Positive reinforcement and about 800 pounds of patience. Just keep doing it
over and over. Don't get angry that's just a turn off and makes the
pressure on him build. It has to be fun or why do it. He obviously wants
to please you so when he makes a little mistake it probably flusters him and
makes the next mistake more inevitable.

Good luck.

Butch
" JimH" jimhUNDERSCOREosudad@yahooDOTcom wrote in message
. ..
.........that I guess I don't have.

My 18 year old son had the day off from his summer house painting job
because of rain predicted later in the day. So, being a good father I
took him out to the boat for his second "hands on" lesson on operating and
docking the boat. The first one went great, especially the experience he
got docking the boat with a wind pushing him away from the dock. He has
been boating with me since he was a toddler and literally grew up around
boats.

During our first 'hands on' lesson I told him several important things:
Look back to make sure no boats are coming before backing out of the dock;
keep your right hand on the throttle when running in the river to/from the
Lake (all no wake zone but some folks do foolish things on this fairly
narrow river); and, bump the speed up gently when going from idle to 5 mph
no wake speed.

He forgot all those things today.

He also forgot where the trim control button for the OD was, forgot his
USCG Power Squadron operators card and forgot his sunglasses and a hat (it
was hot and sunny). After almost sticking the OD in the mud at a
particularly shallow spot at the entrance to the river from the marina
(because he did not raise the OD before getting to this spot and could not
find the button to do so) he decided that he wanted to go home.

I do not like quitters but today was not going well so I gave in.

I was proud when he got his USCG PS certification over the winter without
any prompting from me. I am happy to teach him everything he needs to
know about this boat, including operating it, anchoring it and docking it
so he can eventually take it out on his own. But he does not take
negative feedback well and neither of us have a lot of
patience..........deadly combinations.

I am not letting him take the boat out by himself (he will be with 2 or 3
friends) until he has operated it with me at least a half dozen times
*and* I am confident he knows what he is doing.

Any suggestions on making this go smoother in the future?