Power Boats/sail boats

[Seagull111]

I sailed to a secluded Harbor this weekend(first mistake) and moored near my favorite spot. At the more crowded part of the harbor with a state park dock and guest moorings there were about 8 or 10 boats on rather close together moorings.in the early evening I could hear very loud music coming from the group of moored boats. It was so loud that from my location 1/4 of a mile east of the moorings that I could not hear the birds or bellbouys over the noise. So since this character was annoying me I rowed down to ask him to turn down the volume to something below 90 decibels. I approached the offending noise maker and politely asked if he might reduce the volume for the rest of us in the anchorage. I figured it was not going to work when I saw that his ride was a 20 something Boston Whaler cuddy with 3 ( seriously) 300 hp outboards. The lad was a bit intoxicated and began ranting about sailboat people being dumbasses because they like quiet. I explained the Maine law about vehicles and music systems and how we all should not be forced to listen to his choice of music. He ranted on about sailboats and kept the noise up. When I explained that he gave me no choice but to call my friends at the Sheriff's office the offensive one got ever wilder. When I reminded him that the Coast Guard might swing by for a friendly search of his boat all his friends abandoned him and all the other boaters thanked me and invited me over for sundowners. Is it just me or was this the power boater from hell?

[ranger58sb]

Some boaters are just a pain in the ass. No matter what kind of propulsion they favor.

-Chris

[Seagull111]

You are right. I had never heard anyone so angry about propulsion based likes. " why can't we all just get along?"

[Ocean Girl]

I've owned both. Power boaters are more laid back ( I'm serious!). But a few do love their music!!
Sorry you had to get tough.

Seagull, you got a blog? You know about the PSC owners site?

[ohdrinkboy]

I own both a power boat and a sailboat. Guess I have a split personality.

[maytrix]

Boaters (power or sail) are people and people can often be inconsiderate of others. Seems like you just dealt with an inconsiderate SOB who just didn't care that he was in a place with others and that what he was doing might bother others.

[Seagull111]

Thanks all, and thanks for the PSC site Ocean Girl. I don't have a blog but maybe I might someday if I ever do anything "remarkable".

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Some boaters are just a pain in the ass. No matter what kind of propulsion they favor.

-Chris

[ElGatoGordo]

I had a GIANT offshore fisher pull in across the pier from me a few weekends ago. When I came back after 12 hours of night shift nursing at 8AM the paid captain had Jimmy Buffett (My personal fav) blasting at an insane volume. I just can't understand what makes a person feel so entitled?

When I asked about getting it turned down so I could sleep I got 3 answers, in this order:

1. What about that guy mowing his lawn?
2. No one else is complaining
3. You're going to sleep on THAT? (sneering look at my boat)

Only when the marina manager made a phone call was the volume reduced. Some people

[Krogensailor]

Power boaters (many)do have issues with ragmen, that's what were called. My power boating family members always start into how sailors don't want to pay thier way. To wit I say it's a terrible thing to be bright enough to practise sane economics. It just never lets up. Give someone a set of keys and a beer and community sense disapears. Get outa my way dude! I offer a wide berth.

[HappyMdRSailor]

*sigh*

In places with so many close moorings like Catalina where when busy, it just happens... I do like the CG inspection angle you took!

[ElGatoGordo]

Originally Posted by Krogensailor

Give someone a set of keys and a beer and community sense disapears.

Good summary

[maytrix]

I think another thing that goes along with this topic is how close people come to other boats and how many have a wake in a no wake zone.

We have a decent dinghy ride out to our boat and its along a river. No wake through the whole trip, yet power boats pass us all the time and give us a nice wake to deal with. If they slowed down just a bit, they probably wouldn't leave much (if any) wake, but I guess if they wanted to go slow, they wouldn't be on a power boat.

Even worse when we get out in the channel to get into Nantucket Sound as there is no wake past a point and the power boats fly by us just barely 150' away and leave a huge wake. Common courtesy just isn't what it used to be.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by ohdrinkboy

I own both a power boat and a sailboat. Guess I have a split personality.

Me, too. Maybe, I just can't make up my mind.

I would say that having both, makes you more aware of the perspective from both sides of the fence.

[Wrong]

Want to see and hear the worst of the worst, every day? Anchor at Chaguaramas Bay, Trinidad! The so called SOCA starts around 10 p.m. and goes on until well into the following morning. Your boat reverberates with the way too loud base that travels across the bay unimpeded. Sleep is impossible even with earplugs.

On most days fishermen in boats with a high bow over which they cannot see at speed threaten to run over anyone in a dingy or kayak - like me. Three times I have almost been run over by these dudes. An outboard smaller than 300 h.p. is an embarrassment, two or three ideal. The "no wake through anchorage" sign is ignored, and uncountable boats speed through causing a steady supply of wakes.

I've been tempted to post a couple of videos of the anchorage on u-tube and entitle them "Why Chagaramas Sucks".

As if this is not enough, the conditions in a southerly make the anchorage untenable if downright dangerous. But that's a different matter...