[Andy69]

We're working on a section of the IWW in Vero Beach, Florida. I've seen more idiot boaters in the last week than I have the last ten years.

- sailboaters who think they have the right of way even though they are using their engine
- aren't paying attention
- aren't monitoring channel 16 and hence have no idea you're putting out regular security calls to let traffic know that you are towing instruments and have limited manueverability
- try to come up along side to tell us we're dragging a dock line
- think no wake zones don't apply to them
- haven't mastered the simple concepts of keeping right and passing port to port

and almost no one has any idea what these mean:

I ripped some idiot with his 70 ft yacht a new ******* because, although he was trying to pass us port to port, he didn't realize we were in 6 feet of water 100 feet outside the channel. When he finally did he cut sharply across our stern then had to cut back when he saw were were towing. He didn't answer, probably because he wasn't on channel 16. I always call out the idiots by name so everyone who is listening including the Coast Guard knows how stupid they are.

I'm sure glad we're almost done here.

 

[Keith Tedford]

I think you have it a little wrong. There are boaters, then there idiots with boats. There are hunters, then there are idiots with guns. Same thing. Same end result. The idiot ratio goes way up when it comes to bicycles. Starting this fall, here in Ontario, you have to take a boating course before operating a boat.Good thing.

 

[jpete]

Starting this fall, here in Ontario, you have to take a boating course before operating a boat.Good thing.

It's worked so well on the highway, I'm sure all our problems will be solved.

 

[Chevelle_Nut]

I got out of boating partly because of the idiots.

 

[Keith Tedford]

It certainly won't help idiots but does teach people like ourselves some good stuff. Hopefully most of them can't pass the test. I think I will still stick to my canoe that I bought many years ago. There are some neat pictures of boats on shore, on docks and cut nearly in two by running into permanent channel markers. A friend of mine says that stupidity should be painful. Some times it is.

 

[rianbechtold]

It certainly won't help idiots but does teach people like ourselves some good stuff. Hopefully most of them can't pass the test. I think I will still stick to my canoe that I bought many years ago. There are some neat pictures of boats on shore, on docks and cut nearly in two by running into permanent channel markers. A friend of mine says that stupidity should be painful. Some times it is.

IDK if it's state by state or based on insurance company but my family took a course to save on insurance. It was a free weekend course and saved about $500 a year on our coverage When my dad called back with the autorization number for the insurance company he jokingly asked if they verified the number since everybody probably takes the course to save the money. The agent told him less than 2% of the people actually pass the course! Which is scary because it is basic stuff!

 

[wills65]

I took a safe boating class when I was 15. I have since renewed my cert every year to make sure I stay sharp with this stuff. I dont currently own a boat, but I have lots of friends that do and when they want to drink on the boat, I drive since I dont drink. Living here in Miami sure does make me privy to every moron with enough money to buy a boat. Flying through no wake zones, people who dont know the waters and stuff their shiny new boat up in a shallow, you name it and Ive seen it. I really think that people should not be allowed to buy a boat unless they pass a safe boating course, much less drive a boat period. Its like letting a 10 year old drive a car. When I get behind the helm, its by the book, or we dont leave the dock. Simple as that.

 

[1969 El Camino Dan]

Well, Ricardo,
No one said it was going to be easy!! Hope you didn't spill your margarita!
Hope you find your treasure!
Come on up to Seattle, we'll go sailing on Puget Sound when the winds get up.

Dan

 

[Chris R]

I would think there is a patrol for that sort of thing. We have plenty of that around our lakes and rivers here too. It doesnt amaze me how often this happens.

 

[JWagner]

I worked over ten years for a marine products company and about 1% of the people who operated our test boats had any training. None of them knew what any of the horn signals meant, what are the proper protocols and so on. I took every USCG /Power Squadron course I could find and passed them all. Yet I was not permitted to operate a boat. It was not in my job description. So, as they say "It must be something in the water" that makes boating dominated by untrained operators. If it required training like that for flying, it would kill the small boat industry, but would certainly improve safety on the water.

 

[SCOTTS66]

I do alot of offshore fishing down here and you are right about idiots.People have the money to buy a boat,sometimes very large and fast,and dont take even a basic course on how to properly operate it.The South Florida region is heavy with boat traffic and as with car traffic the more you have the more a**holes you have.Ihave had boaters out in the gulfstream with nobody in sight change course and come across my trolling lines.I can feel your pain.

 

[Cameano]

We had a guy go missing one night in his skiff. He was last seen near the entrance to Honolulu Harbor. They found his boat the next morning, crushed and broken, on the beach next to the harbor entrance. They suspect he tried to beat one of the cargo ships across the entrance. :clonk:

 

[SCOTTS66]

They will not rent a car without a drivers license but you can get a boat without some type of boaters license.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/b...st.com/news/boca-raton-investigating-boat-crash-into-concrete-bridge-75731.html

 

[dsy1]

I'm not a boater but I like learning new things....what do the symbols in the picture mean?

 

[Cameano]

Those are dayshapes. Those in that particular order mean restricted manuverability, i.e. towing.

http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/ansshape.htm

 

[gspan1830]

Those are dayshapes. Those in that particular order mean restricted manuverability, i.e. towing.

http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/ansshape.htm

I thought it was a gay thing...Goes to show...

 

[DZAUTO]

A few years ago, on Lake Texhoma (lake on Red River boarding Tex/Okla), a couple of super hi-power, extremely fast boats (both were turbine powered) ran into each other (estimated 70-90mph range). Several people were in each boat and they were well known (but not by me) and had LOTS of money. As I recall, only 1 or 2 survived. It was one of the worst boating crashes (I won't say accident) on the lake. A lot of attention was given to either restricting or prohibiting these kinds of boats on Okla and Tex lakes. But I don't know if anything ever resulted from it.
Clearly it was a pure case of failure to pay attention.

 

[daveseitz]

I have found it didn't matter if they were in a big boat or little boat idiots on the water are all around. I have witnessed poor behavior judgement and skills at the boat launch attempting to get a boat in or out of the water.
The nut jobs in canoes who are out at night in the middle of the lake. With no lights and expect you to see them in total darkness.
Dolts fishing in a Jon Boat, once again no lights in the middle of a lake at night expecting you to have night vision scope or something to see them.
Guys fishing from bridges and shores in channels, yes I sucked up all of your line as I went through. You didn't see the sign NO FISHING IN THE CHANNEL. No I don't care about the lure wrapped around my prop.
Sail boats you don't have the right of way speeding across a channel in a NO WAKE ZONE! What that only applies to power boats you say, tell that to the guy you nearly ran over as you flew by in the diapers on your cat.
Yes that is a sharp boat, very powerfull you say, learn what the TRIM BUTTONS are for. Also throwing it into reverse from full throttle forward is not a good idea for you, the boat or any passengers now with nose bleeds. Slow down way before you come into a no wake channel not once you are in it. Next time you come here how about you show us how to dock the boat without SMASHING EVERYTHING AROUND IT!
Ah yes I miss the relaxation of the weekends on water.

 

[Cameano]

Tell us how you really feel, Dave. l

 

[Andy69]

I have found it didn't matter if they were in a big boat or little boat idiots on the water are all around. I have witnessed poor behavior judgement and skills at the boat launch attempting to get a boat in or out of the water.
The nut jobs in canoes who are out at night in the middle of the lake. With no lights and expect you to see them in total darkness.
Dolts fishing in a Jon Boat, once again no lights in the middle of a lake at night expecting you to have night vision scope or something to see them.
Guys fishing from bridges and shores in channels, yes I sucked up all of your line as I went through. You didn't see the sign NO FISHING IN THE CHANNEL. No I don't care about the lure wrapped around my prop.
Sail boats you don't have the right of way speeding across a channel in a NO WAKE ZONE! What that only applies to power boats you say, tell that to the guy you nearly ran over as you flew by in the diapers on your cat.
Yes that is a sharp boat, very powerfull you say, learn what the TRIM BUTTONS are for. Also throwing it into reverse from full throttle forward is not a good idea for you, the boat or any passengers now with nose bleeds. Slow down way before you come into a no wake channel not once you are in it. Next time you come here how about you show us how to dock the boat without SMASHING EVERYTHING AROUND IT!
Ah yes I miss the relaxation of the weekends on water.

Sailboaters are the worst. They all seem to think they have the right of way over power boats in all situations, which is absolutely not the case. We had a job on the Chesapeake a few years back. We were working out of Solomons, MD, and there was this sailing club that would have their outings in the inlet, and sail their little triangles around this island. They would all cross the nav channel regardless of what traffic was coming from what direction. You'd think a club would at least teach them the rules of the water.

Hint to the sailboaters: if you are using your engine, you are a power boat. If you are under sail power, you do not have the right of way under the following situations: overtaking any vessel, regardless of propulsion; approaching a vessel with properly displayed day shapes or lights indicating fishing, dredging or towing operations (and therefore restricted manuverability), approaching a vessel at anchor; approaching a vessel with a properly displayed alpha or diver down flags; or approaching a large vessel or ferry, regardless of direction. There may be others but this was off the top of my head

And then there are the passive aggressive idiots who think they have the right of way but don't. Hey you in your 20 foot center console Wellcraft, are you going to play chicken with the 70 ft survey boat? You know, the one with 2000 feet of cable out? The one displaying the proper day shapes? Really?