Bitter End

TALKIN' THE TALK

By Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill

Mtrain, which means it’s time to throw off the boat cover and fire up old Betsy. Each spring I talk about the mechanical aspects of getting ready for boating season but this spring I’m going to stray away from that routine and talk about talk.

Don’t let the picture fool you. Even though that’s a radio, for this purpose it's a symbol. What is a radio? Simple. It’s a device for communicating. We all know that when using one, it’s important to be clear and concise. It’s important to do the same on our vessels, which brings me to the gist of my point.

As a veteran, communication and time have been integral factors in my life from a young age. Yet, I’ve found through the years that many people do not communicate very well. Even those of us who are intelligent and articulate can sometimes lack the execution or forethought required for effective communication.

But let’s start with time. When planning a boat outing and you have friends or family meeting you at a dock or launch ramp, be sure the meeting time is agreed upon and confirmed with all parties. I’ve witnessed many occasions when a party is running late, setting off a ripple effect that ruins the mood for the entire trip.

As the captain of your vessel, take responsibility for the effect you have on those around you, not just within your party. If you’re picking your party up at a marina and they’re running late, don’t tie up and sit at the dock. Many marinas have limited dock space, so be courteous of others waiting to load or unload. Having run a marina for a few years, I’ve seen this happen time and again. Same thing applies to the limited area around boat ramps. So basically what I’m saying is, if you see that others need to use the space, move your boat out into the creek and sit at idle until your party arrives, or move to an unoccupied space and tie off a line, but move out of the loading and unloading area.

Now, let’s get into the meat: the actual communication between individuals aboard the boat.

As a professional boat captain, I find that a good mate can make a bad captain look good, but the reverse is true; a bad mate can make a good captain look incompetent. The easiest way to avoid looking bad (or lost tempers) is to discuss what you’re going to do with whoever is handling lines for you. Talk about what the wind and currents are doing and how you’ll be maneuvering, what your thoughts are from behind the wheel and what their responsibilities are as line handlers. This most importantly can prevent injuries. I have seen heated acknowledgement. Don’t just say “I plan on coming to the dock at full speed, then when

Although in your mind you may understand a day running a tour boat. I work with the same

Captain Gator has spent the past several decades truly living the salt life, from living on and racing sailboats, to being a paddle guide, to becoming a 100-ton master and working in the tour boat industry. A strong love of history and the water has shaped him into becoming one part educator, one part entertainer, and one part storyteller. When asked if he is a native, his reply is yes, by osmosis.

TheOriginalCaptainGator@gmail.com

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