Be Aware of Your Wake . . . Show Some Courtesy

[vintageray]

Funny, the people who's business it is to move vessels up and down the coast, tow boats, commercial fishermen and the big shrimp boats never cause a problem. The waterway is supposed to be sheltered. That's it's purpose. Might I suggest that those who don't want to respect the people in marinas, the folks with private docks or the businesses along the waterway, take their boats outside where they can make as much wake as they like. Make no mistake. Here if anyone, especially a vessel with a number on it's side reports someone throwing a damaging wake, the CG will chase them down and nail them.
I'm good being rocked to sleep and used to being rolled a little, but my boat is 15 tons and when things start flying around the cabin and I have damage, it's a different thing.

[Vasco]

Actually the biggest problem with wakes on the waterway is not the inconvenience it causes to slower boats but the erosion. In many sections the banks and trees are falling in, some perilously close to houses. I think the no wake zones are a function of how much clout the homeowners have. Unfortunately there are many spots where the homeowners have little if any.

[Cheechako]

"Yeah, those damn boaters.... it ought to be illegal for them to spoil the view on our water and erode my bulkhead, next thing you know they'll be wanting to anchor....."
I'm just kidding, but there is a side of me that begs the question: Was the waterway built for homeowners and real estate profits or water traffic? Ditto for marinas, If you build a marina, maybe you should build a breakwater! Of course I've always wondered why people build houses on the bank of a river and then want the rest of us to pay when it floods!... so i guess my logic is flawed to start with. Ditto for people buying a house alongside the freeway and then we put up high cement walls to block the sound! Dont like the noise? Dont buy a house next to it! OK, rant over.

[Capt Phil]

Fortunately, several thousand stinger missles are about to come on the market having been looted from Lybian military depots. That should really cut down on the wake problems everywhere, including the ICW. Capt Phil

[psneeld]

I've always mentioned in my capt licensing and boater safety courses...the next major boating battle after jet skis will be intracoastal wakes/speeds...landowners vs everyone...then all others against power vessels trying to use the marine I-95 (also known as the intracoastal) as it was at least partially intended to be used...

For those worried about wakes and erosion...get a life...even wind generated ripples do damage and there's trillions of those compared to one powerboat's wake.

[vintageray]

Originally Posted by psneeld

I've always mentioned in my capt licensing and boater safety courses...the next major boating battle after jet skis will be intracoastal wakes/speeds...landowners vs everyone...then all others against power vessels trying to use the marine I-95 (also known as the intracoastal) as it was at least partially intended to be used...

For those worried about wakes and erosion...get a life...even wind generated ripples do damage and there's trillions of those compared to one powerboat's wake.

I'd like to see the look on face of the Captain of the CG vessel who stops you for your wake when you tell him that.

Okay, I said what I have to say. Now it's attracting trolls. Don't feed the trolls.

[sww914]

People like me go and yell at ******** like that. I haven't been punched yet.

[boasun]

TRuthfully if you are operating a large power vessel or one that invertintly throws a big wake. Then you should slow down about three quarters of a mile or more away from the area where you don't want any wake. Waiting until the last minute to slow down is seriously stupid. Because your stern wake will be dragged along for a good distance before it subsides.
And please pay attention on where you are going...

[Amapola]

Just reading these posts makes my blood boil. Some of these wakemaker jerks put the GPS on the magenta line and never look back.

[Capt Phil]

Reminds me of the 'old' days riding the Larkspur Ferry into San Francisco. The shore owners on Belvedere peninsula complained about the wake the ferries were throwing and forced a speed restriction on the ferries until well out into SF Bay.
None of us regular riders complained but many of us were ready for a 12 step program after 6 months due to the extra time we had to put back a couple more G&T's. Ahhh, the good old days! Capt Phil

[captainKJ]

Then you should slow down about three quarters of a mile or more away from the area where you don't want any wake.

You want to make all powerboater go as slow as sailboats???? The above statement is ridiculous. If you do not like the wakes do not go on the water or buy a bigger boat that is not affected by the wakes. I am a sailboater, powerboater and jetskier. 3/4 of a mile yea right, keep dreaming

[S/V Antares]

I would like the Coast Guard designate VHF ch 17 as the "Passing Channel" so those moving down the waterway would not clutter up CH 16 with a bunch of "May I Pass " , "Yes, of course" " I'll slow down..." Thank you" "No! Thank you Cap!" "Have a great day" .... Bla Bla Bla. And all of this on HI POWER even though the boats are next to each other,

[captainKJ]

ch 13 is bridge to bridge

Boat US - Online Boating Safety Study Guide

Channel 09 -Secondary calling channel (a new FCC Rule has designated Channel 9 to be the preferred channel for calling). The purpose of this change is to free Channel 16 for distress calls.

Channel 06 - Ship-to-ship safety messages, and communication with search and rescue and Coast Guard vessels and aircraft.

Channel 13 - Ship to bridge or lock master, ship to tender calls. Commercial vessel use primarily. One watt of power, used for close in communicating.

[Auspicious]

And Channel 17 is designated for local government maritime interests.

[Cheechako]

On the more open higher speed parts of the ww I repeatedly had fast powerbots come up astern on a plane, then just as they reached my stern they tried to be polite by killing the throttle and idling past. I appreciated their effort and politeness, but frankly if they would have just continued at 35 mph they wouldnt have effected me at all, as it was, i was rolling severly as they idled past. Sometimes I think it's just too hard for everyone to predict what other's desire. Dont want to pitchpole? Dont sail the southern lattiudes! Dont like overnight passage? Sail where you can do it on day trips! Too many wakes in your location? Move to a marina with more protection! (within reason) I've had people yelling at me from a dock as I go by at 5 knots.... right after some guy goes by leaving a really big wake... which is what got them excited in the first place. yeah, you can defintely be an idiot by not paying attention to your wake in certain locations, but some locations on the weekend are just going to be that way.