Would you let someone borrow your boat ?

A friend of mine asked if he could borrow my boat sometime to take his wife and son fishing.?
I brag about our fishing exploits and show him pictures all the time, and he tells me that he used to have
a boat when they lived in Missouri, etc..ect. After a lot of explanations of why I didn't think it was a good idea
I told him no. I really think he thought I would let him take my boat out for a day on Fork.
Just wondered what you guys would do if some asked to borrow your boat...

No that's like borrowing my girlfriend.

I would but only to someone that is experienced.....

Not on a bet. Good way to foul up a friendship if something were to happen. Use the " my insurance wont cover it" if afraid he would be offended, and it's probably true

With an experienced boater and someone I trusted there are probably some places I would agree to it. Lake Fork or any stump filled east Texas lake would not be one of them.

I can count on one hand who I'd let borrow my boat...one of them being my dad.

Generally no.

A long time fishing partner that knows what they're doing and respects your stuff, maybe.

I have and will in the future if they need to borrow it.

That is a tough call. For me since that is my business it is almost always a NO. I have let friends in the past but it is a tough call.

You just hope nothing happens or if it does they own up to it and say they did it and will take care of any issues.

Take pictures of everything before boat leaves and inspect it when they come back together just like a rent a car. IMO

Good Luck

hey buddy

loaning a boat out to take to lake fork is like being out drunk after midnight nothing good will come of it.

Depends on who is asking.....very select few I would loan it to but if I did, it would be to go wherever they needed to go

Engines blow all the time without warning, that's what would happen to me when I borrow someone elses boat.

For a crucial tournament day or to practice in for our team tournament - absolutely yes.

I would not but would offer to take them fishing.

Only 1 person. My brother who has been fishing with me since the 80's is the only person that I would allow to use my boat.

Yes, if it were a true friend that I trusted. Preferably not a lake like Fork though. When my boat has been down for repairs, I have had several friends offer me their boat to take out. A couple have been to take it to Fork for a tournament knowing that I am familiar with the lake and the stumps.

Being a true friend, I have always thanked them for the offer but have never accepted it. I know the dangers of anytime that you take a boat to a place like Fork. I also understand that anything can go wrong with a boat at any time. I never wanted the responsibility of having to repair someone elses boat for something like a blown engine.

On my insurance policy, I am the only covered driver. I would simply tell my friend that I'm very sorry but my policy doesn't allow me to loan out my boat

I have loaned mine out to a trusted friend who is very experienced and my dad could take it anytime he wanted

My wife and my son. Nobody else.

Aaaaahhhh. No


hell i break stuff myself all the time dont need no help

No, not even if they were insured.

I have..... Select few.....and I've borrowed a few though no 30k+ rigs

I would to very few though.

I would not, i have had a bad experience with someone using a car of mine before. Its nothing personal, i just dont loan out my property

No!!!!!!

I have and would again. All at Fork but only to very experienced Forksters.

[quote=steve hummert]Depends on who is asking.....very select few I would loan it too. I have loaned my boat to a friend of mine because he is a trusted friend and I know how he takes care of his equipment and know of his respect for others and their equipment.

Some people I know, I would never loan them the boat.

I wouldnt have a problem loaning a boat to a friend that I fished with many times and they owen a boat, but theres may be in the shop or down for some reason. They all take good care of there stuff, so they would respect mine. Wouldnt matter what lake.

wait a minute!!!!.... what about me? I have you in my 4 guys I would let borrow my ranger, course you may never go back to a basscat!....

Yeah, certain people. And for a reason like they have tourney and their boat is in the shop. Not just somebody to go have a day at the lake.

I can think of only 3 people I would loan my boat to

I would have to say no. For me to loan my boat to someone I would have to owe them big time. I use to have a pair of jet ski's. Wouldn't let anyone borrow them but would let others ride them when we were at the lake and they got torn up. Of course nobody knew how or who did it. Just ended up costing me more money and trouble so I had to even stop allowing others to ride. Things happen understandably but in this age people won't own up in my experience.

I've let my buddy use my boat to fish a BASS central open, his boat was in the shop. Only 3 people I trust enough to take my boat out, my dad and two of my buddies, outside of that your SOL.

No, no..aaaand, no.

Yes, I have 2 friends that I would have no problem letting them borrow my boat, both of them long time fishing buddies, and both very experienced boaters.

I would to a fishing buddy or someone I knew would take care of the boat and bring it back the way they took it. Then again my boat is only worth about 6000, so not the end of the world if something happened... I would be more concerned about taking a young child on the boat.

CamoLee you know I would let you borrow my Cat. The only problem is you would never go back to your Ranger or a Merc. The whole problem is you don't fish any more. LOL

No to the hell No.

Many years ago a club ‘friend’ asked to borrow my aluminum Tracker to fish a tournament on Palestine. He wanted to use my boat instead of his heavy glass boat thinking my boat would draft less water (true). He wanted to take my boat from the Villages where the tournament went out of up to Kickapoo. Thought my boat would be better as it would not hit as much as his heavy boat. BTW he had never been up there before!

So it is OK to take my boat up there, not knowing where you are going because it might not hit as much stuff??? No thank you!

That being said there are a few good friends I would loan my boat to but not very many.

Like some have said, only to an individual that I know is VERY experienced on Fork. An even then I would be worried the whole time that they would hit a stump and tear up the lower unit or knock the trolling motor off.

The problem with Fork at its current (full) level is that people like me that used to have landmark trees & stumps now cannot see them. That makes guys like me even more dangerous because I "think" I know where I'm going.

Ask Skeeter Fowler how nervous he was when I ran from the back of Dale Creek to the main lake in his Ranger.

No ! and I would not ask someone to borrow their boat either, that really puts friends on the spot.

This sounds odd, but it depends on if they could afford it. If it was someone I knew had the money to fix it or replace it, then probably. I say that because, insurance does not cover someone else in my boat and Im not going to risk loosing it all because they cant pay to fix it. Even then I would probably have them sign a contract of responsibility. If they wont sign that then they don't want to go bad enough. Lastly, they would have to be someone I trusted and knew their capabilities.

I have done it a couple times when I had cheaper boats, but with the price of boats today, Its too big a risk without financial liability.

I loaned mine to Brian Clark a few years ago when his got damaged during Kings of Cowtown, he went on to win the tournament. There's a few others I would loan it to but it's a short list.

I would if they have owned a boat and I knew there experience level. So I would know haw they treat their stuff

My nephew and my fishing partner are on the long list of 2 that don't even have to ask.
Anyone else shouldn't even ask.

I borrowed my dad's new ZX 250 twice while my boat was in the shop. The second time I found a piece of steel just under the water while idling into a marina on Texoma. Did $1,000 worth of damage and I got it repaired and paid for within a week. Lesson learned.

I have let Tommy and Tony Climer borrow my boat twice to fish Champs events when their boat was in the shop.




there are a few I would loan any boat I owned to whether it cost $750 or $75,000

it's just a boat

there is only three people I would let use my boat, if any thing happen I know it would get fixed.

yeah....the same guy that you let take your sister out on the town for drinks...........no one.........and dad wont ask since that would be incest.

Absolutely not. My nephew keeps asking and my answer is always no. I don't have the money to fix it if he won't own up and I know insurance won't cover him. Too many risks on the water and I like my boat. I've told him to save his money and get him a good used boat. He just don't care that much so I won't let him do it. My dad used to be on the short list but his health is poor and he can't handle a boat anymore, he won't ask now, I just take him with me. I really don't have anyone else I could trust. I don't let a whole lot of people borrow my cars either....

Yes but ,I have a 19 year old Ranger, you just can't break it. It's a battle ship, it has scratches from 18 years on RR.

Three times since 87, first time my brother, busted windshield,my problem. Second time, my dad and couple of his friends, they thought they really screwed up, never told them it was the kill switch. Last time I let my friend, who I've fished with 20 years, take my dad and son crappie fishing, no boat issues, but they wanted to murder him. He keeps his boat spotless, made sure mine was returned as borrowed

Ha! I would let one person use my boat. And only because he trusted me to use his. A while back, I used to fish from his back seat all the time. One day, I was talking to him about some things I could fix on his boat for him. He said come get it! Haha. I did. Straight to my driveway. A few days later, I said I was finished. He said...take it and try it out! I said ok. A few hours later I called him and asked him where the "choke" was on his Nitro. Lol I could hear the nervousness in his voice when he asked when and WHAT was my last boat. I said 1993 and it was a Taylor Craft jet boat. Lol. He politely said push in the key. Lol. Then I called and asked how to "turn on" the trolling motor and he said to meet him at the boat dock!!! Lol. Good times. Learned quite a bit since then. I'd loan him anything thing I own. Without question.

NO WAY!!

There are maybe a few people that I trust. For sure, one of those people would be my father, then I think the only other person I would trust would be my grandfather. If he can back in a 43ft motor yacht into a tiny marina slip, then he can put a 20ft bass boat back on the trailer. I'd really have to think hard about anyone else. It has nothing to do with potential boat damage, it's all about whether or not I'd be able to move on if someone lost their life while driving my boat. Boats and money are replaceable, lives are not!

Only my 21 year old son and a couple of Gambler owners I know personally.

A few that I would. Problem is you never know when it's just going to blow up going down the lake regardless of who is driving it. You just have to accept that.

Dad only!

2 people and 2 people only. My partner and my girlfriend. Although I'm not against adding more people to it if I got to know them well enough

LOL Ken

I have seen you boat on the water at Fork in Little Caney and to my surprise, you weren't in the boat. The guy I talked to said you were coming up on the following day. He said he was scouting out the lake for you....LOL finding the fish.

I have several times, i trust my friends.

I have 5 or 6 that could anytime no questions asked

And I would think they would do the same for me
Heck first time I borrowed my partners boat I lost the whole bench seat in his champion on the way to the lake. $850 and a couple of weeks later he had a new factory seat

the list is very short.

I would and have let 2 of my fishing partners use my boat never a problem. They have also done the same for me when I needed their boats it's all on who you trust.

Not on Fork. No matter who it was.

On a lake I know isn't extremely stumpy then there's probably two people I would CONSIDER. Still not a yes. . .

Yes, but that list of folks is very short.

I would let maybe one person do, very responsible person and knows to replace if any damage is done.

It's all good when you borrow your partner's boat till you spill a bottle of Dip-n-Dye on the seat.

Oh, you didn't go there, I'm having flash backs.

I let my son borrow my boat on multiple occasions. It has hardly ever turned out well. He can drive the boat fine, it's all the other things that he's not all that competent at. Plus, as Murphy's law applies, if something can go wrong when someone else has your boat, it will. For example...My son borrowed my boat when he made the club top 6 and fished Granbury in the state tournament. He blew the power head...Computer diagnosis said he did not do anything wrong, the boat had never hit the rev limiter, etc. Just bad luck. The good news was that it was still under warranty and Mercury footed the entire bill, no questions asked.

only my brother...

LOL. We have two ChemCal boats nowadays. I frequently get texts telling me they saw me on the lake but I am nowhere near it.

I have two friends that I would, but that's it.

SE Kansas grass grower

I would never ask a good friend to borrow his boat

Amen

I've loaned mine to good responsible friends before and I've borrowed boats in the past when in a pinch. I wouldn't make a habit of either but depending on the situation, yes I would.

No way.

Sure I would! If it was my clone!!

Only if I can borrow their wife or girlfriend for the day...lol

You can borrow my new pick up but not my old boat!!

I'd let someone borrow my wife before I'd let anyone borrow my boat. Too much of a liability

Absolutely. I have a friend that owns a service center and does all of the work on it..... He can.

A short list of others, all boat owners. They can.

But that's it.

It's just a boat after all and completely different than a girlfriend.

just quickly looking at all the answers seems like the yes's out number the no's 3-4 to 1.
Looks like it really depends on who's asking..For myself I can say that I don't think I would ever
let anyone borrow my boat. Too many things could happen that I don't want to have to confront.
I want to keep my friends, that would be a great way to lose one.

lol....try Ray branch....pucker factor extreme

I have let Beltonbill borrow my boat, and would let him use it any time he needed. He is more careful with it then I am. I would be a nervous wreck to let anyone else including my family!!!

Most people wanna borrow ketchup.......or even some sugar............but my boat???? HAAAAAAIIIIIIILLLLLL NAWWWWWWWW



BYE FELICIA

Only close family.

Yes, but only to certain people

I've done it twice.

The first boat leaked a little so I told them to keep an eye on the bilge. And I tied a float on the back just in case it sunk so they would be able to find it.

The second boat (at the time) was a three year old 18' pro-craft. Sometimes you just have to help out your fellow club anglers when they need it.

When he came back from the BASS Fed regional I notice a crack in the gel-coat on the inside near the left seat. I also noted that some of the tackle I had left in the boat was missing and my subscription polarized sunglasses were missing out of the glove compartment. He said he hit a speed bump in the parking lot.

I called the tournament director and got the name of the guy who was his co-angler. This guy said that he was passing a bunch of boats on the takeoff and nearly dumped them out when it went airborne and that is when my sunglasses blew out, and this guy also lost 2 combos worth $500. The boat came down very hard.

I found my tackle in his workshop.

Would I do it again? NO

Have I talked to the liar since? NO

Dad and brother only

Cutting to the bone! I will be showing you how it's done this year! :))))))))

i have loaned my boat out to one person before, my previous tournament partner who i knew very well and trusted. i did not feel the need to tell him to be careful, or that he would have to pay for thing if they were damaged because i knew that he would. i would not have a problem with loaning it to someone who i knew owned one and had the knowledge of boats, but would still be a tad nervous.

TRUTH....lol, one of my buddies did that to one of mine. But he had the carpet cleaned completely, it did not come out, but i knew it was an honest mistake, and after he offered to replace the entire carpet (and i refused) i knew he felt bad about it. it is was it is

Not a chance, you should take his son wife and him fishing like a guide trip. Too many things that could go wrong that May or May not have to do with him. Unless this guy has a awesome deer lease and will allow you to go shoot a huge buck.

That's really the more important thing. I'd never want to put a friend in that situation.

No and I will not ask anyone to borrow theirs ..NO bad idea, Hire a guide. Or my tractor NOPE.....

Nope not inless there rich and have disposable income

1) you shouldn't have to explain chit to him 2) guy that asks to borrow another's man boat is not a friend (unless owner encourages another to take it 3) dude ain't got good character when he asks to borrow another mans boat

No way possible

I've got a couple of friends that I wouldn't hesitate for a second to let them use my boat. They were there for me countless times when money was tight and they asked me to go fishing with them and never accepted a dime from me. Granted, they are very experienced boaters and take great care of their rigs, so I know they would treat mine the same. I'm not gonna worry about if something happens mechanically - I figure it could just as easily happen to me.

I've loaned mine out a few times. Borrowed a few as well.

Not no but Hell NO!!!

I have borrowed and will let mine go to a select few.
I have also had a guide let me use his boat to finish a day when I whacked a stump in mine

Hell no

I would only loan my boat to one person that I can think of, because we have fished several years together and feel that he would do the same for me. I love my dad, but wouldn't even loan it to him.

I know this one guy who fishes all the time that borrows a boat because his wife won't let him buy one, I think he needs to grow a pair and buy one anyway's.

Maybe my Dad and that's it. And that is only because he has been operating bass boats most of his life.

I would but I'm worried about that leaking gas tank.

Yep, would not have an issue loaning my boat out... to a VERY SELECT few people.

I have 2 friends that I would let borrow my boat anytime they needed , but I also know they would let me borrow theirs if I needed one but they are the only ones so DON'T ASK .

Have loaned mine a couple of times in the past. Would so so again in a heartbeat with a few close friends etc.

I would feel comfortable taking out anyone's boat here.

Nope. Never.