Re: Kid's OB boat. TOO DANG FAST!!!
I bought a hydrofoil for my boat and it took 15 off my top speed. might work for you
Ok, I don't know if you meant it, but that cracked me up!
Ok, You guys got me thinking real hard. Long post, so settle down, or skip to the next one.
I think, just maybe, I'm a wuss. I will hang-glide, rappel off cliffs, catch rattlesnakes. I will NOT ride a roller coaster, be in a boat with a drinking driver, and I HATE being a passenger even in a car. So maybe most of the problem is with me.
The kids (13 and 15) already have responsibility of their boat itself (gas, oil, PFDs, keeping it ship-shape, etc). My responsibility is the lift, seaworthiness, safety plan, training, etc. I'm ex-Navy, for what that's worth. Should have joined the Coast Guard - they know real boats.
The entire family has already taken several boating safety classes, and we all have about 4 years experience with a 17' wooden skiff with an 8HP tiller outboard. It sank in a storm at the dock. My bad. Old post.
This spring, I got a 21' Seaswirl 2100 Duel Console with a 175HP Johnson Outboard. This was the first boat with a steering wheel for any of us. The boys got good with this boat quickly. They know when to futz with the trim, and more often than not, they are the ones to park it on the lift, in the current/wind. When I was letting them learn, I HATED loosing sight of the horizon while they tentatively brought it up on plane. I installed Smart Tabs SX. They both recognized the benefits immediately without me telling them. "Wow, the boat pops right up now, what did you do?" And it seems now that they naturally drive slower.
Sitting in their boat, you're right down near the water, so 40MPH feels like 60MPH.
The 13 year old (150 lbs) is still learning all the ropes - the 15 year old
(240 lbs - big boys) has them down. He makes sure (in a loud voice) that Everyone is seated before he takes off to start another tube run. (I stood up to check something while underway, he yelled "Sit your ***** DOWN". I was chagrined and proud.) My wife thinks it relates to me not letting the car move without everyone seat belted.
The 13 year old is a wuss like me, fortunately. When out teaching him, I kinda wish he'd go faster. But, each learns at his own speed.
The 15 year old is too competent, but I must admit, he is cautious enough.
He just likes to go faster than I, as a passenger, would like. He takes no stupidly sharp turns at high speed though. He does like skipping over the mini chop. Like that Miami Vice opening bit.
They each have their own key, attached by kill switch lanyard to their own PFD.
We've watched MANY YouTube videos of knuckleheads flipping their boats at speed over a wake. They understand.
Before I let them take the boat even with me for the first time, I took it out myself. I gunned the heck outta it, quick S turns, stupid things. The boat took it all in stride. I felt safe. (I would NOT have felt safe as a passenger)
The only issue was stopping too quickly without turning. The wash dumped a couple hundred gallons over the transom into the boat. The boat never noticed. I took off again and the water dumped itself out over the transom.
I had a couple of boating-experienced friends try the boat. The unanimous response was, "Holy Sh**!" They said if they were a teenage kid, they'd love it. If they were the kids' dad, well, umm.
So, I think that for now, the kids won't push it too much. Meanwhile they get more skilled. The boat itself I think IS a bit over powered, and under sized for themselves and their friends fishing in the coming years. It only holds about 640lbs max people. So, I will not be in too much of a hurry, but I think eventually a bigger boat is in their future.
The best is if I find a nice 19' CC underpowered with a 50HP OB, and just switch. We'd all have a nice 85HP fishing boat, and a nice little 50HP skiff.
Then I could stay happy being a wuss.
(I AM going to take a closer look at the throttle linkage, though. I bet there is a way to knock back the WOT without affecting the gear shifting!)
Thanks for all your thoughts, and the more you got me thinking on it, the prouder I am of those kids,
Jim
