boating courtesy

[triglet]

what is going on with this small thing that 90 % of boaters dont seem to have  and its mainly fisherman im seeing.  The problem is boats coming within 20-30 ft wide open while we are sitting there fishing.  happens a lot at pickwick i mean alot.  and then this weekend in aliceville actually had a boat go between us and the bank.   we were maybe 50 ft off the bank.  close enough for me to not pay attention and wind up with a lure in the trees.  and i know its not just kids.  the 2 guys that did it this weekend were in their 40's easily.  anyone else experiencing the same thing??

[DINK WHISPERER]

Don't worry, you are not alone in this. You will encounter idiots everywhere you go in life! I put up with it ONLY until it gets out of hand. Than it's time for a few choice words....................

[evrgladesbasser]

Triget, I notice the same thing when fishing, but let me reassure you this has been going on for years and years. I fish south florida, which is mainly a lot of canals. People fly by at 60-70 mph within 20 ft of my boat and think its ok. I personally have no problem flicking them off or giving them a piece of my mind as they fly by. The wake puts my boat into the rocky banks and makes it flop around unsafely, many times with my kids in the boat. And I have NO problem doing it in front of my kids, as I want them to know this is NOT OK. If people would just follow the golden rule............

[triglet]

yeah if i have kids i will teach them its not ok.   but man im new to the boating world after just starting this year. but everyone i have always been with would always turn or head out away from another boat to keep from causing a big wake.  but im guessing thats overrated or undertaught one

[CPT Scrap]

Seems everyone is doing this more often these days, but I have seen a few instances where people put themselves in places that invite it to occur. I was fishing on toledo bend, and that lake is notorious for having timber everywhere. There would be anywhere from 5-15 boats sitting in the boating lane fishing. Now, i'm not really familiar with Toledo Bend to exactly how wide those minor boating lanes are, but I try not to venture too far out from them, meaning im going to be going within 15 ft of those fishing.

Now, I did come off plane and idle by, but it was annoying. Why would anyone invite this kinda thing to happen when its already a serious enough matter on other parts of the lakes.

[Fishing Rhino]

Too many people on the water or golf course for that matter have no business on either.  They have a total disregard for others who may be sharing the resource.

Seems to be a fact of life.  Either you can live with it, or you can't. 

It seems that the casual boaters/fishermen have less regard for smaller boats such as canoes, kayaks, and jons than they do for bass boats.

Jet skis, water skiers, tubers, etc., seem to give me a wider berth when I'm fishing from my bass boat. 

Could it be because they know you cannot possibly give chase in the smaller boats, but know you can run 'em down in a bass boat?

Rudeness abounds on the water, golf course and the highways.

When we were on Pickwick for the road trip, we had two pontoon boats pass between us and the shore when we were casting toward the shore.  They waved as they went by, not even realizing what they were doing.

[Mike Z]

According to my State's laws, some of the state park or operated lakes have 300 foot no wake zones or 100' no wake zones from the shore. There are rules that would govern narrow channels to keep people from flying by, but in general, no rules saying that someone can't fly by you when out in the water. (specific rules apply to specific lakes and rivers)

So here on a wide lake or a lake without this 100' no wake zone, someone would be legally entitled to go by as fast as they wanted. That's not to say they couldn't be cited for unsafe operation, but common courtesy is not a law.

This is just one more reason to know the specific laws regarding that particular lake you are heading to.

[NBR]

Here in New Hampshire when you are 150' of shore, another boat, a swim raft, a dock or people it is headway speed only. Not always followed but is enforced.

[triglet]

your right common courtesy is not a law.  However it is something that should be understood.    it's not that hard to slow down in a small channel and in a big spot like pickwick its not that hard to move over so you dont try and rock people out of the boat.  and i may be reading it wrong and if so ill have to apologize in advance but if you think that if its not law its ok to do it then thats part of the problem!!

[evrgladesbasser]

  Quote

Seems everyone is doing this more often these days, but I have seen a few instances where people put themselves in places that invite it to occur. I was fishing on toledo bend, and that lake is notorious for having timber everywhere. There would be anywhere from 5-15 boats sitting in the boating lane fishing. Now, i'm not really familiar with Toledo Bend to exactly how wide those minor boating lanes are, but I try not to venture too far out from them, meaning im going to be going within 15 ft of those fishing.

Now, I did come off plane and idle by, but it was annoying. Why would anyone invite this kinda thing to happen when its already a serious enough matter on other parts of the lakes.

It. Scrap you have to realize these people may be in the same boat as you... they don't know their way around the lake. Hence they are sticking to the safe areas. What you did by slowing down is exactly what I would do, this way your not pushing them into the timber you talk about, additionaly you are not rocking their boats around unsafely.

Safety is my main issue, like I said I fish with my kids a lot. You will never here me complain about people scaring fish away as they pass, my issue is people flying by me at top speeds. This puts me, my kids, and my boat in a dangerous situation in my opinion. What would happen if your steering goes at 70mph (and your 15ft from my boat)? There is just to much that can go wrong and it's not worth geting injured. So I always pass by people at a no wake speed unless they wave me by on a plane.

Like I said before abide by the golden rule and all will be well, but put my family at risk and hope you don't see me at the dock.

[Red]

I only have a small 8' buster type boat, and let me tell you it is no fun when a boat goes flyin by really close.  However, on Lake Waco it dosen't happen often, very rarely infact.  On another lake I fish though, there is no "no wake" bouys or anything, even near the ramp.  People come flyin in right up to the ramp.  I haven't run into any courtesy problems on Lake Waco as of yet.

Cliff

[bandsr4me20]

When people come to close to me or do something stupid and they wave at me, i stare at them and dont do anything.  I just keep fishing.  It probably doesnt send a message but i think it does lol.

[Nitrofreak]

I really wish people would not forget to leave their brains at the dock when they cast off.

I cant tell you how many incidents I have encountered over the last year alone and put my family and others in danger while boating and fishing.

Trying to be reasonable and talking to some of these boaters... that will at least stop and talk to you... just seems to create an argument when all you are trying to do is make the waters you fish safe for all parties involved.

And it seems that unless you are wearing a badge then it makes no difference.

For example there were close to 15 boats in one area of around 200 yards of shoreline one morning while fishing this sea ray came within 20 feet of all of us and almost capsized this Jon boat with an older gentleman and his granddaughter beside of me... I have no clue how he kept that little girl from going in...So I flagged him down and being really mad at the time but also understanding that this boater may not know the rules I tried to have a calm discussion with him... Anyone want to guess what happened? I ended up calling the local authorities and had him arrested for ramming my boat.

No more Mr. nice guy I will let the law deal with these IDIOT'S !!!!!!!!

[done]

IMO, getting the law is best. Confronting them yourself, even with the best intentions can have some really bad results.

[burleytog]

I would rather have someone run by me on plane than for them to come off plane.  Less hull in the water = less wake.

[scrutch]

One of my good buddies is a Conservation Officer in my area.  He frequently gets water detail on a large local lake.  He tells me that one of his favorite tickets to write is what he calls the "Idiot Award".  It's for "reckless and dangerous operation: Maneuvering your boat recklessly in the vicinity of other boaters, or causing a hazardous wake or wash.

If the infraction is serious enough, you can actually get points added to your driver's license.

Ron White said it best..."you just can't fix stupid"

[Nitrofreak]

I totally agree burleytog but bigger boats make bigger wakes and when they are turning close to you it makes even bigger wakes I just wish people would use their common sence when it comes to boating and read and obey the boating regulations...You know come to think of it I think I may be the only one who use's a horn on my local lake's because I get a lot of strange looks when I use it like I am supposed to...Am I wrong in doing so?

[done]

  Quote

I totally agree burleytog but bigger boats make bigger wakes and when they are turning close to you it makes even bigger wakes I just wish people would use their common sence when it comes to boating and read and obey the boating regulations...You know come to think of it I think I may be the only one who use's a horn on my local lake's because I get a lot of strange looks when I use it like I am supposed to...Am I wrong in doing so?

Really if you are adhering to regs, who cares what others think. You might just get them to actually crack open a manual and read what the rules are.

There is one dude on Wylie, when I had my jon boat he nearly killed me twice. When I would be motoring past his dock as he was thinking about coming in. He would floor it, overtaking me on the right hand side (at about 30 ft). get maybe 100 ft ahead of me and cut sharp left across my bow coming off plane as he did it.  I had a 14' jon he had a 23+ ft fiberglass cabin cruiser. His normal wake was tough to deal with, when he did that I would get his on 3 sides almost simultaneously with HUGE wakes. He looked stunned each time that I was so P***ed at him.

I grew up on the Niagara River and Erie Canal. There were a TON of boats in there and we had to be knowledgeable of nav regs. The Niagara river has a way of making you pay for ignoring them. 

[Nitrofreak]

Mstarr,

Thanks for the reply