what age do you let your kids tow you?

[giroux68]

I know, a very subjective question. I've been teaching both mine 13 and 10 the ins and outs. Started both with a life jacket in the water and bring the boat and rope around to it. My son did great today towing my daughter on the foil. but he still needed some instructions. my daughter is not so interested. do you let your kids tow you? how much experience do they have? age?

 

[captras]

In Texas, you cannot operate a boat with greater than 15 HP unless you are 13 or older and have completed a dept approved, boater education course. You must also have a person 18 or older who is qualified to operated a boat with greater than 15HP and, if born after Sep, 1993, have completed an approved boater education course. My kids are all adults, but I have 2 grandkids that wont be towing anytime soon!

 

[Julian]

I was reading this for NC the other day and pretty sure it said the adult had to be in the boat for under age drivers.....which makes sense.

 

[giroux68]

Just found it for GA. 16 yrs. for bigger than 16 ft. So guess that takes care of that question for a while.

 

[Eric Ballard]

I let an adult friend tow me once. I did not lime it at all. Ill have a hard time letting my kids tow me around. Im teaching the 17 year old to drive it though and look forward to her doing it more.

 

[captainhook]

Depends on the kid. I could have done it at 12 (and did in fact on my first SeaDoo). Other kids, not so much. Mine are young but I think they will fit into my comment above, some will be better than others.

 

[Scottintexas]

In Texas a person cannot operate a windblown vessel over 14 feet in length, a motorboat with more than 15 horsepower, or personal watercraft unless he/she:

• was born on or after September 1, 1993 and has passed a boater education class or equivalency examination prescribed by the department.
• is 18 years of age and can lawfully operate the motorboat and is on board the motor boat when underway.
• is at least 13 years of age and have successfully completed a boater education course approved by the Department

I had my daughter operating us out of no wake zones and general cruising with me closely watching as soon as she could pay attention and see over the wheel.
At 14 and after completing her education course I had her start pulling me, only on calm and uncrowded days, I still don't fully trust her attentiveness to her surroundings and emergency maneuvering skills. She is now unloading the boat from the trailer and meeting me at the dock, dropping me at the dock and loading on the trailer.

It's not all easy and you have to have patience and knowing they will bang the dock or ram the trailer guide post, you have to smile and say "I hit it harder than that one time, let's try it again, we've got lot's of time" but it's the big picture I'm thinking of and it's given her a tremendous amount of confidence.

If there's anything I've learned is that every kid is different, some are ready at 12, some are ready at 42

 

[txav8r]

@Scottintexas , your a good dad! And your raising responsible adults to be. One of the best things is for kids to learn something extremely challenging and you can't do it without patience and encouragement. I was driving at 12 myself. As a matter of fact, I had my first wreck at 12! And I thought driving with my grand dad was over at that point. But the next week, he drove us away from the house to another cattle sale, and pulled over a block away, and said, "well, are you gonna drive?" I had been crushed only a week before after hearing him mutter the words, "I just thought you could drive", after our accident. But that following week, he showed me he still had confidence in my ability to learn and the wreck was water under the bridge. That was a long time ago, and times were different then, but it was still illegal for me to have been driving. But kids that young, gain in confidence and it improves their overall ability and desire to learn new things. Teach them to drive the boat by all means, take up an instrument, learn to fly...all things that teach them more than just the skill mentioned. I agree with everything you said Scott, and a simple like or agree was just not enough!

 

[Scottintexas]

and then there's my 18+ year old son who I'm just now teaching how to drive the car....no six flags tickets needed for me this year,

I've tried to use the same method with him (maybe to much as I was the Scoutmaster, etc...), he was about 15 and one lonely day at the ramp, it was just he and I and I suggest why don't you unload the boat today, if your not comfortable getting close to the dock just circle in the cove to keep control of the boat and I'll be back from parking the truck in a minute,
I come back to hear the engines roaring and he's off and on doing donuts with the boat in the cove..... 'cause you know, I told him to "turn some circles"

a few weeks ago we took a bunch of kids, he being the oldest I deferred to him and asked if he wanted to unload/dock the boat, he did, wouldn't you know it was the time I forgot to put in the transom plug, no big deal I made sure to ask him if the bilge was on so I knew I had a few minutes
I get to the dock and he's about 30 feet away with no engines running, he's turned them off because he couldn't get no wake to activate and now can't get them restarted, he's not in neutral, then the port won't start because the lock nut on the key switch is broke and it just spins, he of course knows it all and doesn't pay attention when I've explained it in the past, so I tell him go to neutral and come over on one engine.... uggh

every kid is different,

One very important thing is to be sure they know emergency procedures, my wife doesn't go on the boat so many times I'm the only adult, I usually go over with them every other trip as I've also got a 13yr old now that I'm trying to indoctrinate, if I'm hurt, stop the boat, call 911, get the air horn for help if you see another boat, etc...

 

[ENC boater]

I have been teaching my boy(now7) for 2 years. He can install clean out plugs, start the boat, drive us out to main river, pump gas, and most other basic stuff. I think by 13 or so I would be very comfortable with his skill.

 

[captras]

I think its great for Dads to include their sons when they get to the teen years. Shows them you have confidence in them, lets them feel a part of the boating experience, and teaches them that there are responsibilities associated with having fun! Good job Dads!!!!!