Email: From private boating fraternity

I have to agree with Peter Ponting, I also find that these days, the vast majority of poor boating practice, comes from the private boating fraternity, and some do have a pompous know-it-all attitude, which is generally ill-deserved.

 

You will always find a small minority of hire boaters who will not listen to any amount of training given.

In the 1980s I spent most weekends in season demonstrating boat handling to hirers; but there were always some who paid scant regard to what we told them and just wanted to get off to 'have fun', but we still had very little trouble, despite having more than 120 boats in the fleet. By the way, I like to think that as a lecturer, I had some idea how to put things across.

Give me a hirer with little or no experience over a clever-dick private boater any day; and I say that as a boat owner coming up to his 50th year of boating next year. (But who still makes mistakes, usually when there's an audience!)

Graham Westgate