Now accepting apologies

[mothradave]

from upinsmoke, myoutboards, tashadaddy, cobra 3.0 and all the other naysayers who predicted, quite literally, death and destruction because I was taking my family out on a pontoon boat with another experienced boater but it was my first time out. [See thread "Know-nothing boater needs help deciding on boat rental for weekend" 6/8/06]. After seeing how easy and safe it was, your warnings sound even more ridiculous. Thanks rickdb1boat and waterinthefuel for the encouragement and not trying to scare off novice boaters from hitting the water. We had a blast on Canyon Lake.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Now accepting apologies

Butting in moth, trying to understand your post. Did you mean to say that you went out for the first time WITHOUT an experienced boater aboard?<br /><br />If so great, but just for your own welfare, it takes a long time to experience problems that could be life threatening, and seemingly identical problems could require different corrective (evasive) action. Just because you did or didn't have one this trip doesn't mean that you will or won't need one's experience the next time out.<br /><br />Glad you had a good time on what I hear to be a super lake (kids go there from Cedar Park).<br /><br />As a matter of fact, the son-in-law got out on that very lake in a canoe of all things and almost lost it all, including himself and the grandson. Needless to say he doesn't do that any more. He learned the hard way that canoes are not made for open water......Texas open water.<br /><br />Mark

 

[mothradave]

Re: Now accepting apologies

Haha. Well day 1 we just went to the gravel "beach" and the wind was so strong and the water so choppy that it truly felt like being in the ocean, just without the sea weed. <br /><br />I couldn't believe how beautiful the lake was. The water temperature was perfect - not too cold but not warm either. It was a nice dark blue but also had that turquoise Caribbean look to it in places. We also looked at some property subdivisions there but it will be quite awhile before any of us can afford to live there!<br /><br />One point of disappointment was the customer service at the marina. The manager was awful to us, and I was really astonished at how he spoke to us. We were contesting being charged from the start of reservation time and not when we actually boarded the boat (we were 10 minutes late and paperwork took another 10). He was extremely hostile, just a jerk, and kept telling us if we'd stop *****ing and go get on the boat we wouldn't lose as much money. First time I've heard a business person speak to me that way and first time I've heard a business arrange the customer's schedule. It's one thing to give away the reservation so they don't lose money, which they did - fine, but to charge us from when we Should have arrived? To me that's bogus.) <br /><br />And yes I DID have an experienced boater aboard, and he did most of the driving.

 

[dakk1]

Re: Now accepting apologies

Ah. Good job. I think long time boaters tend to be conservative by nature. They tend to err on the side of safety. Not a bad thing. Perhaps they recall a time when things went wrong for them and realize how quickly it can happen. I can remember a couple of times in my inexperienced youth when things could have gone badly for me in a boat. I was lucky. As Mark says, sooner or later everyone faces some "sticky" situations on the water. Of course, every time you go out and return safely is "one in the bag" so to speak. The more times you do it the better boater you'll be. Hopefully.<br /><br />Dave

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Now accepting apologies

Just what kind of answer's were you seeking? I read you first post and the majority seemed positive about trying the boating and agreed on the pontoon. It is exactly what you should expect when you ask a large group of people a question.<br /><br />No decisions or opinions are mandatory to follow. They are just guidance from individuals who want to preserve the safety of all involved.<br /><br />Take a boating course if you intend to stay with it - they are great.<br /><br />No where will a boating neophyte ever be able to receive or read more boating knowledge than iboats. I'm so sorry that you want apologies ... I bet you are so embarrased for even asking that! <br /><br />Had there been any incidents would thoe other people who were in agreement have to give an apology?? <br /><br />Be safe.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Now accepting apologies

Glad all went well, Dave. Not that I had any doubts....We all start somewhere and it sounds like you did the right things to be safe....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Now accepting apologies

apparently our warnings worked, no i'm not apoligizing, we were made you aware of the danger out there. i'm very happy you had a great and safe time and next time you will have this experience to build on.

 

[mothradave]

Re: Now accepting apologies

Yeah, didn't mean the apologies thing literally, just blowin' smoke. The boards did give me some good info and I thank you all.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Now accepting apologies

Underneath all that beauty of mother nature lurks a very dark and quick side the unknown... sound deep just make a small misatake or step of unexperience the results could be minor or never ending.<br /><br /> I'am quite sure that was what on people's mind's not there ego.

 

[KRS]

Re: Now accepting apologies

didn't mean it???

 

[steelespike]

Re: Now accepting apologies

No excuse for rudeness from the marina.But keep in mind those boats are on a necessary schedule.<br /> If you think about it similar appointments require prompt arrivals for smooth operation. Of course it would be nice if they made it clear and their reasons for it.Unfortunately they may be in a sellers market so can get away with rude behavior.

 

[KCook]

Re: Now accepting apologies

Where I've rented the terms were usually by the half day. So it didn't matter if you were 10min late or an hour late. Still got charged for that part of the day's schedule. Now I'm sorry I recommended renting.<br /><br />Kelly

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: Now accepting apologies

Glad you had a good and safe time. Going with a toon and an experienced boater made the trip a safe one. Do realize that our warnings were not to discourage from going boating, but to make you realize the dangers that are indeed out there. <br /><br />Have the same trip without your experienced boater and take a bowrider/ski type boat in unknown waters where depths vary, go tubing and/or try skiing, and I can almost garantie disaster. <br /><br />You took the safer option and it turned out to be a pleasant experience. Glad you enjoyed it. Keep safe.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Now accepting apologies

I'm glad you chose to post back regarding your outing and glad it turned out ok (except for the rental deal). You would miss your plane if late for departure, you lose your Tee time on the golf course if late and there are many other comparisons so one can't complain too much about that. The customer attitude however appears to need a little help. Your initial thread was locked so I couldn't comment further before I took off for a week of fishing. Like the others who responded with words of caution regarding your outing, my comments were "suggestions" as well so you'll get no apology from me. Unfortunately when someone posts a question and then takes issue with a respone, dialog can quickly escalate. As an example, re-read your initial post in this thread. I don't recall anyone "predicting death and destruction" due to your inexperience. You were merely being cautioned of the potential. Was it possible? Certainly! Was it probable? Not likely but you were made aware of the possibilities. Cheers!

 

[mothradave]

Re: Now accepting apologies

You know, the manager made the same argument. He said a restaurant will give your reservation away if you're not there on time. I responded yes, we were late by a few minutes, so you have every right to give away the reservation. What you don't have the right to do is CHARGE us for time that we're not renting the boat. (The analogy goes bad in that the restaurant doesn't charge per minute. You pay for what you receive, a very basic principal of business.) The marina's policy is a unique policy where being merely 10 minutes late costs you 1/2 hour ($30) worth of paid time (10 minutes late, 10 minutes paperwork, 10 minutes loading people and supplies onboard). <br /><br />Am I crazy or naive? It's just that I've never heard of such a policy. Maybe there are different trade customs in boating, but in normal contract law if a contract price depends that much on the time it begins, there must be a time-is-of-the-essence clause or advance notice given to the paying customer. And the normal understanding of reservation in other areas of commerce is that it is a courtesy to the customer, and price hinges on the reservation time only to the extent the service received by the customer coincides with that beginning time more or less. If the marina is going to have that policy, are they not obligated to tell the customer that when the reservation is made? Otherwise, even on-time customers who have not rented before will lose money simply because the paperwork and loading time take awhile. <br /><br />Also, I think he was lying about having "had" to give our boat away. But even if he did, it's a non sensical argument: the fact he was able to give the boat away proves he didn't lose a dime from us being late. Only if he had held the boat for us and turned away other paying customers could he have made the argument they were losing money because of the lateness.<br /><br />Curious what others think. I imagine people will say that we should have been on time. Of course yes, but when you're coordinating 10 family members of all ages and physical abilities being late is a good possibility, and a policy that charges you from the reservation time should at least have been made known to us when we made the reservation so we could have taken account of that.

 

[Johnshan1]

Re: Now accepting apologies

The marina has it right, he has that boat in a time slot for you, problably someone else was waiting for it after, or at least he needed it when you were done with it. If your supposed to pick the thing up at a certain time, better make sure you arrive on time.

 

[tommays]

Re: Now accepting apologies

I see a lot of rentals up on Lake George NY and the 1/2 days starts at xxxx and ends at xxxx. late or not<br /><br /> buy the hour is a much higher price than a 1/2 day <br /><br />As far as trouble its the deepest place you could ever boat And they keep a nice wall of all the destroyed lower units <br /><br />And people get in trouble during fast moveing storms every summer <br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[Gone]

Re: Now accepting apologies

I admittedly don't know Jack about what's customary. My opinion is that if you reserved it from 9:00, the meter starts at 9:00, regardless of you arriving late. If you arrived at 8:45, did the paperwork and shoved off at 9:00 then the meter still starts at 9:00. Other than his rudeness, I think it was billed properly.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Now accepting apologies

Put me on the side of getting charged beginning at the time your reservation starts- regardless of when you show up. That just makes sense to me.<br /><br />On the other hand, this could and should be dealt with politely and rationaly by the proprietor. Of course I wasn't there and have no idea what the two sides of the conversation were, so I don't know if/why it escalated to the point of rudeness and profanity -whether that was really off base or not.<br /><br />Sounds like a great lake and a great day - glad it worked out so well. In the previous thread, my comments were only based on personal experience and were intended as advice, not discouragement.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Now accepting apologies

I rented a lot of industrial equipment over the years and without exception, you begin paying when the time clock is punched at the rental office and quit paying when its punched again at the return time. Late fees apply and you definitely will lose the equipment if you arrive late to pick it up as there is generally a waiting list. I understand the issue of paying for being late at arrival but I think that's to discourage those that are habitually late, not by a few minutes but maybe by an hour or more. If they didn't charge for that time, they would be hard pressed to keep the equipment (boat in this case) busy an entire day regardless how many shifts there were. Call it a scheduling issue. Rent a limo for example. You begin paying at its pre-determined arrival time -- not when you step into it. That's as close an analogy as I can come up with.