. He has the tools and equipment, he has already removed them for repairs. Cost to him is only time. If the other boat left him a note he would have just let it go he is just that kind of boater. We had a 90% guess as to the boater then we got the camera footage from another boater. He uses Ring System off the Dock Masters WiFi. We were spot on. The damaged boater now wants to be paid for his work. He just wants to teach the guy the better way.

Leave a note, say you’re sorry. If it’s a minor repair it may only cost you a few minutes of pride and a drink.
 
I don't think it would just be the new boaters you need to worry about . The type of scum you described are all kinds. New and veteran boaters. I am not a newbie to boats. But I will be a newbie to marina life this summer. I would never consider damaging anything without owning up to it.
 
Better yet, if you borrow my stuff, put it the fk back. I bot myself a few outside mats to wipe my feet before I get on the boat while it's in storage since the floor is really dirty. They sit on the swim platform. Got to the boat Saturday and some dude has them on his boat. WTF.
 
Better yet, if you borrow my stuff, put it the fk back. I bot myself a few outside mats to wipe my feet before I get on the boat while it's in storage since the floor is really dirty. They sit on the swim platform. Got to the boat Saturday and some dude has them on his boat. WTF.


Without asking. That ain't borrowing.
 
Better yet, if you borrow my stuff, put it the fk back. I bot myself a few outside mats to wipe my feet before I get on the boat while it's in storage since the floor is really dirty. They sit on the swim platform. Got to the boat Saturday and some dude has them on his boat. WTF.
1852F214-B64E-497D-8BEE-E6C4C4ABB219.jpeg
 
I have two examples for this topic. 2 years ago I came down to the boat (wet slipped) and when I started to remove the cover there was a 4” tear at at the port side bow at the rub rail. Someone bumped boats and slid along mine tearing the cover. No note. Checked the marina security camera and there was some footage that likely showed the culprit but the angle made it impossible to guarantee, but it was him. Gave him the opportunity to own it, no go.
Second example is my dock hose. I let all my neighbors use it, I considered it community use for the boats near me, just put it back the way you found it. I came down last summer in the AM and it was leaking water everywhere on the dock, never leaked before. The cruiser to my side uses it to fill his tanks, so he removes the nozzle. Clearly he used it, lost the washer, put the nozzle back on without it, saw it leaking everywhere, but didn’t go find a new ten cent washer. When I came down I asked him if he noticed, he said no. Only one at the dock, clearly he used it since it was not leaking the night before. So off I go to get a washer to fix it. He never offered.
 
My boat was dock pounded in october. I didn’t notice but the responsible party owned up to it. Good thing he told me, since it broke the anchor roller loose and I wouldn’t found out the next time I lowered the anchor.

there are some good peeps still out there.
 
My dad purchased a fishing party wooden deadrise when I was 12ish, late 1970s, to convert it to a oyster/crabbing/clamming boat. He did, and made his way into being a waterman. But he was always what they called a "come here", the new guy, not part of the clicks, last one to get help when needed. And my dad was the first to help you when you needed it.

He was leaving the dock one morning and barely barley barley bumped into another dock oyster/crabbing/clamming boat, like scraped the paint bump. The guy was an old salt many generations waterman. Of course my dad agreed to fix it for him (no idea if we had insurance back then). Once my dad started the repairs the guy abused him. Claimed all kinds of hidden damage, rot, tons of other unrelated stuff, even claimed the bump broke multiple frames. And since my dad was a come here, trying to make his way, well... My dad repaired it all at his costs. As a kid I felt horrible for my dad, and I was pissed at the other guy. It taught me a lesson though.

While looking at boats before I purchased my current one, I was parked in a marina parking lot. Came back after literally finding this one, someone had side swiped my SUV and of course, did not leave a note. I was too excited about finding this boat to care that much, but later I was pissed.
 
I side swiped a boat (posted on here years ago) trying to 'Captain Ron' into the slip space. I waited for the owners to show up because they happened to be there at the time, and told the marina owner. The marina owner told me to leave and he would handle it. I offered to buff it out because it was a minor scratch in the painted gel coat on the sailboat. Instead they wanted $300, so what choice did I have? Their boat was already all scratched and dinged up. I mailed them a check (not cash) and we were done.
That was the last time I've seen them at that marina. I'm friends with the marina owner and he gives me grief about the Captain Ron every Summer when I rent a slip, and said I gave them a free tank of gas cuzz they never used the money to fix it before they left. Oh well......
 
I side swiped a boat (posted on here years ago) trying to 'Captain Ron' into the slip space. I waited for the owners to show up because they happened to be there at the time, and told the marina owner. The marina owner told me to leave and he would handle it. I offered to buff it out because it was a minor scratch in the painted gel coat on the sailboat. Instead they wanted $300, so what choice did I have? Their boat was already all scratched and dinged up. I mailed them a check (not cash) and we were done.
That was the last time I've seen them at that marina. I'm friends with the marina owner and he gives me grief about the Captain Ron every Summer when I rent a slip, and said I gave them a free tank of gas cuzz they never used the money to fix it before they left. Oh well......
I despise that. But you did the right thing. I hate people that will take your money or your insurance money then just pocket it and not fix their car boat whatever.
These are the exact same people that will fark up your stuff and disappear.
 
I guy bumped into the same SUV a few years back. It was at the bottom of the rear bumper, you had to look hard to see it. I told him I can get an estimate, he pays me, so he doesn't have to file with insurance, he agrees. Estimate was too high for him so he turned in a claim with his insurance. I think my estimate was $800. His insurance company estimate was $1500 if I recall correctly, I gladly, and easily, took the check and fixed it myself.
 
My dad purchased a fishing party wooden deadrise when I was 12ish, late 1970s, to convert it to a oyster/crabbing/clamming boat. He did, and made his way into being a waterman. But he was always what they called a "come here", the new guy, not part of the clicks, last one to get help when needed. And my dad was the first to help you when you needed it.

He was leaving the dock one morning and barely barley barley bumped into another dock oyster/crabbing/clamming boat, like scraped the paint bump. The guy was an old salt many generations waterman. Of course my dad agreed to fix it for him (no idea if we had insurance back then). Once my dad started the repairs the guy abused him. Claimed all kinds of hidden damage, rot, tons of other unrelated stuff, even claimed the bump broke multiple frames. And since my dad was a come here, trying to make his way, well... My dad repaired it all at his costs. As a kid I felt horrible for my dad, and I was pissed at the other guy. It taught me a lesson though.

While looking at boats before I purchased my current one, I was parked in a marina parking lot. Came back after literally finding this one, someone had side swiped my SUV and of course, did not leave a note. I was too excited about finding this boat to care that much, but later I was pissed.
I hope and pray it wasn’t one of my kin from the two islands…
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,865
Members
60,932
Latest member
juliediane
Back
Top