Cat insurance in trouble

[2112]

The details of this program will never be posted on public forum or published. The depth of instruction is too valuable and proprietary to reveal in open forum.

I took the course with Tres and feel it was very worthwhile for me. If I had one disappointment, it was that I did not have a "manual" or "flashcards" to take home with me to keep the material fresh and on top of mind. Yes, I frantically took notes but years later, they don't mean as much.

The above statement explains why, and I can understand that. I wish there was a good way around that problem.

One suggestion that I have is to have at least one "home" session (Home for Tres) per year, where a large enough lecture hall can be secured that you can have enough attendees to make it worthwhile. In addition to new attendees that will be taking the on the water experience, allow past students to attend in a passive status, being able to listen to the lectures but not necessarily doing the on the water experience. Like when you would audit a course in college, not officially taking the course for the grade but as a refresher or for the enjoyment factor.

It would be a great refresher and doing it every couple of years would keep it fresh in our minds.

Just my 2 cents.:USA:
.

 

[JupiterSunsation]

I would so love to take that course....however...trailing on Jupiter and MM's comments...a little competition can be a healthy thing. I have a 16 year, old 35K, 70mph boat that I bought 2 years ago (now worth only 25K thanks to the economy) and have since had to put 25K in unforseen repairs to get back running again (next season). I was in the position of pay to fix it...or walk away and eat the loss. No choice but to steer into the skid and ride it out so to speak. I'm so under money-wise right now that I dock next to Titanic.

For the guy that blew a million or so on his latest toy, the 3k for that course is likely cheaper than his weekend bar tab. 3k in my world is more than my annual budget to run (well..close anyway). Not complaining....I'm just the guy playing on a shoe string budget. I would LOVE to learn all those skills...both for the safety aspect and the fact that I enjoy mastering skills. I have no doubt that course would improve my driving ten-fold. However....until the price comes down, it's just not within the practicalities of my budget.

I hope Tres and Brad fill all their classes in the future...maybe room for another school then. Volume and competition reduce prices....if all those dudes with the million dollar rigs would just cough it up and go....maybe Reagan's old "trickle-down economics" theory will get the prices down to where the average guy can go! :sifone:

Your boat being non stepped and slower is not the boat type that is getting people in trouble (not a knock/jab, I got the same boat!). It is the guy with the new XYZ brand that wants to run it 90 mph because his buddy or the salesman showed him how everything works and besides the chopper is coming to film it for the poker run......ends in property damage/injury.

Bulgaria- brand new TG rolled
39 TG/1075 boat on a poker run right after buying it
Last month 42 Fountain on it's maiden voyage rolled
CashBar out on a new Fountain......

All the same result......everyone got wet, some injured due to lack of knowledge. I would be willing to bet the deductible cost the owner more than the class would have.

 

[GENERAL LEE]

CashBar out on a new Fountain......

I'm not directing this directly at you JS, just since you mentioned it: Cash Bar isn't the one that rolled that Fountain. He wasn't even in the boat when the accident occurred.

The brand new owner flipped it while running with a few other boats that day, and after the accident occurred, Cash swam over to help. The picture of him "riding" it, is what was so funny, but a few dorks continued wearing out the subject, and the joke became confusing. :ack2:

 

[JupiterSunsation]

I'm not directing this directly at you JS, just since you mentioned it: Cash Bar isn't the one that rolled that Fountain. He wasn't even in the boat when the accident occurred.

The brand new owner flipped it while running with a few other boats that day, and after the accident occurred, Cash swam over to help. The picture of him "riding" it, is what was so funny, but a few dorks continued wearing out the subject, and the joke became confusing. :ack2:

I know the story...saw the before/after pics but since he was so famously posed on the nose, most have assumed that he did it!

The stunt man for that ride was actually from the next town over from me and literally just got the boat, hence the inclusion on the list of new owners/ bad results.

 

[Tres]

I would so love to take that course....however...trailing on Jupiter and MM's comments...a little competition can be a healthy thing. I have a 16 year, old 35K, 70mph boat that I bought 2 years ago (now worth only 25K thanks to the economy) and have since had to put 25K in unforseen repairs to get back running again (next season). I was in the position of pay to fix it...or walk away and eat the loss. No choice but to steer into the skid and ride it out so to speak. I'm so under money-wise right now that I dock next to Titanic.

For the guy that blew a million or so on his latest toy, the 3k for that course is likely cheaper than his weekend bar tab. 3k in my world is more than my annual budget to run (well..close anyway). Not complaining....I'm just the guy playing on a shoe string budget. I would LOVE to learn all those skills...both for the safety aspect and the fact that I enjoy mastering skills. I have no doubt that course would improve my driving ten-fold. However....until the price comes down, it's just not within the practicalities of my budget.

I hope Tres and Brad fill all their classes in the future...maybe room for another school then. Volume and competition reduce prices....if all those dudes with the million dollar rigs would just cough it up and go....maybe Reagan's old "trickle-down economics" theory will get the prices down to where the average guy can go! :sifone:

Price is a the cost of doing BIZ that I cant change. I see you have a Sunsation avitar, Sunsation is having a springtime Sunsation customers only course that we are going to do,,, that has discounts. And every year we have specials to get discounts out to the public.

 

[Ratickle]

I'm a little curious, and you don't have to answer, but;

Have any of the test drivers for PowerBoat, Performance Boat etc taken your course?

And, if you were looking to hire some more instructors for your course because it was so busy, (mandated by every insurance company as a pre-requisite to any boat over 55 mph), how many potential drivers/trainers are there you would consider choosing from?????(Bob Teague, Steve David, etc come to mind).

 

[Chris]

I was in a marina last week. I noticed the rates posted on their shop wall. A winterization on a twin engine performance boat costs almost a grand.

I'm not the kind of guy that would quibble with what value a man places on his own life.

MM- what does it cost per hour to swim with dolphins and get massages in Islamorada? Key West bar tab? It's all relative.

 

[MarylandMark]

MM- what does it cost per hour to swim with dolphins and get massages in Islamorada? Key West bar tab? It's all relative.

Dolphins are cheap compared to KW bar tabs :rofl:

Either way- good way to put it in perspective. I'm using those same lines to see if I can get the girl to OK me taking the class say 11/11 - 11/16 in KW- in the name of safety I say!

 

[Chris]

I've been out with a couple new-to-steps owners. I've taken them through some turns and got "close". They knew they'd felt what they were feeling before, but didn't recognize it. Nor did they know just how close they were to some serious mayhem. I don't mind sticking my head in the lion's mouth- as long as I know up front what I'm dealing with. Doing it blindfolded, thinking you're petting the neighbor's housecat...

 

[nortech4play]

I took the course with Tres and feel it was very worthwhile for me. If I had one disappointment, it was that I did not have a "manual" or "flashcards" to take home with me to keep the material fresh and on top of mind. Yes, I frantically took notes but years later, they don't mean as much.

The above statement explains why, and I can understand that. I wish there was a good way around that problem.

One suggestion that I have is to have at least one "home" session (Home for Tres) per year, where a large enough lecture hall can be secured that you can have enough attendees to make it worthwhile. In addition to new attendees that will be taking the on the water experience, allow past students to attend in a passive status, being able to listen to the lectures but not necessarily doing the on the water experience. Like when you would audit a course in college, not officially taking the course for the grade but as a refresher or for the enjoyment factor.

It would be a great refresher and doing it every couple of years would keep it fresh in our minds.

Just my 2 cents.:USA:
.

I agree 100%, some sort of continuing education would be beneficial as a refresher course. In hindsight I should have enrolled my Engineer son to take the course with me, his notes you can at least read and understand, mine on the other hand are just short of braille...

 

[Tres]

I'm a little curious, and you don't have to answer, but;

Have any of the test drivers for PowerBoat, Performance Boat etc taken your course?

And, if you were looking to hire some more instructors for your course because it was so busy, (mandated by every insurance company as a pre-requisite to any boat over 55 mph), how many potential drivers/trainers are there you would consider choosing from?????(Bob Teague, Steve David, etc come to mind).

Yes Eric Colby took our course. We have some people in mind but only if the market warranted. We are not willing to diclose who they would be. Just remember that That person has to know how to teach and get into the minds of the individuals.

 

[SKATIN]

That sucks. I wanted to get into a cat later on down the road. Maybe I should get an under 100 MPH 28 skater/30 Motion sooner rather than later so that I can move up to the 120-130 MPH class when I actually want to.

Go with the 30 motion or spectre for 100 or under 28 skater is a fast boat 115 and up with 280s

 

[DollaBill]

I'm not directing this directly at you JS, just since you mentioned it: Cash Bar isn't the one that rolled that Fountain. He wasn't even in the boat when the accident occurred.

The brand new owner flipped it while running with a few other boats that day, and after the accident occurred, Cash swam over to help. The picture of him "riding" it, is what was so funny, but a few dorks continued wearing out the subject, and the joke became confusing. :ack2:

Not to hijack, but just an update on that event..

There is a lawsuit (obviously) where the person who flipped that boat is suing the dealer through whom I delivered the boat stating he didnt have enough training. BS. The insurance co denied the claim because he wasn't supposed to be in the boat without his father. This was never disclosed to anyone. Now it's costing everyone thousands to defend themselves against this crap. uhg

 

[Tres]

I took the course with Tres and feel it was very worthwhile for me. If I had one disappointment, it was that I did not have a "manual" or "flashcards" to take home with me to keep the material fresh and on top of mind. Yes, I frantically took notes but years later, they don't mean as much.

The above statement explains why, and I can understand that. I wish there was a good way around that problem.

One suggestion that I have is to have at least one "home" session (Home for Tres) per year, where a large enough lecture hall can be secured that you can have enough attendees to make it worthwhile. In addition to new attendees that will be taking the on the water experience, allow past students to attend in a passive status, being able to listen to the lectures but not necessarily doing the on the water experience. Like when you would audit a course in college, not officially taking the course for the grade but as a refresher or for the enjoyment factor.

It would be a great refresher and doing it every couple of years would keep it fresh in our minds.

Just my 2 cents.:USA:
.

How bout a refresher? Just have not been in the area. But your idea is OK with us. Maybe a soon get together somehow.

 

[2112]

How bout a refresher? Just have not been in the area. But your idea is OK with us. Maybe a soon get together somehow.

I was thinking a place in sunny Florida, A reason for all your former students needing a refresher to get out of the cold in say......February? :sifone:
.

 

[nortech4play]

i was thinking a place in sunny florida, a reason for all your former students needing a refresher to get out of the cold in say......february? :sifone:
.

+1

 

[BRAD SCHOENWALD]

I took the course with Tres and feel it was very worthwhile for me. If I had one disappointment, it was that I did not have a "manual" or "flashcards" to take home with me to keep the material fresh and on top of mind. Yes, I frantically took notes but years later, they don't mean as much.

The above statement explains why, and I can understand that. I wish there was a good way around that problem.

Just my 2 cents.:USA:
.

Thank you for feedback. We do now provide a lesson plan outline folder. The folder provides the opportunity for each student follow and right notes and reminders in their own hand.

Recognizing everyone has different learning styles. Visual, auditory, kinesthetic , etc we change up the sessions to accommodate these styles and do our best to manage the learning environment.

Once a student always a student is one of our mottos. We are always on call for our students. We don’t charge anything for distance refreshers or phone consults to our graduates.

 

[BRAD SCHOENWALD]

I was in a marina last week. I noticed the rates posted on their shop wall. A winterization on a twin engine performance boat costs almost a grand.

I'm not the kind of guy that would quibble with what value a man places on his own life.

MM- what does it cost per hour to swim with dolphins and get massages in Islamorada? Key West bar tab? It's all relative.

If we did service work to where you would com back on a regular schedule it would be great. I change your oil do a good job on time and leave the boat clean. I get a repeat customer.

A true measurement of our sucess is you never come back, we give you life skills that grow as you grow your boating expierience. How much is that worth? We do have repeat customers but they are few and usually only occurs when they go from a V to a Cat.

 

[BRAD SCHOENWALD]

Have any of the test drivers for PowerBoat, Performance Boat etc taken your course?

And, if you were looking to hire some more instructors for your course because it was so busy, (mandated by every insurance company as a pre-requisite to any boat over 55 mph), how many potential drivers/trainers are there you would consider choosing from?????(Bob Teague, Steve David, etc come to mind).

A bit more to follow up behind Tres' info.

We have a couple of individuals in line for when the economy returns and we ramp back up. These are exceptional individuals who posses required skills sets, passion, and core values.

Numerous active test drivers have gone through our program. Through Brunswick Corporations Quality Management System a gap in their risk management was noted. As a result Tres and I developed special curriculums and had three separate sessions. X-Site, Fond du lac, and Osh Kosh.

Mercury Racing engineers, test drivers, and executive staff went through our program. In addition we collaborated with hydrodynamic engineers during the final stages of some products before they were released to the public.

These sessions not only satisfied the training and risk mitigation requirements for the corporation but also resulted in validation of our program from the engineers and some of the best boat drivers I have ever had the pleasure to run with as well as the executive staff.

Brunswick Corporations recognition of the need for third party training and review is a perfect example of the way ahead for the entire industry.