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It's not the jet ski's fault


Kalamazoo

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Videos like this could talk my wife right out of wanting a boat for our family.

Exactly, we are in the market and someone just told us a story of how a local 5 year old fell off the bow and was killed by the prop. It definitely has some risks associated.

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Yep, assuming she was OK whoever was driving that PWC should get a ticket at the very least. If he hit her then throw the book at him. Obviously no training or a complete idiot.

Now regarding PWC's and tow boats in general: In addition to the Bu I own and ride 2 PWC's. They go zero to 75 in about 6 seconds and are a blast to ride. We also jump wakes (well behind anyone being towed and we stay completely away from beginner riders and surfers). WI law specifies at least 100' from anyone being towed and our rules (posted by where the PWC lanyards are hung) are keep at least 100 yards away, only one PWC on each side, and eyes on the rider/surfer. Still get some great air.

Basically, everyone could be annoyed by what everyone else is doing. Fisher people don't like the massive tow boat waves. Tow boats don't like each others waves or PWC's getting too close. Tow boats don't like it when 4 pontoon boats go abreast and block up a whole bay or channel or when a fishing boat is blocking a nice lane. Pontoon boats don't like the tow boat waves or PWC's going too fast. Nobody likes tubers going in circles, making waves in all directions and not watching where they are going! If everyone could limit the others' activity then no one would be doing anything. You can't make your wake off limits. So what do we do? We act like adults and if we see dangerous or illegal activity (usually but not always by teenagers) we go talk to the adults in a civil manner. This symbiotic relationship has been accepted on the lake. Fortunately there are no rental facilities on or near the lake!

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Basically, everyone could be annoyed by what everyone else is doing. Fisher people don't like the massive tow boat waves. Tow boats don't like each others waves or PWC's getting too close. Tow boats don't like it when 4 pontoon boats go abreast and block up a whole bay or channel or when a fishing boat is blocking a nice lane. Pontoon boats don't like the tow boat waves or PWC's going too fast. Nobody likes tubers going in circles, making waves in all directions and not watching where they are going! If everyone could limit the others' activity then no one would be doing anything. You can't make your wake off limits. So what do we do? We act like adults and if we see dangerous or illegal activity (usually but not always by teenagers) we go talk to the adults in a civil manner. This symbiotic relationship has been accepted on the lake. Fortunately there are no rental facilities on or near the lake!

I absolutely can make my wake off limits. If someone starts playing behind my boat on a PWC while I have a boarder out, I stop. You never know when a boarder is going to fall, and I just don't trust the PWCs to dodge the fallen rider. They are jumping back and forth at speed, and may never see that the rider has fallen until they run over them. It is totally irresponsible for anyone to do anything that endangers unprotected people in the water like that. I have a jet ski as well, and I love to play in boat wakes. But I would never approach the wake of a boat with skier/boarder out.

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It should be noted that we can't see earlier in the video, but if the jet ski had not turned in a while, the jet skiier had the right of way. Regardless, we're all out for fun, there is no need to get that close to anyone.

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I'm taking the play-and-let-play RESPONSIBLY position. No fun sitting still just because there are PWC's around. Just stop, wave, and nicely ask them to keep further away. They probably will.

FWIW, the last two serious injuries on lakes I frequent have been tow boats running over people in the water. One kid lost a leg. Inexperienced, distracted, and/or drunk drivers... Sounds a lot like driving public roads these days!

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It should be noted that we can't see earlier in the video, but if the jet ski had not turned in a while, the jet skiier had the right of way. Regardless, we're all out for fun, there is no need to get that close to anyone.

You can see the PWC wake. He had just turned left (into the wake) before the clip starts. Idiot driver.

Even if he had held course (which he did not), having legal right-of-way does not make it OK to do that.

In WI, you have to take a safety course before (legally) operating a PWC.

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It should be noted that we can't see earlier in the video, but if the jet ski had not turned in a while, the jet skiier had the right of way. Regardless, we're all out for fun, there is no need to get that close to anyone.

the burdened vessel has the right of way

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The one post mentioned it but the number one biggest water safety issue dwarfing all others is alcohol. Nothing else is close. Make sure you have sober drivers on your boats!

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The one post mentioned it but the number one biggest water safety issue dwarfing all others is alcohol. Nothing else is close. Make sure you have sober drivers on your boats!

A sober driver couldn't have avoided this, not sure where your going with this?

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It should be noted that we can't see earlier in the video, but if the jet ski had not turned in a while, the jet skiier had the right of way. Regardless, we're all out for fun, there is no need to get that close to anyone.

I don't know about the laws where you are at....... But, in VT, any boat towing any kind of watersport has an absolute right of way over any other vessel except a sail boat. And other vessels are supposed to stay at least 200 feet away.

Edited by TenTwentyOne
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