Swamping Pontoons

[RTS]

25 minutes ago, jester3653 said:

On my lake, I could care less about the fishermen.  Nothing personal against fishermen or fishing, but I'll stop surfing as soon as they slow down to a speed less than 65mph.  Whenever we see one moving about the lake at break-neck speeds, my family and I are always like "hey look, there they go ... they are chasing that Cheetah-fish again."  These guys only know trolling speeds and hammer down 65+ miles an hour.  On my lake, I'm regularly passed as I move from place to place like I'm standing still.  It's not uncommon for me to be moving to another area, running 25mph, and have my doors blown off.  A few of them have gone by so fast that they should be wearing a helmet.

I'll +1 for the idea of a boating license.  Being the realist I am, I know it'll not do much, but my optimistic side tells me maybe it might help.

On busy days where I boat, it is mentally exhausting.  Driving a car around town and on the highway is a BREEZE compared to trying to safely navigate the waters at the lake on peak days.  I feel like my retard radar is on the entire 6-8 hours we're on the water.

I agree about the fishermen running 65+ to be the first to the spot where they catch a bass...

BUT...when they are doing that, they are not throwing a 3'+ tall wake that can potentially swamp another boat who doesn't have a driver with the boat driving skills/situational awareness you do.

There is a big difference, and I think you know it.

I'm not going to respond further this thread....I have gone on record as saying unwanted rules/regulations are coming due to the increasing size of the wakes that these boats we have throw.  

Edited July 11, 2016 by RTS

[UWSkier]

3 hours ago, jester3653 said:

On my lake, I could care less about the fishermen.  Nothing personal against fishermen or fishing, but I'll stop surfing as soon as they slow down to a speed less than 65mph.  Whenever we see one moving about the lake at break-neck speeds, my family and I are always like "hey look, there they go ... they are chasing that Cheetah-fish again."  These guys only know trolling speeds and hammer down 65+ miles an hour.  On my lake, I'm regularly passed as I move from place to place like I'm standing still.  It's not uncommon for me to be moving to another area, running 25mph, and have my doors blown off.  A few of them have gone by so fast that they should be wearing a helmet.

I'll +1 for the idea of a boating license.  Being the realist I am, I know it'll not do much, but my optimistic side tells me maybe it might help.

On busy days where I boat, it is mentally exhausting.  Driving a car around town and on the highway is a BREEZE compared to trying to safely navigate the waters at the lake on peak days.  I feel like my retard radar is on the entire 6-8 hours we're on the water.

I'll take a Bubba in a glitterboat doing 70 MPH trimmed out over a guy plowing water at 20 MPH in his alumaweld any day.  Bubba is barely making a ripple and you know he's going to be going in a straight line.

 

BTW, I'm sortof bummed that we've gone back to glitter on tournament inboards.  Not as much fun to make fun of the glitterboats anymore...

[dlb]

I remember back when on MBO and here owning or being seen on a glitter boat was a crime punished by banishment from the tribe...  

[Sparky450]

21 hours ago, mikeo said:

Yes, I realize that the OP's incident happened in Texas...

I'm hoping that the impending "Boat Driver's License" requirement in California will help deal with the large number of uneducated boat & jet ski owners: http://www.dbw.ca.gov/BoaterInfo/SB941FAQ.aspx

I foresee legal challenges...

Too bad this does not include people renting a boat!!

They are the worst!!

Always watch out for the Red and White boats on the delta!!

[carguy79ta]

I always look to where the wake is heading.  2 yrs ago, was at Tablerock in MO, an IO was couple hund. yards away, launched from my wake.  I just happened to look up and saw it.  He was going over 30mph and prolly not paying attn.  I try to avoid those situations.

[itznowonder]

Fishermen have been my biggest issue. I have a DD so my surf wave isn't all that, wakeboarding wake is good, a bit rampier than my friends VLX, slalom wake is great. Once I had two fishing skiffs leave their docks so they could do figure 8's in front of the boat while I was skiing. My husband got really upset and wanted to go "talk" to these fishermen. I suggested he just quietly pull me up and down the channel once more. Sure enough, soon as I was up on my ski they started the figure 8's. I started my cut, took 6-8 good slalom turns. Pulled in behind the boat when I got close to the fishing boats. When I was close I just smiled real big and waved like I was the beauty queen in the town parade. I acted so happy and nice, plus I had just layed down some pretty good turns while traveling through their tiny little skiff wake. They never bothered me again

Edited July 18, 2016 by itznowonder

[wakedncsu]

We have one fisherman that comes out on a Saturday afternoon and tries to catch fish right in the line of traffic coming out of a choke point.  When any boat comes close he casts his lure at the skier.  Many people have attempted to educate him.  It doesn't take.  Some people just want to see the world burn...

[Falko]

On 7/11/2016 at 3:18 PM, RTS said:

I agree about the fishermen running 65+ to be the first to the spot where they catch a bass...

BUT...when they are doing that, they are not throwing a 3'+ tall wake that can potentially swamp another boat who doesn't have a driver with the boat driving skills/situational awareness you do.

There is a big difference, and I think you know it.

I'm not going to respond further this thread....I have gone on record as saying unwanted rules/regulations are coming due to the increasing size of the wakes that these boats we have throw.  

People need to realize that you are responsible for your own wake, whether you are traveling normally, surfing, etc. You submerge another vessel, even if they steer into your wake for whatever reason, you are responsible for any damages. 

[NCVride]

Speaking of fishermen, do any of you guys get to deal with this latest craze of catfishing?  I guess they call it noodling.  They tie fishing line onto a pool noodle with pvc in it and drop then out in the water.  When a fish gets on the line the noodle sticks straight up in the water.  I often see tons of them in the cove and some in the main channel.  Saw one guy putting them out in the middle of the day last saturday right at the mouth to a very poplular cove.  Funniest thing was watching him try to put them out/in with two boats going by him that were surfing.

[95echelon]

2 hours ago, Falko said:

People need to realize that you are responsible for your own wake, whether you are traveling normally, surfing, etc. You submerge another vessel, even if they steer into your wake for whatever reason, you are responsible for any damages. 

I need to read my state's laws on this. I understand that you should be responsible, but that seems strange to me as a native of the great lakes. I doubt if @Michigan boarder get's swamped by a cabin cruiser heading out of the muskegon channel that he would blame anyone but himself for taking a boat with low bow rise into waters that can easily generate 4 foot waves from both craft and nature...

[Michigan boarder]

31 minutes ago, 95echelon said:

I need to read my state's laws on this. I understand that you should be responsible, but that seems strange to me as a native of the great lakes. I doubt if @Michigan boarder get's swamped by a cabin cruiser heading out of the muskegon channel that he would blame anyone but himself for taking a boat with low bow rise into waters that can easily generate 4 foot waves from both craft and nature...

You should see the Lake Express Ferry head out.  And when it comes back in, it sends a series of rollers along the shore of Lake MI, and rocks everything that is anchored off.  So yeah - I agree - they would be plagued with lawsuits.

[Falko]

52 minutes ago, 95echelon said:

I need to read my state's laws on this. I understand that you should be responsible, but that seems strange to me as a native of the great lakes. I doubt if @Michigan boarder get's swamped by a cabin cruiser heading out of the muskegon channel that he would blame anyone but himself for taking a boat with low bow rise into waters that can easily generate 4 foot waves from both craft and nature...

If you read most laws, you have to remain a certain distance from other boats while you are kicking any type of wake. I cannot say that I am familiar with the GL regulations, but the 4 states I've boated in all had requirements to deter large wakes while passing someone else. NH is like 150', Florida is like 100', etc. I am sure those distances were determined before anyone figured out how to throw a wake from a 22' boat that would rival that of a 45'er. Commercial boats are different, they have a set established and known path.

If you pass someone, sitting or moving, too closely while generating a large wake, and hurt someone or their property, you can be held liable for negligence. And if you knowingly are kicking a huge wake near other boaters, in this litigious society, you can bet that the legally set distances are out the window. Look at it this way, you have to maintain 300' from a dwelling when you hunt. But if you fire a bullet in the air, it goes pretty far and can obviously do some damage. Big wakes are no different, you are sending a destructive force from your boat, knowingly, without control of it.

Not trying to discourage the sport or wakes, just saying you have to be careful. 

[95echelon]

24 minutes ago, Michigan boarder said:

You should see the Lake Express Ferry head out.  And when it comes back in, it sends a series of rollers along the shore of Lake MI, and rocks everything that is anchored off.  So yeah - I agree - they would be plagued with lawsuits.

I used to chase that thing with my sea doo speedster when I was in college... I broke the entire helm from the main fiberglass mould. My girlfriend launched 200 pounds of me into the air and my butt ballast landed on the helm. She decided 55MPH was the correct speed to hit that 5 foot tall roller.

You ever have one of these puppies?

 

I see the gay guys in saugatuck come out on lake michigan with 15 people in a pontoon all the time. I cannot believe that they don't do the same thing that happened in this thread.

[Pnwrider]

3 hours ago, NCVride said:

Speaking of fishermen, do any of you guys get to deal with this latest craze of catfishing?  I guess they call it noodling.  They tie fishing line onto a pool noodle with pvc in it and drop then out in the water.  When a fish gets on the line the noodle sticks straight up in the water.  I often see tons of them in the cove and some in the main channel.  Saw one guy putting them out in the middle of the day last saturday right at the mouth to a very poplular cove.  Funniest thing was watching him try to put them out/in with two boats going by him that were surfing.

I thought noodling was when they reached their arm in a hole and when a cat fish grabbed on they pulled it out? 

[RyanB]

7 hours ago, Falko said:

If you read most laws, you have to remain a certain distance from other boats while you are kicking any type of wake. I cannot say that I am familiar with the GL regulations, but the 4 states I've boated in all had requirements to deter large wakes while passing someone else. NH is like 150', Florida is like 100', etc. I am sure those distances were determined before anyone figured out how to throw a wake from a 22' boat that would rival that of a 45'er. Commercial boats are different, they have a set established and known path.

If you pass someone, sitting or moving, too closely while generating a large wake, and hurt someone or their property, you can be held liable for negligence. And if you knowingly are kicking a huge wake near other boaters, in this litigious society, you can bet that the legally set distances are out the window. Look at it this way, you have to maintain 300' from a dwelling when you hunt. But if you fire a bullet in the air, it goes pretty far and can obviously do some damage. Big wakes are no different, you are sending a destructive force from your boat, knowingly, without control of it.

Not trying to discourage the sport or wakes, just saying you have to be careful. 

Colorado has a law that you need to stay 150' away from other boats.  I also believe the law states you are responsible for any damage caused by your wake.  Neither are enforced.

[NCVride]

On 7/15/2016 at 5:15 PM, Pnwrider said:

I thought noodling was when they reached their arm in a hole and when a cat fish grabbed on they pulled it out? 

 

As did I, but the redneck fishermen around here call this noodling as well.   Whatever it is called, it's freaking annoying.

[Pnwrider]

2 hours ago, NCVride said:

 

As did I, but the redneck fishermen around here call this noodling as well.   Whatever it is called, it's freaking annoying.

Tell em to grow a pair and start sticking their arms down holes...