Are Power Boaters Clueless

[sailorboy1]

Yeah

Move b*tch, get your wake outta the way !!!!

Would solve the whole problem

[BrianGJS]

Having been a sailor and racer for 31 years and going to, as they say, 'the dark side', it's fair to say I have two hats.

Rather than complaining and destroying relationships between boaters, if you know the individuals speak to them, otherwise, report abuse. After all, are we not responsible for our wake?

[JPA Cate]

FWIW, I think it is difficult for some powerboaters to imagine what sailboats are doing. They don't know they may force us to gybe away, they don't relate to the wind the way we do, and might thing we were tacking across their bows on purpose to be rude and stupid, rather than taking their stern.

My personal expectations of all powerboats can be boiled down to this: they may do anything -- for no reason known to me -- at any time, and it's my job to cope with it. Expect people to do stupid things. Nobody repealed stupidity, and lots of luck if they tried.

As Kenomac suggested, various size wakes are part of life, might as well get annoyed at lack of wind or too much wind, or tell the sun not to set...others' behavior is that far out of our control, and there's zero point to complaining about it, far more pleasant to continue conversation or enjoy whatever else you're doing, as you sail along, or chill at anchor.

Ann

[thomm225]

As kids we enjoyed the large yachts that came in our creek with their big wakes. It gave us 5 whole miles to have fun.

We got the chance to see how high we could get our 14' boats with 20-25 hp outboards in the air going over the wake as we passed them.

Another thing that was good about the large wakes was it gave us a chance to knock off who ever was water skiing at the time. He goes down next guy is up!

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Later I was told that it may be illegal for me to tow someone, I don't know.

Say what? Never heard that one and can't imagine that would be correct but I've been proven wrong before.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have SeaTow insurance, but wonder what the fine print says, I almost used it once, I ran my CC boat aground and called. By the time I was being explained that my coverage didn't cover "hard aground" someone showed up and pulled me off.
The SeaTow operator on the phone couldn't explain hard aground, but did know that I wasn't covered for it.
Kind of made me think that hard aground is a judgement call.

That sounds like BS and certainly makes Seatow a lot less valuable for towing. Not sure if this is applicable but I googled hard aground and the definition I found online said "A vessel which has gone aground and is incapable of refloating under her own power." If that is the definition used by Seatow then that would apply to anytime you are aground and need a tow to get off.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by skipmac

That sounds like BS and certainly makes Seatow a lot less valuable for towing. Not sure if this is applicable but I googled hard aground and the definition I found online said "A vessel which has gone aground and is incapable of refloating under her own power." If that is the definition used by Seatow then that would apply to anytime you are aground and need a tow to get off.

Call them, see what they say. I assume it means that it takes more than a tow boat to get you off, but that is not what she said.

800-4-Seatow



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[rwidman]

A "hard grounding" is one where a single boat can't pull you off. It might take two boats, it might take air bags.

If the tow boat can pull you free with just a line, that's a soft grounding.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by rwidman

A "hard grounding" is one where a single boat can't pull you off. It might take two boats, it might take air bags.

If the tow boat can pull you free with just a line, that's a soft grounding.

Not trying to be pedantic but 'hard grounding' means you have hit a bottom that is not made up of soft mud or sand....meaning possible hull damage

Hard aground is what you meant..:thumbup:

[MarkSF]

On Saturday we were preparing to gybe, just as the wind gusted up to 25 kts. We were forced to do a chicken gybe instead, which meant that we went around in a big circle to port and ended up going more or less the way we were going to start with.

My apologies to the poor guy in a Bayliner-type boat who was trying to figure out which way we were actually going, and avoid us!

[jmschmidt]

I've been a sailor for fifty years but I just bought my first power boat so if I leave you in a big wake you'll know I did it on purpose since I'm not clueless.

[grahamb]

I am surprised that the one family with an identical surname has spread so widely throughout the world, and that they all own powerboats creating massive wakes....... I refer to the genus LOMBARD......I am given to understand this is an acronym for ..........

LOTS OF MONEY BUT A REAL D... HEAD.

[Lepke]

Yes, but so are some sailboaters. Try getting a ship thru SF Bay when the sailboats are out.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Lepke

Yes, but so are some sailboaters. Try getting a ship thru SF Bay when the sailboats are out.

Ha, ha.

I posted something above about racers in the Solent.

The photo above (Hanna Knudsen collision) was made in the Solent, off Cowes. So now you see what I was talking about.

In fairness, the yacht was actually in a race, and not just practicing.

Also, I'm not sure that this particular case, was a case of a "stupid sailor". The accident occurred during Cowes Week. The tanker was supposed to turn up the Thorn Channel on its way up Southampton Water. Unbeknownst to the yacht crew, the tanker was maneuvering to avoid a disabled motor boat, and carried on rather than turning.

By the time the sailors realized what was going on, they had been blanketed by the tanker and lost way.

Crunch. There but for the grace of God go I . . .

[a64pilot]

The very few races I have seen, it's apparent what is going on, by that I mean it's obvious there is a sailboat race.
So I avoid the area, often sit well off to the side and watch, you can usually tell where they are headed as well so they are easy to avoid.
Contrast that to a weekend near shell island with all the power boats, it looks like a roach infested kitchen when you turn the lights on. I've just taken to holding my course, not much else I can do.
Let's not forget the sea lice in all of this too, often there is a herd of them following the bigger boats, who will churn as big a wake as possible for the entertainment of the lice.


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[skipmac]

Originally Posted by jmschmidt

I've been a sailor for fifty years but I just bought my first power boat so if I leave you in a big wake you'll know I did it on purpose since I'm not clueless.

Maybe boaters should design a "I waked you, Ha!" flag to fly on such occasions.