For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for August 17, 2019

Ohhh, NOT the best question to ask that far from land.

Just when Mike thought it couldn’t get any worse!

Hope you brought oars…

If Michael ate enough hot dogs at his stand, he probably can produce enough gas to get them back to shore.

Michael will swim to shore if that happens.

Not another boat in sight. Maybe they all heard about the severe weather forecast for that area?

I can see where this is headed…

…for a 3 hour tour…

So much for a nice relaxing time…

Uh-oh… .

It is “Fifteen men on THE dead man’s chest” The song refers to the name of an island where the mutineers were marooned.

Typical weekend warrior.

What a goof Martha’s Dad is there

Uh oh.

Or paddles?

Martha’s looking nice.

Gotta love how the man in charge asks if anyone else thought to buy gas.

Martha and Stan must have heard this before.

I’ve had to swim a 20 foot pontoon boat when it broke down – not a whole lot of fun

Are they going to run out of gas in the middle of the lake? Stay tuned.

Yeah, Michael. Didn’t you bring the gasoline? What kind of boater goes out without refilling the gas tank, or expecting one of the kids to have done it?

The author is painting the father with a fairly broad brush of stupid. You get the stupid father. The obnoxious brother. The silent wife (still hasn’t said a word yet). Then there’s Martha and you have to wonder how in the world she came from this family because she doesn’t look like them and she doesn’t act like them.

Ah yes! The private boat and jet ski crowd. Don’t forget the beer. Gas??? Our Great Lakes rivers (especially those connecting to commercial ports) are so over-the-top with rising water (heavy snow melt followed by heavy rains) that commercial ships have had to reduce their speed several knots to diminish the displacement impact on the shoreline. Not so the recreational boaters. They roar full-speed and anyone walking on the community boardwalks has to get back a good 8-ft. to keep from being soaked by the wake they cause.

Just my small input – this could be Martha’s dad just making a joke to “scare” everyone.

That kind of joke certainly would be on Martha’s dad’s level: self-absorbed, boring and apparently stupid.

Famous last words…

“Michael, row the boat ashore…”

Michael should think twice about dating Martha if he has to put up with her dad every time he goes to her house…

That is why the strip is called “For Boater or for Worse”.