Youngest boat driver?

We have all heard about the very young boarders and skiers. I want to know about the youngest boat operators. I have let my son drive in the past when he was 11-12 while we are away from everyone/thing and i was at his side. He is 13 now and i just read the rules for Fl and it only says he cant operate a pwc if he is under 14? He must have his boaters safety card from taking the course. Of course there will be situations where he should not operate but im just curious who if anyone out there is letting their teens drive if they are responsible.

I let my 11 year old drive while surfing. Needless to say, there are adults in the boat close by and we always walk up next to him while he is turning to pick up a fallen rider, but its great training for him.

I think it all depends on the level of maturity, you cant go by age. There are 16 year olds that I would NEVER let behind my wheel. There are a few 40 year olds that I do not let my kids go out with on thier boats too.

Wakesurfing is a great way to train a driver in my opinion, exspecially with perfect pass.

I was 11 when I first started driving, but could only drive with the parents in the boat. When I turned 13, I took the CG Power Squaduran course, passing with an 88%. After this, i was able to take the boat out but only within Binocular site from the house. After a summer of this, I was cleared to go to the channel alone to waterski with my brother and friends.
By 16 I was towing the boat in the family vehicle with my dad, at 17 I was taking the boat ot the lake with friends alone. I infact showed such good abilities to tow the boat, i became the designated driver when we needed to move the boat anywhere or tow it to the lake or beach.

Took 4 years, but I never once gave my parents any doubt that I could not handle the boat or a situation that arose.

I believe this has a lot to do with three things;
1 - the ability of the child (dexterity, thinking, reactions, maturity)
2 - the teaching ability of the parents (calm manner, focus on task at hand, empowerment to child, and especially letting them know you trust them to make the right decision, or question so they learn the right decision)
3 - The parents pounding into the childs mind, SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY. By showing that SAFETY is the first concern, they will continually rethink their options to choose the best one that puts safety first. ie, if given the option to split two boats heading toward him, or shutting down to neutral, they should pick the shutting down to neutral option first. Later with more experience, they may be able to think of another option.

just my $.02
KG

That's pretty impressive. I think that in today's society we tend to dis empower children and young adults. We take the accountability away.

When my 11 year old was 5 he was checking his own gear and those around him while rock climbing. He goes with me on swift water rescue training days, etc. I think that experience has pushed his situational awareness way up. That is the only reason that I let him drive.

Many times, I have seen him back down from going on a boat with a neighbor because the driver tends to not pay attention. 11 year olds dont normally notice things like that. He counts the heads of all the younger children on the pontoon boat without anyone noticing (except me), then makes sure to do a head count before we leave to make sure that nobody is swimming under or behind the boat when we take off. Little things like that are a learned behavior that starts well before a child is ready to take control of a potentially deadly machine.

Its just a thought, but I think that a good way to train/test a young driver is to make them responsible for repetitive things when they are not driving. Coiling/pulling in the rope as an example. If you have to constantly tell them to do it after you made it clear that they are responsible for that task, then they are not ready to drive. Driving a boat safely takes that kind of focus on repetitive things.

for what its worth.

My 11 y.o. son pulled us surfing this weekend with perfect pass. Pulled us up and when we fell he circled around and pulled us up quite a few times. He drives the boat better than my wife. and before you ask, yes I told her. Then its the old stink eye and "well then lets just see him put it on the trailer" attitude. Problem is he would probably do that better too.

I've been driving the boat since I was 8, docking it since I was 10, Pulling riders since I was 13, and taking the boat out alone since I was 15 (after I got my boaters safety license). I have yet to actually tow the boat (I have towed trailers), but I do a mighty fine job at backing the trailer.

Anybody know the "law" in Cali? I heard a 12 year old could drive a boat if under close adult supervision. The adult supervising cannot also be the spotter, they have to be paying full attention to the driver. Can a 12-year old legally pull somebody? I'm pretty sure the laws are more strict for pwc (as they should be).

When my son was 10 I started to let him drive in non-populated areas. We work on boat control with the buoy challenge. I'll find a buoy marking a 5 zone, and tell him to pull up to it and stop the boat so he can reach out and touch it without bumping it with the boat. We work on the bow, stern and port sides, also. It's a great way to practice with no cosmetic risk (dock-slam) to the boat. The goal is to tranfer the trailing task from the wife.....it will be a win-win-win.

I first started driving the boat when i was about 8. When my parents were in the boat. I took the boat out by myself when i was 14. My mom works for the school and has the summers off so she woulld teach me how to drive during the week when there was no one on the lake. This helped me learn alot. Now i am the default driver whenever anyone wants to do anything behind the boat.

Im 14. Here in Michigan, you must be 12 years old and have your boaters safety certificate (liscense) to operate a boat alone. You must be 14 years old with a boaters safety certificate to drive a PWC alone, adn 12 to drive a PWC with a parent. Although I'm just staring drivers' training, I can back up the trailer better than anyone in my family... (The mom just doesn't get it)

I started allowing my kids drive as soon as possible at times.. Both were 12 when they started to drive daily. My son now 15 was pulling me at the age of 13, and is getting preaty good. My cousin on the other hand has a 9yr, old that drives great. Thought they should learn as soon as possible, you never know when an emergancy would occur.

When we first got our searay when i was 13 i was able to drive it better than my dad from pwc experience, I quickly learned how to drive up to docks and get the boat on plane quickly the first day. Now we have an X2 and can drive on to the boat lift blind, on the other hand it takes my dad 2 tries before he gets it perfect

My brother and I have been on boats our whole life. We started driving around 7-8 with Dad sitting behind us. By 10 we were taking out our sailboat by ourselves, by 12-13 we were towing our Dad skiing and as soon as we turned 16 he let us take his car and tow to the lake by ourselves.

We took great care of our boat and never had a single problem when we were out by ourselves. I think a lot of it has to do with a kid's ability to respect other people (mainly their parents) and pay attention when they are off by themselves. We knew we would lose the privilige if we took it for granted, so that never happened. Eventually our Dad gave us the boat as we were the only ones using it. After a few years we decided it was time to get a wake boat and I bought my first new Sanger at 21.

I think its great for parents to spend time on boats together. It made for a lifelong love for me. As for trusting your kids with the boat....Spend a ton of time on the boat with them allowing them to deal with situations as they arise. Only after your kids have all of the abilities to handle a day on the lake without your intervention should they be allowed out with the boat.

While at Buena Vista, I saw an 8 year old trailer a boat. Grandma and Grandpa backed up the Motorhome and the Kid just drove right up, didn't even touch the Guides. Shook me up so bad it took me two trys to trailer.

Thanks for all the positive tips everyone. I figured i'd get at least one bonehead saying to never let a 13 yr old drive?? Hell my son had his own motorcycle and racing when he was 7-8. He has been on and around boats for 6-7 years and like i said has driven the boat with me right there but id like to give him more responsibilty to build his confidence. I will try the tips you all posted and go at it slowly, dont think he'll be backing the trailer down or loading it for a while though. It would suprise my friends if we went out and i turned over all driving duties in the future.

We have a 14yro and a 12yro--each with parents with too much money... Both drive around the lake in their own SANTE's with their friends. Little unnerving to see a a boat full of groms. So far so good--no accidents.

Stay positive while teaching and a huge amount depends on the maturity level as many have pointed out. I've grown up with boats all my life, so that helps. I was driving as a kid, and surpassed mom with a quickness. I never took any class because there isn't a liscence you need here in CA (at least back in the day, not sure how it is now). I'm lucky to have been raised with boats and trusting parents. Family friends called my parents crazy when I was taking the X with friends to the Delta (an hour away) at 17. My brother is a total space cadet and would never be trusted with taking the boat out or even trailering. I take much of the responsibility for the boat, and am rewarded with having it most of the time. Boating is an awesome and fun activity, and when you include the kids and give them reasonable responsibility gradually, it should work out wonderfully

Whit- Nice Enzo in the pro...

my youngest is now 12. He's been riding a standup since 7, and driving a boat under my supervision since 9. I have never allowed either in site of other boats, or away from my direct supervision. Now I trust him to give me a pull, much more so than the skittish wife. I beleive that children are very capable, if properly taught, but if stifled can create a restlessness, that has no outlet. It's about demonstrated maturity and knowing when to stop "playing" and start "working" . Kyle knows the difference.

Yup, teaching kids is great.....but does anybody know the California law on age of boat drivers?

Steve, basically, if you are 16 you can drive alone in a boat. Ages 12-15 an adult has to be in the boat.


CA Law:

Persons under the age of 16 are prohibited from operating any vessel powered by a motor of 15 horsepower or more, except for a sailboat that does not exceed 30 feet in length or a dinghy used directly between a moored boat and the shore, or between two moored boats. The new law allows persons of 12-15 years of age to operate specified motorboats of 15 horsepower or more if supervised on board by a person at least 18 years of age. A violation of these provisions is an infraction. (This law went into effect on January1, 1998. )

I was taking our old four winns on and off the trailer and picking dad up off the dock when I was 11-12, pulling the occasional person

Both my sister and I were pulling skiers in the Berkeley course by age 13. Mom or Dad would drop us off on the way to work in the mornings during spring break and we would ski all day. Keep in mind that we were keeping boat speeds +/-0.25mph without the aid of a perfect pass. I learned to drive a car on a Tuesday, tow the boat that Saturday. When my friends would go do fun stuff after school I complained that I had to go get the boat and tow it to the lake so the family could practice. At age 17 we were driving motorhomes towing promo boats hundreds of miles to competition events. Things were different in the 80's.

Thanks James.

im 16 and i bought my own boat and me and my friends go out alot

My dad let me take my boat out by myself when i was 9

I started taking the boat out alone when I was 16, and towing it on trips with friends when I was 20. My parents make me accountable for everything that happens with the boat. Hell I'm more careful than my dad is with it.

I was driving boats starting around 12 with parents or adults in the boat.

At 16, I think that it was a happy day for my parents. I got the car keys, boat keys, hooked the trailer up and they never had to deal with the family boat again! Only catch was I had to pay for gas (completely fair) and take my younger sisters with from time to time (fair too)

Only problems (and very very minor) had as a youth was friend's driving or lack there of skills. I also learned at an young age that an on time, good boat driving, gas money providing boat moch was some one to hold on to! ;)

Great thread. I had my first boat at 12 and after a few years of grooming my 12 year old now drives for me better than my wife (I never said that :-)

Both only early morning when their are few boats around, which is when we normally go. It's great to have your son become your favorite driver! Glad to hear others doing the same.

I am 13 and my parents let me and my friends take out my boat.My mom doesnt really like us doing this because she thinks that the boat will come back broken.When we take out my boat we are always responsible though and have never broken the boat or dangerd anyone on the lake.The only complaint we get from people is our music that we crank up.

My son was 10 or so when I first let him take the wheel, under close supervision. From there it slowly progressed to towing a skier, still supervised. He was 13 when he first pulled me all by himself, but that was during the week, with almost no other boats on the lake.

At 16 I let him take the boat with his friends and kept an eye on them from sure every once in awhile. Never caught him doing stupid stuff.

At 18 he is now the best boat driver of the family...

i bought 1my first boat when i was 16,and it wasnt no little boat, it was a 18 foot with a sbc in it and ive been driving a boat sence ive been 10

Figure I have been steering on dads lap since I was about 4-5, probably driving with him in the boat since I was about 10, and after his friend, who did not understand the concept of more throttle is good when turning a jet boat around, put us in the trees, I have had driving/pulling duties since I was 14. Had to do what had to be done. Started taking boat to the river with my friends at 16 with one rule that still stands even now that I am 30 and we have a different boat that we are partners on, You F-it up, You fix it....for all parents out there, teach your kids right for the love of some holy figure of your choice....

Started my boy at 2, he's now 7. Not only can he drive well and find his way back to the dock, he can also work the GPS, PerfectPass and SAT radio like nobodys business. Now if I can just get him to stop peeing off the swim step.