Are Power Boaters Clueless

[motion30]

I think it a reflection on todays society. .why should i care about anybody but myself...sad

[Jim Cate]

Just think... if those jerks in the power boats had sailboats, they would likely leave their halyards banging on the mast...

Jim

[Pelagic]

Well said Jim....Jerks do not discriminate in their choice of boat

[barnakiel]

Well not any more clueless than sail boaters, they simply have stronger engines and so CAN move faster.

The charges for excessive wake are silly low where you live. Make it 1k per case, catch the first ten idiots each season and live wake-less thru the rest of the season.

No police in your country?

b.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Just think... if those jerks in the power boats had sailboats, they would likely leave their halyards banging on the mast...

Jim

Award for laugh of the week but one demerit for no advance warning. I almost wiped out my keyboard.

[Sea Life]

Some advice from a "stupid power boater". If you want to avoid close calls, look at your routes and waypoints. There always seems to be a convergence around bouys, channels, corners etc. I usually try to give these areas a wide berth when navigating, it helps quite alot.

[skipmac]

Better title, are some power boaters clueless as well as the occasional sailboaters. The answer to this is certainly yes.

I think barnakiel hit the critical point, a jerk in a big, fast powerboat is a lot more obvious and has a lot bigger impact than a jerk in a sailboat.

Like several others I have had my experiences with idiots and jerks in boats of all descriptions. However, wouldn't you get the same answer if you asked "are drivers of high power sports cars clueless?"

Bottom line, there's clueless or just don't give a shirt people just about anywhere you look, if you're looking for them, but why look? Ignore the idiots and enjoy the majority of the boaters that are really nice people.

[thomm225]

Wakes from power boats are pretty much just business as usual in a narrow channel.

I don't give it much thought at all, but I do look forward to getting out into the open bay or the ocean.

Today though the wind suddenly piped up to 24 knots from about 7 knots. It was like constant wakes all the way in the last few miles..........which made it nice to get back into the narrow channel where you only had to deal with the wakes from a few power boaters!

Just another fun day on the water......

[Capt Phil]

Boy, do I feel like an idiot! Having cruised extensive aboard my own sailboat from Alaska to Z-town over about a 10 year period then lived aboard our DeFever 54 for another 10-12 years and ran a delivery business for around 10-15 years delivering both power and sail as far south as Panama and I don't know where I stand on the issue.
Many of us have been both a power or sail owner and put on 1000's of sea miles aboard each type of vessel, I have personally witnessed really stupid moves by every kind of vessel afloat! Even commercial vessels have made some really dumb moves.
I would not be too quick to tar all power boat owners or all sailors with the same brush. Sure there are inconsiderate boaters just as there are inconsiderate drivers. That doesn't mean all drivers are idiots.
Come on folks... Get a life! Phil

[four winds]

Five years ago I was bay sailing on a sunny breezy day. Had a long tack going accross the bay and a very shiny, all black ~70' cruiser did about six or seven full 360's around me for maybe twenty or thirty minutes.

It was a very nice new looking boat with dark tinted windows and no markings. And it was fast. Never got close to me but I was surprised he persisted for so many laps. Still have no idea what he was thinking.

Maybe he was trying to annoy me, but it didn't work. I don't get upset too easily and he never really posed a hazard. I was well healed and driving hard so the wake wasn't an issue taking it perpendicular each time.

Trying to impress someone onboard?, or to annoy me?, or maybe taking pictures?, (I was stylin' lol), don't know. But he wasn't clueless, it was intentional. Whatever, just an interesting incident on the water.

I do have a clueless incident to tell, too. (We all do) But I don't take it and internalize the negative energy, not healthy. Water off a duck's back.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Just think... if those jerks in the power boats had sailboats, they would likely leave their halyards banging on the mast...

Jim

[hsi88]

Better get used to it, there is a new generation of "wake" boats being built designed to create an even larger wave so water skiers and boarders can get some "air". And of course today's jet skis are designed to create monster rooster tails as they go scooting to and fro. Modern boating. Don't you just love progress!

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I have been out the past 8 days and just have to wonder if power boaters are clueless about wakes. I've been in No Wake zones, narrow channels, anchorages, and mooring fields and all the power boats do is blast through.

So wonder if they are clueless or just plain don't give a crap.

Some of the wakes I've had to deal with put me in a bad position for control and safety.

You're just going to have to get used to it, it's the way it is and there's nothing you can do to minimize it. We no longer even notice it, but when I need to climb the mast, I do it early in the morning when hopefully, there are no boats passing by.

[Iodine]

Maybe try to look on the bright side:

There's virtually no chance they are going to try to sail through a crowded mooring field or anchorage under sail

[clownfishsydney]

In general, yes. Two days ago I was motoring in the narrow channel between the Seaway and the Broadwater on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Two huge cruisers went past in the opposite direction at over 20 knots. The second one's wake was so bad, it was breaking as we crossed it. NFI.