Did You Know?
According to a Survey of Boaters by
The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies...

I Can't Believe I Did That!

Boaters 'Fess Up to Mistakes: Launching

That Sinking Feeling
More than a quarter of all boaters surveyed (26 percent) admit that,
when launching their boat, they've forgotten to put in the bottom
plug and their boat started to sink.

Slippery When Wet
Twelve percent of boaters say they've slid into the water because
they didn't realize how slippery the launch ramp was.

Missed it by That Much!
Ten percent of boaters say when backing their trailer onto the ramp,
they've backed up too far and caused their tire trailers to fall off
the end of the ramp. People with fishing boats were more likely to make
this mistake than people with pleasure boats (12 percent versus 9
percent, respectively).

Cast Off Comedy
Ten percent of all boaters surveyed admit they've forgotten to
disconnect their boat from its trailer, but people with fishing boats
were more likely than pleasure boaters to make this mistake (13 percent
versus 8 percent).

Mistakes: Putting Boat Back on Trailer

Let's Get Things Straight
About a third of boaters (31 percent) say when taking their boat out of
the water, they've put their boat on its trailer lopsided or missed
the trailer completely.

Like Fingernails on a Blackboard
Fourteen percent of boaters admit that, when pulling their boat out of
the water, they've left the engine in the down position and dragged
it across the ramp.

With Friends Like This, Who Needs Enemies?
It doesn't happen often, but when it does, ouch! One percent of
boaters admit they weren't paying attention when driving their
trailer out of the water and they ran over someone's foot.





Mistakes: Trailering

Back Off!
Seventeen percent of boaters say they've trailered their boat without
first making sure the trailer's lights were working properly.

Connection Disconnect
Pleasure boaters were more likely than people with fishing boats to say
they've failed to secure their boat to its trailer before taking off
(5 percent versus 3 percent).

You Didn't Need Those Cushions/Towels/Bumpers/Lines/Folding
Chairs/Umbrellas/(Insert Your Stuff Here) Anyway, Did You?
Thirteen percent of boaters admit they've forgotten to secure their
boat's contents before driving away.

Mistakes: Docking

Docking Is My Strong Suit
When shown a list of eight possible mistakes boaters make while
docking, almost three quarters of boaters (72 percent) said they
hadn't made any of the mistakes.

Of those who made mistakes, 9 percent approached the dock too fast
causing them to hit it and damage their boat; 7 percent jumped off
their boat intending to land on the dock but fell in the water instead;
and 7 percent injured their hands attempting to fend the boat away from
the dock.

Ahoy, Matey!
Pleasure boaters were 43 percent more likely than people with fishing
boats to say they've approached the dock too fast, hit it and damaged
their boat (10 percent versus 7 percent).

Mistakes: At the Helm

Captain, My Captain
The most common mistakes boaters make while at the helm of their boat
are running aground and getting a line caught in the propeller (both 15
percent). Twelve percent of captains admit not being able to restart
their motor because they accidentally left the kill switch on.

Thank You ... From the Bottom of My Boat
With 15 percent of boaters running aground, it's no wonder the
biggest percentage of boaters surveyed (35 percent) say a depth finder
is the most useful item they've ever purchased for their boat. The
second biggest vote-getter for most useful item is a Global Positioning
System (16 percent).


Better Hold On!
Ten percent of boaters say they've hit the throttle too fast without
first telling passengers, but pleasure boaters were more than twice as
likely to do this as people with fishing boats (13 percent versus 6
percent).

Stormy Weather
Twenty-two percent of boaters say they've underestimated the severity
of an approaching storm. Ten percent say they've left the dock
without first checking the weather forecast.

Misadventures at Sea

Getting Burned
Almost half of boaters surveyed (40 percent) say they've suffered a
bad sunburn while on their boat.

Marooned Mariners
About a third (31 percent) of boaters say they've gotten stranded due
to a mechanical breakdown. This is more likely to happen to pleasure
boaters than it is to people with fishing boats (36 percent versus 25
percent).

More Pain for the Pleasure
Nine percent of pleasure boaters confess to receiving a violation or
warning, versus 5 percent of people with fishing boats.

Gas Pains
Fifteen percent of boaters say they've overflowed the gas tank while
fueling, and 11 percent say they've run out of fuel while on the
water.

Anchors Aweigh!
Seven percent of boaters admit they've dropped their anchor without
first securing the anchor to the boat. Two percent of boaters say
they've dropped an anchor on their foot.

Item Overboard!
The most common items boaters say they've lost overboard are hats (52
percent); sunglasses (46 percent); fishing gear (39 percent); and
towels (23 percent). When asked to provide write-in answers of items
lost overboard, one boater said a hearing aid, while another said
teeth!

Mars, Venus and Relationships

The Ties That Bind
Male boaters were twice as likely as female boaters to forget to tie a
line to the bow of the boat, causing the boat to drift away (12 percent
versus 6 percent).


Keep Your Head Above Water
Men are twice as likely as women to say they did not have enough
personal flotation devices for everyone on board (8 percent versus 4
percent).

Singles Like to Soak Up the Sun
Single people are three times more likely than married people to say
sunbathing is their favorite thing to do on their boat (7 percent
versus 2 percent).

With This Ring...
Two percent of boaters say they've lost their wedding ring overboard.

Older and Wiser

Precision Comes With Age
Younger boaters (ages 18-34) are more than twice as likely as older
boaters (ages 65 and older) to say they've overflowed the gas tank
while refueling their boat (20 percent versus 8 percent). Younger
boaters are also more likely than older boaters to say they've hit
another boat while docking (4 percent versus 1 percent).

Insurance At Sea

Fearless Fishermen
A third of people with fishing boats (32 percent) say they do not have
boat insurance, versus 17 percent of pleasure boaters.

The Wrong Policy Can Cost You Big
Of boaters who had to replace their boat due to damage or theft, more
than a third (37 percent) say their insurance did not adequately cover
the cost of a replacement boat.

Strange Times at Sea

Those Wild and Crazy Guys (Not!)
When asked to write in the strangest thing they'd ever done on their
boat, one boater said he and a bunch of guys went out on the boat to go
fishing and they all fell asleep. So, the fishing trip turned into an
off-shore nap time.

Birthday Suits Abound
Several people said the strangest thing they'd ever done on their
boat was to take off all their clothes. One person said he drove his
boat naked since he was in the middle of a big lake and there were no
other boaters around.