Fishermen!

[NCountry]

So.... we take off for a week of cruising in the Gulf off the coast of Texas.... I know, not the ideal time just all that work will currently allow. OF COURSE we always troll some lines in the water because if you don't have a line in the water you definately won't catch anything. Man, did we catch something.
First some jerk in a center console RIB comes flying up behind us withing 100 feet. You guessed it. He caught and broke our line! DANG IT.... that was an 8 dollar lure. THEN while he's untangling the line from his motor he has the NERVE to holler at us! Something about you can't catch fish trolling. AAAAARRRGGGHHHHHH..... REALLY! (Actual comment withheld as there were children on board)
So, 3 days later we're 4 miles offshore and about 10 miles south west of the entrance to Galveston Bay... and here's comes a jerk in a Center Console fishing boat (tan top sides) with 2 big outboards. As if we're occupying the only place in the entire gulf of mexico for his boat to motor he crosses our line and snags BOTH of them. Before we can get a knife back to cut the lines he strips both reels. &((*^%$#@!..... 2 more lures and 600 yards of line gone! This moron heads on out into the gulf. As we watch him all the sudden he stops..... about 2 miles on out from us. Then after a couple of minutes he turns and starts slowly motoring back into Galveston. Serves the #@@ right. There wasn't another boat within several miles of us but he decides to shoot right across our stern at full throttle only missing us by 100 feet if that.
Am I missing something? I was under the impression that when my sails are up the motor powered small boats are supposed to stay some minimum distance away from my boat. It's no wonder people on sailboats want to carry guns.

[Cormorant]

I've had that happen a couple of times, too -- powerboats crossing my stern too close while we're sailing AND fishing. It's sort of like they can't imagine that fishing is possible if not done from a powerboat.

[perchance]

If it is any consolation your fishing line probably cut the prop seals out of his motor and filled his lowers with water. If he is dumb enough to keep running he will no doubt ruin the gears and bearings.

[Tellie]

Yeah, 300 yards of greasy, melted, seal shredding, mono filament. I bet he's a lot more unhappy than you. But it is times like these that I wish I could run a hundred feet of steel leader.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by perchance

If it is any consolation your fishing line probably cut the prop seals out of his motor and filled his lowers with water. If he is dumb enough to keep running he will no doubt ruin the gears and bearings.

Unfortunately unless he's stupid enough to kill himself all other methods of curing stupid are currently illegal. The sad part is that this idiot will probably make an insurance claim because he accidentally got fishing line wrapped around his prop and ruined the lower units and driving up all of our insurance costs.

I had an incident once where a center console fishing boat intent on chasing a school of fish ran up to a school directly in front of me and stopped less than 100 feet away while I was under sail doing 7 knots. I managed to miss him by about 10 feet by throwing the wheel hard over and as I went by blasted him with my air horn. The moron just looked at me with this really stupid look on his face. I doubt he even saw me until I went by.

You can cure ignorance with education, but stupid is for a lifetime.

[cat man do]

Well, having both sail and power background I have had the same happen with yachts cutting across my lines when I'm trolling and I have also been used as a rounding mark when anchored.
I have never actually lost a line to a powered vessel cutting close.
Perhaps they aren't quite as ignorant in Australia

[zeehag]

ncountry--those werent fishermen--they were something else--fishermen dont have fancy outfits. snotty careless abusive narcssists have those. fishermen try to make it home alive for family.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by zeehag

ncountry--those werent fishermen--they were something else--fishermen dont have fancy outfits. snotty careless abusive narcssists have those. fishermen try to make it home alive for family.

Agree +1

[MarkSF]

"I was under the impression that when my sails are up the motor powered small boats are supposed to stay some minimum distance away from my boat."

There is no such regulation, you are mistaken.

[Boracay]

After cruising up the Oz east coast I probably would have "caught" the odd fisherperson as a few cut across our stern, but no troll out...

What drives me crazy here is those that decide that the only place to catch fish is right in front of me, so they zoom there and stop. By the time I can get to the autopilot to avoid them my heart rate has gone up somewhat.

And don't get me going about the "professional" trawlers who love to go out and in of narrow barred (no wriggle room!) river entrances with their trawling arms fully out.

And coming into the Gold Coast Seaway on the leads we had an outgoing trawler in the channel with arms out, two kids on surfboards paddling across and an idiot with an express cruiser cutting in front of us at full speed (and wake)...

[Lagoon4us]

It's called courtesy, a bit lacking lately, it requires you to distrust all approaching vessels to the point of expecting a stupid move. That way you'll survive and not be disappointed!
Cheers

[Target9000]

The thing that burns my ass are the guys that drop crab pots in navigation channels like the ICW over here. Or right in front of a bridge.

[maytrix]

Isn't 150 feet the regulation distance to keep from other boats while moving?

[bobconnie]

I always run 15 to 20 ft of steel leader on my trolling lines !! LOL That way Im sure of makeing a impression on the folks who do those kind of things !! With our new boat they would be pretty dumb to stop in front of us LOL 51 ft Huge LOL only problem with her Is ya need a 8 ft gaff to land the fish !!LOL but shes a Hoss for strong !! We hope to get a Good Surveryer in Clear Lake Texas, to look her over soon !! We are getting real antsy to be sailing !!

[IslandHopper]

Guns!.......big *&#@ off ones....that’ll fix em.....