The April 1999 edition of Sea had a great article worthy of laminating and posting on any private boat for the required reading of guests. (p.45-6). I know this has been sitting here for some time but I really do like the author's attitude and feel I can use this as proof to my freeloading friends that they need to antie-up.

A Guest's Guide to Boating Etiquette

1. Buy the Fuel: Boats burn a lot of fuel. A guest should offer to pay for the fuel bill. The boat owner is already covering the cost of wear and tear, moorage, monthly payments, marine insurance, licensing, yearly luxury taxes, and a long list of other fees. Buying fuel is little enough to ask of a guest who has come along for the ride.
2. Bring Lunch: The skipper gets to the boat early, sets things up and runs the boat. The least a guest can do is offer to feed him or her.
3. Help the Skipper: Guests generally want to help, but they often improvise too much. Stand by and let the skipper give instructions.
4. Don't Force It: How many hasps, hinges and catches are yanked and mutilated by boating guests annually? Too many. If it doesn't come open easily - ask.
5. Stay Out of the Skippers Way: A boat is a small space. The person running it often has a lot on his or her mind, such as weather, waves, and where are the fish (or, where are we? for that matter.
6. Don't Touch That Dial: Electronics are the captain's turf. Don't fiddle with the dials, punch buttons or try to make things beep. If guests want to learn about the boat's electronics they should ask questions, or better yet read a manual while running out to the fishing grounds.
7. Remember, Docking is Serious Business: Why is it that whenever I approach the docks of my destination, everyone aboard starts fidgeting, taking off jackets and gathering up personal belongings? This is distracting, and it starts the weight shifting all over. It makes docking difficult at best. As a guest, either man you designated position while docking or sit still.
8. Clean-up is Serious Business: Salt destroys metal, and a good skipper wants to keep a clean boat. Washing the boat is not on par with washing the car: It's preventative maintenance. Guests should offer to help at the end of the day. Guests should realize the the chores must be done quickly and efficiently. All that stands between the skipper and "Miller time" is clean-up.
9. Help Out: with the invisible work like waxing in the spring, winterizing in the fall, bottom painting and countless other jobs required to keep a boat in shape.
10. Please Reciprocate: I'm sure the people you take out fishing are knowledgable in other areas. When the skipper shares his expertise at the helm with a guest, a guest should share his or her expertise in another area with the skipper.

Yep, if only all boating guests had such manners. (Heck, for that matter I can think of a few old girlfriends as well...). Really it's only a matter of operant conditioning. You know, like you get what you reinforce. Somewhere out there some skipper is spoiling all of our guests by letting them off the hook without paying up (both their fair share and yours). If I'd posted and followed the rules I figure I could have been a few hundred dollars ahead last year in out-of-pocket expenses. Yep, I'm laminating those lines...

Okay, I've learned something over the past year that I've had this dissertation up. First, folks like Mark Capitano, Troy Ashburn and Keith Poe showed me the greatest of gracousness by allowing me to fish their boats. Despite some protestations they didn't allow me contribute a dime towards the trips. It was sure appreciated by the Chark, and even made me feel like a heel (for about 3 minutes) when I took my deadbeat buddys out on the insignificant CharkBait. Yep, all it took was one guy forgetting to bring ice, the other the beer and grub, and neither any tackle. At least I don't charge 'em for all the terminal tackle they regularly loose (it's considerable since they've never learned to follow their line). Yep, and I don't have them help clean up the boat either, since they tore off the rod-holder covers and swamped the radio. Ah, I guess I'm getting better...but still qualify as a cheap SOB who's safest with a full stomach and fish on the boat.