Quote:
Originally Posted by Gatto Nero
Kinda funny you should bring that up. I came across a Thurston's renter just yesterday. I was pulling into the Center Harbor docks to go to the hardware store. I was about half way between the 150' marker and the dock and I hear an outboard motor rev'd way up. I looked up and saw a boat full of people trying to dock on one of the side docks. He kept shifting between forward and reverse and each time he'd gun it instead of just putting in gear. Whenever he went into reverse he did it with such gusto that water would pour over the transom. There was a guy in the bow trying to grab for a post when he shot backwards again, almost sending him into the drink. There was a boat in the adjacent slip that I thought sure he would smash into on his next attempt. Cautiously, I approached (with the safety of a dock between us) and suggested that it might be easier to dock in the front slip instead where there were no other boats. I also offered my advice to try it more slowly. He agreed that maybe he was trying to go too fast. I had docked and tied up just as he was now attempting to dock on the outside slip. This time he got about 5' away then cut the engine and let it drift in. Before I could offer a hand the guy on the bow jumped out with a line in his hand and was able to bring them in. Fun stuff.
I wouldn't know if Thurstan's is any different with their rental policy than anybody else but I would think they would all make sure that their boats are being operated by somebody who at least has a clue as to how to do so.
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All the places that rent are about the same. I do not think that Thurston's is any worse or any better than any of the others. Bottom line is they have invested in boats to rent, and if they do not rent these boats, they lose money.
As far as boat service goes, Thurston's is top quality in my opinion. But, this is not the issue here.
The hard part for me to rationalize is that when the "unspeakable law" was being debated/supported, many of these rental marinas supported the "unspeakable law" in the interest of safety.
WHAT CRAP in my opinion. If they cared one bit about safety, they would take the renters out and see if they could safely operate a boat. If they did that, in many cases, the only rational assessment would be the potential renter had no experience and should not be on the lake.
I believe that some portion of the renters are very safe operators and well experienced boaters. These boaters are not the issue at all. Their boating conduct is appropriate and they are welcomed into the safe boating community.
That said, I have seen way too many of the rental boats from all the renting marinas out there creating unsafe conditions for me to conclude these rental marinas care one bit about safety. It is the profit from these renters that drive their decisions about renting. Business is business, do not let boating safety get in the way of profit. But, they all become hypocrites when it comes to supporting laws about boating safety. They opt to support new laws that have nothing to do about boating safety, and they do it in the interest of boating safety. Go figure!!
Think of the highways. What if Hertz and Avis where allowed to rent cars to people with no driving experience if these people passed a 20 question multiple choice questionere, and could retake the same questionere if they failed the first time, or the second or third time? How safe would our roads be if this was the case? Not safe at all in my opinion. However, in a more complex vehicle operational environment, boating on our lake, just pass the test and get on out there. Be cool and have fun!?
Life is very strange at times in my opinion.
R2B