Recreational boats

[gim]

So I was just wondering how many of these recreational boats come equipped with sonar.  I've seen at least a dozen wake boarding boats, pontoons, or other larger recreational boats cruise through less than 5 feet of water at full speed in the past month or so and it makes me wonder whether they are just that stupid, they're not paying attention, or they just don't know how shallow it is there.

[A-Jay]

12 hours ago, gimruis said:

  I've seen at least a dozen wake boarding boats, pontoons, or other larger recreational boats cruise through less than 5 feet of water at full speed in the past month or so and it makes me wonder whether they are just that stupid, they're not paying attention, or they just don't know how shallow it is there.

One can only speculate as to why boaters operate on plane through skinny water.  

 Here's some speculation:   Inexperience - "I'm off the bank - so it must be deep" Rarely leads to anything good as eventually they're aground or worse.

"I know this lake like the back of my hand - there's plenty of water"  This is all well & good but something that may be missed here is that shallow flats are where large floating debris (LOGS) go to die. 

So although there was plenty of water there for years, after that last big rain / high water event, there's now a big dead head just under the surface.  Really hard to see and avoid especially when you're not expecting it.  

So choosing to go shallow, when there's a deeper water option available, may save time, and look real cool, but can be a decision that leads to a very bad day.  Why make it ?

A-Jay

 

 

[slonezp]

I fish a 9000 acre river system that is the busiest freshwater waterway per acre in the U.S. with an average depth of 4-6ft. (not including the 10ft of silt underneath the water LOL) I've seen larger boats get stuck and I can only attest it to being unfamiliar with the water. The reality of it is the people familiar with the water are like animas on a trail with the lead boat paving the way and everyone else riding the middle of the wakes. Fortunately most of the bottom is mud in the cruising areas, but veer out of the navigational buoys below the dam and you take your chances because the mud has mysteriously turned to sand and rock.

I tend to be over cautious, especially on unfamiliar water. Probably a good thing. 

[Bluebasser86]

I usually chalk that up as natural selection trying to work.

[scaleface]

I've seen plenty of bass boats do the same thing .  I was fishing a shallow hump marked by a big old bright white and red warning buoy . Here comes some guy in a bass boat heading right for it  . I'm waving my arms trying to get him to stop. Right before he hits , he slows down and idles over it . Then stops and ask me why I'm waving my arms . When I tell him  that i was trying to prevent him from tearing off his transom ,he replied  " I hit something here yesterday . I just wanted to see what it was . "   Not only that he just spooked the fish I was after .

[J Francho]

15 hours ago, gimruis said:

So I was just wondering how many of these recreational boats come equipped with sonar.

Many newer boats come equipped with a simple depth readout. Does you no good running on plane.

[Further North]

I fish a local lake that is very Canadian shield-ish; it goes from deep water to wrecked lower unit really fast:

...on side imaging you can see the trenches (some with abrupt stops) that folks have cut in the bottom.

Worse than that....is that they drag skiers, wake boarders and tubers through those spots that are only a couple feet deep.  If someone falls off in water than shallow...scares the hell out of me...