Boat sinks from Malibu wake

[wakebrdr94]

I understand what you're saying. But I think the relative thing is to be aware that damage is damage, regardless of the distance. I would agree that the owner should and must take proper steps to make sure everything is secure, but there is also a limit to what is reasonable.

I agree with you, as said, I own a wakesetter, but I don't think when laws were constructed they foresaw the wakes getting to the point they are today. Where I boat, it would be unreasonable to have a 100' distance from the docks as the river is not very wide. So a couple things happen in this case.

1, they restrict wake enhancing devices

2, they ban wakeboats (as they see it is the problem)

3. They ban the size of boats

4. They turn a lot of the area into a no wake zone.

5. We get aware and realize how we drive affects others

Some people drive fully weighted when not pulling people. To save an extra 5-10mins for when they want to ride? Just empty the tanks IMO.

I'm not singling you out. As I mentioned. The whole thing is to bring awareness. I own property there. If they ban wakeboats, I would sell, and it's just one less place where I can ride.

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[Bill_AirJunky]

The Strip is unique in that the river is so narrow that many times it just isn't possible to pass another boat or dock at the legal limit or greater. For whatever reason it's been overlooked for years. Average boats on the Strip have been like 18' - 25', many of which are capable of doing a lot faster than our Malibus (and did it all the time too). People didn't have monster wakes that were causing tons of damage. Boats doing 80 or 90 mph don't have huge wakes.

The interesting thing about the Strip, it's the only place I've ever ridden where a guy will pass a down skier at 80+ mph maybe 50 - 75 ft away (which would be highly illegal elsewhere) but the driver will hold his hand up to indicate that he sees you & is maintaining his line past you. It's not a written law, but just an understood rule that boaters in that particular area follow.

[shawndoggy]

I see the confusion. I think it depends how you define "maintenance" let me explain:

Things I feel I'm responsible for:

• I drive by another boat at the legal or greater distance and I cause them harm to their boat in any way.
• I drive by anothers property at the legal or greater distance and directly damage their floating dock (such as the floating tank breaks off, or a hinge breaks, etc)
• I drive by another's property at the legal or greater distance and directly damage something else.

Things I dont feel I'm responsible for:

• I drive by someones property at the legal or greater distance. My waves eventually reach their shore and erosion occurs. I do not feel it's my job to pay them money because they choose not to invest in rip rap (erosion prevention maint)
• I drive by someones property at the legal or greater distance and their boat house is run down. My waves eventually hit his terribly broken boat house that is already half in the water. I do not feel it's my job to pay to fix the problem he already had.
• I drive by someones property at the legal or greater distance and their dock which is already half in the water (literally is not functional - is not even floating correctly) and it finally gives its last breath and the floating section breaks off. I do not feel it's my job to pay to fix his previously terribly unmaintained dock.

In my personal experience, the people that want to ban wakeboats are in the bottom category. They do not take normal preventative measures nor do they maintain their docks / boat houses / etc properly and get mad at the wake boat for taking the last swing at it. I have no problem paying for damage I objectively cause. Perfect example being the article you linked. If I was that red malibu owner AND i sunk that person's boat, I would be paying the entire bill, apologizing as much as I could and doing everything i could to get him exactly what he had to make it like it never happened. Not because I don't want him to get mad at wakeboats and ban us (although thats an added perk) but because its the responsible thing to do.

In my mind responsibility goes both ways. If I build a $100 dock made of toothpicks I have no right to go after the first boat that comes my way and ask him to rebuild my toothpick dock because his wake caused the damage. I have to take responsibility for the choice to create a $100 toothpick dock and recognize I need something more robust. My comment about brank roll was me trying to say the responsible thing to do is make sure I have enough money afford rip-rap, robust docks, and robust boat houses OR at least take responsibility for the damage to the property instead of blaming boaters.

If you follow my thinking above, my expectations are that lake home owners are also responsible. Part of being responsible in my mind encompasses taking the reasonable steps to protect your own investments from waves. Rip-rap especially when it comes to erosion discussions. Obviously my bad for not explaining well enough if you felt my thoughts contradicted themselves, no reason for me to get mad at you. The only thing I've gotten mad about is people telling me I'm the guy who runs 10' off of other boaters and that I'm a music blaster.

If I'm still sounding confusing let me know. It makes sense in my mind

I have a saying that when I am emperor of the universe all decisions will be correct.

Until then you've got to understand that the guy with the boat house that's so old and rickety that it's falling apart was there before you. He and his neighbors are likely more organized than you are. Everyone hates change, and that's an easy thing for the old timers to complain about.

Look at a totally different issue -- mountain biking. Traditionally, equestrians have used trails for years. If a horse can walk it, it's probably a good MTB trail. The equestrians do all sorts of damage to trails when they are muddy, post-holing them with hoof prints, leaving horse poop, etc. But those groups have been using the trails for years, and when there's a conflict, they have contacts at the local and federal agencies who manage the trails, etc. They have worked for decades consolidating influence, and they wield it, even though their use does more damage than the newer MTB users. Shoot, those post holing poop machines are even allowed in wilderness areas, but the lighter impacting MTBs are not.

Similarly here, even though I don't disagree with your logic, I'd be careful not to make the old timers mad because there are probably more of them than there are of you. Being right doesn't necessarily mean that you win.

[wakebrdr94]

The Strip is unique in that the river is so narrow that many times it just isn't possible to pass another boat or dock at the legal limit or greater. For whatever reason it's been overlooked for years. Average boats on the Strip have been like 18' - 25', many of which are capable of doing a lot faster than our Malibus (and did it all the time too). People didn't have monster wakes that were causing tons of damage. Boats doing 80 or 90 mph don't have huge wakes.

The interesting thing about the Strip, it's the only place I've ever ridden where a guy will pass a down skier at 80+ mph maybe 50 - 75 ft away (which would be highly illegal elsewhere) but the driver will hold his hand up to indicate that he sees you & is maintaining his line past you. It's not a written law, but just an understood rule that boaters in that particular area follow.

I was taught growing up to acknowledge that you see the downed. I was told it was so once the driver of the boat with the downed rider knew you had seen them, the driver could focus on the rider vs trying to "protect" the rider. (so I was told)

Personally, I think we are all trying to get close enough to the rider to pull something like this off

http://youtu.be/ICpvs-Fz6pw

[Zeke83]

I boat and jetski on a small river that runs right through the middle of downtown. Lots of non power boats and floaters. I always think its interesting that people will wave in thanks when I come off step for them and my wake gets 3 times bigger than when I power past them (at safe distance) just on step only because it is shallow and I dont want to risk hitting bottom in certain places, but my wake is 3 times smaller and gets smaller the faster you go. Thats when I get the pissed off looks and hands up in disgust, and its never about the safety of going fast in close proximity to them, I always wag the bow and over pronounce my turn to one side when I see them and am far to one side.