I'LL tell on myself!

[RetNav]

This is my first time ever posting on this particular topic and don't know if it belongs here or not, so here goes.

I recently had one of my motors overhauled, a 1986 15 hp evinrude. It was jam up, which means, in great shape, running smooth, cranks with one pull or first push on the electric start button.

One of my distant cousins begged to borrow it for a fishing trip and reluctantly I caved and let him use it. During the trip something happened and it stopped running.

When he brought it back he was angry that it had let him and two of his friends down. When I asked him what happened he stated, "I don't know the ----- ----- thing just stopped.

I just finished repairing to the tune on $163.00. New laminated coil, new sensor, new power pack. It again runs great.

What brought this up is this past weekend this same distant cousin was asking if I had got it repaired as he wanted to go fishing this upcoming weekend and would like to borrow it again.

I went to the back of my truck and got out a broken paddle and handed it to him, didn't say a word, just went back to my truck and left.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

Yup, loaning out boats and motors doesn't usually work out all that well, it seems. You hate to say now, especially to a relative, but...

Somehow, my boat and motor all seem to be needing some work done on them when anyone comes around wanting to borrow them. That excuse usually satisfies them.

 

[RetNav]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

I think I will mount it on my offshore boat to use as a trolling motor/aux kicker.
That will have it tied up permanently.

Knowing my kin they will suggest I take it off and let them use it. I will then use
your excuse..

 

[dave11]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

Lesson learned

A distant cousin isn't much different than a stranger. The only person I would ever let borrow my boat is my brother.

 

[RetNav]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

dave11

You are right about lesson learned. Won't happen again. If I have to maintain
it, I'll be the only one using it.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

if i were married, i'd loan my wife before my boat.

 

[rndn]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

Maybe that's why you're not married!!

 

[RetNav]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

TD, I happen to agree with you.

It seems that to often people that borrow do not take care of the item they
get and don't care if they break it. Then most feel no responsibility for the
repair.

In casual conversation I discovered that the cousin that borrowed the motor
went into the gulf when there was a good bit of chop and some water washed
into the motor. Don't know if that caused the problem or not. Don't care now as it won't happen again.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

Slightly off topic but same general concept- I pull a gooseneck trailer simply because most people don't have a goosneck setup. If they can't hook up to it they can't ask to borrow it.

 

[ddrieck]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

A few years back I had this neighbor whom was always borrowing my tools. This would happen on an every other day basis until he burned up my new Milwakkee $1000.00 mag drill. I finally had to say no. Funny I can use that two letter word (NO)with my kids every day but couldn't bring myself to use it with the neighbor. Then last week I was mounting new saftey chanins to my boat trailer and he comes over and asks to use my hand drill. I just look up at him and say "Sorry I dont have a drill". Thinng is I had it in my hands drilling a hole at the time. He just stood there with the deer in the headlight look.

 

[RetNav]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

From this day forward I think my response will be, "With the cost of replacement, I make it a habit to NOT loan anything to anybody".

If they have the right to ask, I have the right to say no.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

I once loaned my neighbor, who is a nice guy, my Toro lawnmower. About two minutes later, I hear it hitting a rock. I went and got it back. Now I know why the guy had three broken lawnmowers in his yard.

We still get along, but I don't loan him power equipment any more, and I told him why. He's just too hard on it, and doesn't do his homework about checking for hazards. He just plows ahead.

Nice guy...but no loans. He broke his snowblower, too, and we share a driveway. So...now, I do his side, too. Better than than having him bust mine.

 

[RetNav]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

Yep. If I happen to go fishing and happen to have room then I might let the same people ride in my boat. Of course, I don't have a lot of room.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

Loaning a boat to someone that has never had one is sorta like loaning a chainsaw to a drunk.....somethings going to happin and it wont be pretty.lol

 

[Millerman]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

I just say no to loaning out anything. My dad just can't say no to the point he has gone out and bought two full sets of basicaly every tool/ lawn mower/ snowblower etc. One are his very well maintained set and the other are the beat up, loan out, don't care set. If come back broke or not at all no worries.

 

[jameskb2]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

I tend to be that "nice guy" too, and soooo often I end up paying. I was taught that if you had to borrow something, you should return it in better shape than you got it. "Friends" that borrow from me either: A. Don't return it unless I ask, and I have to go get it. B. Return it bruised and battered and barely say "thanks".

I just don't understand most people anymore. Sometimes I feel like I'm living on some alien planet! There's just so little sense of "right and wrong".

 

[Jerico]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

I was taught that if you had to borrow something, you should return it in better shape than you got it.

I just don't understand most people anymore. Sometimes I feel like I'm living on some alien planet! There's just so little sense of "right and wrong".

I was raised the same way. I also was taught that my word and reputation is to be protected, and a handshake agreement is as good as a written contract. I generally try to behave, be good, be honest, and not be too stupid. I have to say that after 20+ years of self-employment I have gotten burned a few times, but most times have come out on top in the long run. And the best part of self-employment, I'd never fire me. I'm too cheap to pay me unemployment.

 

[darrklim2]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

I barrowed a boat from one of my friends older brother. Of course the motor broke while I was using it. As soon as I got into shore(after walking in the water along shore with the boat half way around the lake to get back to the landing) I took the boat straight to a mechanic and called the person I barrowed it from and told him it was broke and they were looking at it. The next day I went back and picked up the boat and paid the $75 bill and brought the boat back the him. I said thanks for letting me borrow it. He said thanks for taking care of it and getting the problem fixed.

The mechanic said that the shif linkage had broken. He also said that it had been wearing for quite a while. Therefore it wasn't my fault that it broke. But, I have always said that since it broke when I was using it, thats makes me mostly responsible if not completely responsible(depending on what went wrong, like if the engine blew up I would probably thought it was fair the split the cost) therefore I paid the whole bill, and considered myself lucky that he let me borrow it.

 

[Hoss 350]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

That is why I try not to loan things out, and also don't like to borrow stuff, either. If it breaks because of HIS lack of maintenance and care, while it is in my possession, it becomes MY responsibility to fix, because that is how I am.

Besides, needing something is a good excuse to go out and buy one of your own, right? At least, that's what I tell my wife!

 

[pduquette]

Re: I'LL tell on myself!

Ask your cusin for a $326 security deposit - if he gives it to ya loan him the motor. Then when returns the working motor give him back $163 an tell him " I don't Know what happened to the ---- ---- rest!"