Do you make people take their shoes off before getting in you boat?

[TechRider]

When I ask people they don't seem to get why and look inconvenienced.

Looking to see if I am the only one that says take you shoes off.

I am getting Seadek this year so now I am really going to want people to take them off

What do you do in your boat?

 

[mattschepker]

Most people we take out, see us take off our shoes and they do the same. My wife wants to get a sticker " Naked feet Only". I dont have a problem asking them to remove there shoes. If they look at me wierd or inconvenienced they will not be asked out on the boat again. If they want to wear shoes on a boat go buy a boat then. I take great pride in our boat and i dont want it destoryed. I have a couple of family's that are banned from our boat. They took off their shoes but, their kid acted like aminals on our boat (standing and jumping on seats) needless to say i came unglued.

 

[JC6275]

Shoes are for shore!!! Bare feet for boat!!!!

 

[Mike Rock]

Normally just ask... If they seem to be inconvenienced, thats will be the last time I ask them out. But, I have too say that so far no one has ever given me anything but ok, and had them in the hand. We normally entry from the stern/swim deck and they see my wife, any kids that are with us do it first and just follow suit.

The next thing I tell them (Adults) is, this life Jacket should fit, and because I don't want to ruining my day or yours on the boat, I need you to have it at least next to you when we are on the move and you need to wear it if you get in the water (Kids wear them all the time). We all do the same and I have never had any problems and they all seem to want to go the next time. The last thing i ask them is what do you want to drink, and show them where all the beverages are kept.

 

[Suchawittygal]

Yes...and if they don't want to take them off, they can watch from the beach
Here's the sticker I put on..

 

[jetboater4life]

I'm in the no shoes camp too. I use the anchor locker as a sandal holder. My box anchor stays in the bag under the front seat.

 

[Wayloncle]

I was washing the boat in front of the house today after going out in the gulf. The neighbor kid (9 year old) that I don't have much patience for anyway, wanted to climb in with my son. I told him to take his shoes off and he said "why?" I said "because I said so and I also don't want your dirty shoes in there". "Why?" He said again. I just looked at him that time, he yelled across the road to his dad, "dad, I want to get in his boat but he wants me to take my shoes off" dad says "well take your damn shoes off!"

 

[woodard1983]

I was washing the boat in front of the house today after going out in the gulf. The neighbor kid (9 year old) that I don't have much patience for anyway, wanted to climb in with my son. I told him to take his shoes off and he said "why?" I said "because I said so and I also don't want your dirty shoes in there". "Why?" He said again. I just looked at him that time, he yelled across the road to his dad, "dad, I want to get in his boat but he wants me to take my shoes off" dad says "well take your damn shoes off!"

thank god his dad said that....I was thinking that might go a different direction when you wrote that he yelled to his dad

 

[__ScottyDont]

@Wayloncle at least the Dad has some respect for a man's prized possession

 

[Zeus2013]

Our boat, our rules...I also tell kids, no jumping or rough housing cause it is a LOOONG swim back to the ramp.

 

[itsdgm]

I don't recall anybody wearing shoes on our boat. It's usually too hot where we boat to even consider shoes. Flip flops and water shoes don't bother me but they usually end up in a floor storage locker. I think everybody would rather go bare footed anyway. I really don't mind flip flops or water shoes being worn in the boat as long as NOBODY WALKS ON THE SEATS with them on.

Come to think of it I'd rather have a sticker that says "Don't step on the seats"

 

[Magic]

When my son and I went out to Ni'ihau from Kauai on the 60ft. powered catamaran Holo Holo, they collected everyone's shoes at the dock and kept them in lock-down at the launch area! Holo Holo is still in perfect shape.....

Teva's go in the anchor locker, carried aboard only.

 

[dan144k]

I don't ask people to take their shoes off in my house either.
Unless they are obviously muddy.

 

[Julian]

We typically get on the boat with shoes on, then take them off in front of everyone, and everyone else then takes theirs off too. The dock surface is too freakin' hot to take them off on. Now if someone has obviously dirty shoes, then I ask them to remove them before boarding. I have wondered about just making people leave their shoes in the dock box....would save room on the boat!

 

[jetboater4life]

My launch area has a lot of sand so almost all the shoes get sand on the bottoms. No way I'm going to let that grind onto my boat. Plus my crew is usually long gone when I start the clean up process. I have one cool buddy that comes to the car wash (I found one with a 12 foot entrance) with me when it's time to do a real good scrub down.

 

[robbo3]

Shoes come off prior to boarding. For newbies coming out, I'll get in first and hold my hand out asking for shoes. I've never had anyone say no, but then again, at that point, they probably wanted to go boating.

 

[beachbum]

Here's my dilemma.
Eventually I will take delivery of a shiny new boat. I will be anxious to use the boat for the first time and this spring will be cold. One activity available ... fishing ... now this could all get pretty messy with bait and fish and muddy shoes all over... I sold the "fishing" boat. Now, with any luck, we will have a new boat with some range, comfort and most of all, dependability. Cleaning product recommendations appreciated.

 

[octavio3311]

Most of the people and families I boat with have boats themselves, so there is never a need to say anything. But if we bring out a newbie, I just ask them before they climb in. However, I will remind them to bring shoes (I'll store them somewhere) becuase the kids may explore an island or we may end up at lunch & cocktails at the pub. Mostly the kids, I worry about their feet when they're exploring.

 

[itsdgm]

One trick I learned that helps keep sand out of the boat while re-boarding is to pull the stern of the boat towards the beach in a foot or two of water. That way everybody has to get wet up to their knees. It helps to rinse the sand off of their shoes/feet/sandles.

 

[Gym]

Like @itsdgm I've never had an issue with shoes as everybody comes on board with flip flops or soft river shoes. We board from a dock but when reboarding from the beach we have to walk a couple feet deep to the boat so feet are wet but clean. I ALWAYS take charge in loading beach chairs, bags, coolers and umbrellas to minimize sand incursion.

When we go to Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard they like to raft you up 2 to 5 boats deep at the dock. If you're the one tied to the dock the people rafted to you walk across your boat, with shoes on and their dogs in tow, to get to their boats. When I saw them do that to my friends boat I went out and got a keel guard and put my boat on the beach.