Jump to content

Have all boaters gone insane ??


lew

Recommended Posts

Sure, I've encountered some idiots on the water (especially the Trent Severn) and I can sympathize with your position, but, I'm strongly against boat licensing regulations. I'm sick and tired of having to fork over my hard earned cash to the government. I believe that some people are just going to be idiots whether they're licensed or not. Why the hell do honest, sensible people like me and you have to pay to go out on the water?

 

I mean, the way we're regulated and taxed I'm starting to feel like big brother is impeding on my personal freedom. Why should I have to prove to the government that I know how to operate a boat? If I'm guilty of driving my boat like an asshat, then by all means fine me, however I won't pay for a boater's license just to make you "feel" safe on the water.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I find the SeeDoos where I am to be less of a problem. Since there is a lot of water and places to go, they tend to just cruise by as opposed to doing circles in a closed area. Also maybe the tourists prefer to go to Wasaga, since the locals also tend not to be as rowdy.

 

My biggest problem is the 26-36' sport cruisers that the operators treat like speed boats, but with a 10' deep hull throw massive wakes, even at plane.

 

The large cruisers at least have enough sense and respect for others to go slow through the channels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Trophymuskie
Sure, I've encountered some idiots on the water (especially the Trent Severn) and I can sympathize with your position, but, I'm strongly against boat licensing regulations. I'm sick and tired of having to fork over my hard earned cash to the government. I believe that some people are just going to be idiots whether they're licensed or not. Why the hell do honest, sensible people like me and you have to pay to go out on the water?

 

I mean, the way we're regulated and taxed I'm starting to feel like big brother is impeding on my personal freedom. Why should I have to prove to the government that I know how to operate a boat? If I'm guilty of driving my boat like an asshat, then by all means fine me, however I won't pay for a boater's license just to make you "feel" safe on the water.

 

 

I disagree 100% with your thoughts, and I am one who does hate been over governed or overcharged taxes. But there are so many boats out there now it's getting as busy as our roads and we should make sure everyone is properly trained before heading out on our waters.

 

Every weekend I see guys running fishing boats trimmed all the way down, if someone had thought them to trim their motor up a bit and keep the entire boat from dragging water they will not only go much faster but save a lot of gas. Or just yesterday I had a large cruiser go full speed within 30-40 feet of the back of my boat but he had at least twice that distance between him and the red marker boye. I was trolling across the channel at the time and I had hit full throttle to make sure I gave him a lot of room.

 

It's getting outright dangerous out there and it's not just the drunks anymore. We desperately need boating licenses just like we do for cars. Everyone who buys a new boat should be taken through the basics at least before they leave the stores as well.

 

And then what's with all these idiot fishermen who drive right through weed beds? ( now these are real slop right to the top ) I saw this at least 3 times yesterday and by days end I saw more junk weed floating then ever. How stupid do you have to be? These guys are driving over less then 3 feet of water risking hitting rocks, fish and wrapping their props and naturally chopping a couple hundred pounds of weeds while at it. One guy actually made it 3/4 of the way before his motor choked, then it took him 5 minutes to make the other 1/4 and he never lifted his motor to clean the prop. It would of taken him less then 2 minutes to drive around.

 

I don't know but I get real nervous when I'm driving in less the 15 FOW and would never think of going through slop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My biggest problem is the 26-36' sport cruisers that the operators treat like speed boats, but with a 10' deep hull throw massive wakes, even at plane.

 

A few of us were discussing that problem at a BBQ-one guy had 2 cottage neighbours that purchased first boats in 30' size. Sales guys upsold both, "need that size for big water, they would be trading in within 2 years/unhappy with 20 footer". That makes sense-but these guys are now learning boating in 30' boats....never having owned a smaller boat they have no idea how their 30' boats affect smaller craft.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

great topic

 

Last week on vacation a set of lovely brand new jetski's that were high performance machines buzzed my son and I maybe 2 feet off the transom. Peeved me off so much I chased them down and pretty much yelled every profanity I could muster. Son was freaked as he never heard me yell like that

 

Boat liscences, exams, additional enforcment are fantastic but sadly there is no liscencing system for the ignorant

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As some of you all know I own lots of ways to get around on the water that include Canoes, jet boats, jet skis and a big cabin cruiser. Each boat is made for a specific type of water way and it is up to ME to decide which one is safe for the place I will be fishing. Running a big boat is not all about a lot of chest thumping "look at me you poor people in the little boats that you are painting the drivers as." Some are saying the big boat operators don't know what it is like to be in a smaller boat well it is also true the smaller boats don't know what it is like to be in a BIG boat.

Most people know about never overloading their boats and having the correct safety equipment on board when they go out on the water. You will even get a weather report on the body of water you want to fish so you don't go out into a storm but you ignore the fact that you will have large boats on big water and they produce wakes. When you are moving a boat that weighs over 5,000 lbs and drafts 2 or 3 foot you can't change course as easily due to the fact they are large and they have to stay in the Chanel to keep from grounding. When you take a large boat off of plane it is still pushing a lot of water and it sits deeper in the water both do not help the wake they produce and will only add to the height of water that is heading towards you.

 

The above insight does not excuse poor boating or the careless way some people are on the water those issues are known but you can't cure stupidity. It will take a combination of both groups the big boats and the smaller ones to exercise caution and give and take as you can and to accept the limitations of the craft you use on the water.

 

 

Art

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well said, my sudden fried friend. You just can't legislate common sense. It always boils down to the same thing....If you bring your kids up properly, they will fit in and be kind and thoughtful human beings. If noT, you'll get jet skiers and carp fishermen. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's something you never want to happen but it did.

 

Source Toronto Star Sunday Aug 12:

Two young siblings are in hospital with serious head injuries after a boating accident Saturday afternoon.

 

The boy, 9, and girl, 10, were riding in the three-seat inflatable inner tube when a second motorboat collided with it around 3 p.m. on Rice Lake, off the shore of Harwood, northeast of Port Hope, said OPP.

 

Both children were rushed to Cobourg’s Northumberland Hills Hospital, before the boy was airlifted to Sick Children’s hospital in Toronto.

 

A marine reconstruction technician is assisting the on-going investigation with Northumberland OPP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's something you never want to happen but it did.

 

Source Toronto Star Sunday Aug 12:

Two young siblings are in hospital with serious head injuries after a boating accident Saturday afternoon.

 

The boy, 9, and girl, 10, were riding in the three-seat inflatable inner tube when a second motorboat collided with it around 3 p.m. on Rice Lake, off the shore of Harwood, northeast of Port Hope, said OPP.

 

Both children were rushed to Cobourg’s Northumberland Hills Hospital, before the boy was airlifted to Sick Children’s hospital in Toronto.

 

A marine reconstruction technician is assisting the on-going investigation with Northumberland OPP.

 

 

 

Jesus....... Absolutely horrible.... I pray for the family of the victims and the kids themselves..... and I hope the person driving that boat is banned from operating watercraft for life....

 

 

kinda puts things into perspective dont it.....

 

Gerritt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One more time... the gov. gets no $ from your operators card so all of us that don't like giving our $ to the gov. should be happy with this system.

 

The basic crossing of 2 vessels requires both knowing their responsibilities as stand on or give way vessels so having both got there pcoc it proves that as the one guy stated they are slightly smarter than an idiots and should miss each other. The basics required for the pcoc don't make a good boater it just makes them less of a hazard to others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I disagree 100% with your thoughts, and I am one who does hate been over governed or overcharged taxes. But there are so many boats out there now it's getting as busy as our roads and we should make sure everyone is properly trained before heading out on our waters.

 

Every weekend I see guys running fishing boats trimmed all the way down, if someone had thought them to trim their motor up a bit and keep the entire boat from dragging water they will not only go much faster but save a lot of gas.

 

Or just yesterday I had a large cruiser go full speed within 30-40 feet of the back of my boat but he had at least twice that distance between him and the red marker boye. I was trolling across the channel at the time and I had hit full throttle to make sure I gave him a lot of room.

 

It's getting outright dangerous out there and it's not just the drunks anymore. We desperately need boating licenses just like we do for cars. Everyone who buys a new boat should be taken through the basics at least before they leave the stores as well.

 

And then what's with all these idiot fishermen who drive right through weed beds? ( now these are real slop right to the top ) I saw this at least 3 times yesterday and by days end I saw more junk weed floating then ever. How stupid do you have to be? These guys are driving over less then 3 feet of water risking hitting rocks, fish and wrapping their props and naturally chopping a couple hundred pounds of weeds while at it. One guy actually made it 3/4 of the way before his motor choked, then it took him 5 minutes to make the other 1/4 and he never lifted his motor to clean the prop. It would of taken him less then 2 minutes to drive around.

 

I don't know but I get real nervous when I'm driving in less the 15 FOW and would never think of going through slop.

 

 

No offense TrophyMuskie, but if you get "real nervous" in 15 feet of water I think you're stressing yourself out for no good reason.

 

Also, so what if some guys drive through the weeds or drive in shallow water? What the hell does that have to do with your safety? So what if some guys boat doesn't plane because he has his motor too low? What does that have to do with you?

 

A quick fix to this problem...make liability insurance mandatory for all PWC's and boats over 16'. PWC insurance is very expensive. I wonder why?

 

Please tell me you're kidding?

 

Some of you guys come off like you think that throwing money at the problem is going to solve everything, while totally disregarding the burden it places on the safe boaters. Boating never has, nor will it ever be, a totally risk free recreation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Facts added to the story, boat pulling the tube ran it into a stationary boat. Sad....

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Two children have been injured, one critically, in a boating accident on Rice Lake near Harwood. The towed inner tube on which they were riding slammed into a stationary boat.

 

Around 3 p.m., one family group was preparing for an afternoon of tubing off Coral Cables Resort.

Stationed offshore, the family group saw a second boat towing two children on a water tube approaching. At the last moment, the approaching second boat swerved to avoid collision, but the two children being towed on a water tube, a nine-year-old boy and 10-year-old girl, slammed into the stationary boat.

 

The two children were taken to Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg with serious head injuries. The nin-year-old boy was airlifted to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto with critical injuries

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No offense TrophyMuskie, but if you get "real nervous" in 15 feet of water I think you're stressing yourself out for no good reason.

 

Also, so what if some guys drive through the weeds or drive in shallow water? What the hell does that have to do with your safety? So what if some guys boat doesn't plane because he has his motor too low? What does that have to do with you?

Please tell me you're kidding?

 

Some of you guys come off like you think that throwing money at the problem is going to solve everything, while totally disregarding the burden it places on the safe boaters. Boating never has, nor will it ever be, a totally risk free recreation.

 

 

If you don't know the Ottawa river and have no gps/sonar...you better be nervous....or you won't be boating for long.

 

If you have a $50,000 plus boat and go zooming around , there is a word for that....I think it's IDIOT.

 

Trimming your boat properly so you make less wake saves gas is less damaging on the shoreline and is proper ettiquet as far as I'm concerned.

 

Personally I'd like to see an idiot or 2 take out their bottom end zipping through the weeds, then I could laugh all the way as I tow their wrecked boat back to shore where it belongs.

 

And as far as more money ...if it's too expensive then maybe the weekend warriors will not be able to afford it and will take their rightful spot on a golf course instead of the water.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trimming your boat properly so you make less wake saves gas is less damaging on the shoreline and is proper ettiquet as far as I'm concerned.

 

If you're so worried about the shoreline then why don't you quit boating altogether? lol I'm sure guys that are out in their boats three or four times a week with properly trimmed motors do more damage than the "weekend warriors" that are only on the water a half dozen times a year.

 

Personally I'd like to see an idiot or 2 take out their bottom end zipping through the weeds, then I could laugh all the way as I tow their wrecked boat back to shore where it belongs.

 

And as far as more money ...if it's too expensive then maybe the weekend warriors will not be able to afford it and will take their rightful spot on a golf course instead of the water.

 

Who made you the king of the waters? There's nothing wrong with weekend warriors. I only get out on the water about a half dozen times a year max and for you to suggest making boating so expensive that I should just hit the golf course instead is Bull. I have just as much right to use the water as you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

O please. You're calling me sensitive? I'm not whining because there are (and always will be) idiots on the water.

 

By the way, whether or not you practice what you preach is irrelevant to this conversation. Just because you and I only use the water for fishing doesn't mean that everyone else on the lake should stop jet skiing and driving their big speed boats. Just because you wouldn't go "zooming around" in a $50,000 boat doesn't make that person an idiot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Trophymuskie

Hey I go zooming around in a $60 000 boat but I respect others and slow down in no wake zones and will not blow by within less then 100 feet of other boats.

 

It my job to be out there over 100 days a year and I can see stories like the one quoted above becoming more and more common and that's just because people are ignorant. I have to keep an eye out at all times to stay alive out there.

 

Today I was once again cutting across the river trolling 5 MPH but the channel here was probably 1/4 mile across but this idiot in a cruiser waited until the last minute to veer off and pass within 50 feet off the back of my boat. Actually at one time as I was casting this idiot had his non experienced wife driving and she turned right into my cast, she then had to do another sharp turn and all this was withing 100 feet of me and the shoreline.

 

Sorry for venting but it's nuts out there, thank god I survived another weekend and I hopefully won't have to dodge anyone tomorrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to keep an eye out at all times to stay alive out there.

....Sorry for venting but it's nuts out there, thank god I survived another weekend and I hopefully won't have to dodge anyone tomorrow.

 

LOL. For the record; I didn't join this forum to start fights, but c'mon TrophyMusky...that's a little melodramatic. :D

 

I realize that I'm writing on a fishing forum, and my opinion on this subject probably isn't going to strike a chord with hardcore anglers but for the sake of Joe-Schmoes like me I really wish you could see the other side of the coin.

 

I mean, would you guys seriously support some sort of regulation that charged per day? If you had to pay a $50/day fee to go out boating would you think that was fair? If mandatory insurance and boating licenses came into effect that's what guys like me would be paying.

 

The way the waters are regulated now isn't perfect, nor do I think it'll ever be perfect. There certainly are some dicks out boating but I hardly think the problem is so bad that your average Joe should be punished for the stupidity of a few. I really do wish I could get out on the water more often but it's just not that easy. Going out on the lake shouldn't be made into a privilege that only some people can enjoy. However, all this crying for more regulation is going to do just that.

 

Anyways, I think I'm done posting in this thread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recent Topics

    Popular Topics

    Upcoming Events


×
×
  • Create New...