Interest in boating, docking, and navigation lessons?

[rowinghelmet]

Wow, thanks for all the great ideas!

Originally Posted by caloway

Probably lots of demand. You could hold group lessons, then offer 1:1 training. Also, you could get a little yellow sign for the boat that says "Student Captain" so the rest of us know to watch out.

I love the "Student Captain" flag idea.

Originally Posted by TriDad

I would pay for you to teach my wife and kids how to dock...with your boat. ;-) Really, I would.

I'll PM you once I get my insurance setup. I'm the resident instructor for my extended family and have experience teaching folks with a variety of backgrounds.

Originally Posted by Aguamenti

I would welcome the chance to get some hands on advice and practice docking.

If you PM me your email address I'll make sure to contact you once I start scheduling lessons.

Originally Posted by Newbiesaukee

If your brainstorming, some instruction in basic maintenance might be useful.

Great idea! What topics would you be interested in? Detailing, fiberglass repair, winterization, water pump maintenance?

[Jeanzb1]

Great idea! For example, I have my NH Boating Certificate, but I know zip, zero, zilch about handling a boat -- including our own!

[NH_boater]

I too question demand even though you said side business. A couple of thoughts (my opinion obviously)...

- Insurance liability and damage potential issues using customer's boat or your own. This cost could negate any profit, and mistakes could kill a years take.
- The people that need it most are not likely to seek out or pay for it.
- Difficult business model with lack of steady stream of repeat users. Hard to make a any profit on one and done customers.
- Difficult business model with short seasonal window
- Weather and time dependent for lessons; wind/waves/traffic. Off times are best for wide open docking access, while on hours best for tight quarters practice.
- Customer's have to accept you as a credible, capable instructor on a wide variety of vessels (performance, runabout, cruiser, ski boat, PWC, pontoon, etc.) in a wide variety of situations. May not be easy.

Just so I am not completely negative.....Opportunities:
- Reading charts/GPS and navigating (avoiding rocks)
- Docking (dealing with wind and tight quarters)
- Anchoring and sandbars (avoid arguments with spouse)
- Boating Safety (fire ext, radio, pfd, waves, trim and tabs)
- Water safety (boneheads, wakes, winds, storms, drowning, MOB)
- Tubing and kid safety
- Launching and trailering (and backing up trailers)
- Knots and tie up properly
- Night boating basics
- Fueling and Maintenance basics
- Interesting lake destinations

Best approach is probably to align yourself as a service representing yourself with multiple marinas. Maybe even the marina throws your basic 4 hr service in for free with every new boat purchase (and they pay you directly) if you can demonstrate value to the marina. This might give you a lead stream and upselling potential.

It all really depends on your expectations for business volume, revenue and profit. My guess: Pretty long put to make any profit.

[rowinghelmet]

Wow, thanks NH Boater, fantastic points. I'm consider pursuing this mainly to share my love of boating and meet other folks.

I will share the cost of the commercial insurance with a boat rental business I'm running on the side. I hope the cost will be incremental.

I have a little under 1000 hours on single and twin engine runabouts, ski boats, PWCs, center consoles, sailboats, and pontoons and will shortly have my Captain's License and NH Commercial Boater's license. I'm hoping to get some testimonials after the first few lessons and market mainly through word of mouth.

The list of opportunities is great! I hadn't thought of trailering and anchoring, but clearly there are opportunities there too.

I might combine this with some sort of water taxi/charter service and maybe a concierge business too to offset further marketing and operating expenses.

[webmaster]

The Lakes Region Power Squadron seems like a good place to start:

http://www.lrsps.org/membership.htm

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by webmaster

The Lakes Region Power Squadron seems like a good place to start:

http://www.lrsps.org/membership.htm

As a lrsps member and volunteer I can say the class that we and the uscg auxiliary offer gives boaters a better education if they are willing to invest the time. Unfortunately many are too busy and just want the certificate. I would love to see an in water test but know it will never happen

[jeffatsquam]

As a summer job in high school I taught navigation and boatmanship for the junior Squam lakes association. It was a great way to spend the summer.