Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much
"No way would I let my 17yr take boat and truck to the lake alone with friends."
"I don’t push them to get up and out the door at 5am. Trying to get them out the door at 7am is difficult enough." (and I recall you like to be off the lake by 11:00 am?)
no wonder. "forced family fun" as someone said.
For one thing, your youngest--the one who doewsn't mind getting up and riding in the boat with you--is not a "teenager" when it comes to likes and dislikes. He will be, and will be like the others, and won't be getting up early either. Now he just annoys them by making them look bad.
I suspect, too, that your wife is speaking for all of them. I've been in that situation often (with two daughers) where my idea of what's fun, or the best use of time, or a waste of time/money, is not their view. Including the early start thing. I have learned to give in.
For me, riding back and forth on a lake every weekend would bore me to death. To be stuck doing it with just my parents and siblings would be worse. No, what would be worse is if all of us had to also sleep in the boat for the whole weekend. Nix the cabin cruiser idea if the teens are involved. That's trading the Jeep for a Lincoln town car.
You need to find something else to do. It gets stale--and for the younger ones, things get stale quick.
Let the children bring friends and let them do what they want. if they want to go at 11 when it's hot and crowded, just suck it up and do it. One of two things will happen--they will like your way better, or you will see that it's not that bad. Better, let each child be the captain for the weekend--invite friends, do the planning, execute, and you help. And let them learn from their mistakes; step in only for serious safety reasons. Serious. Let them pack pizza in the cooler even though it doesn't make good sense.
I've said this before in the ramp discussions: You guys who think only those equipped with talliwhackers can operate boats and trailers have missed the boat. Everyone needs to be involved, and invested. It may naturally go back to roles based on what people prefer or enjoy, but at least they can do it. And nothing is better for a developing teenage girl than to operate boats and stuff independently.
let the children run the boats and let them make mistakes. yes, he will come into the dock too fast and bump; he'll put the trailer in crooked; he'll forget something, spill something, lose something overboard, break something. One of my most recent: a moron friend of my daughter's used the stern light for support getting out of the boat and broke it off. That's just part of boating. I thought it way cool that she took a bunch of friends out at night. If you can't stand bumps, dings and stuff like that, take up collecting fine antique furniture; you have no business in family boating. (which is why many of us recommend against new boats for starters and families).
I just remembered that when i was 17 dad let me trailer the boat (16' starcraft)and go out into the middle of the Chesapeake Bay with a couple of friends, adn one broke the stern light climbing in from a swim. So these things come back to you. I think it was the same trip when we launched friday night, rafted up with several guys from our high school in their boats, spent the night, then went out fishing.
AZ, you have two years to correct and catch up. Guys who have very young or only future families, take note. Get them involved early and let them do what they want, within reason, even at expense of what you want to do. Or you will be solo.
