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Name: |
Manoy Man
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Subject: |
New Level of Stupidity
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Date:
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6/15/2004 6:04:30 PM
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I realize this topic has been beat to death on this forum, but I couldn't resist sharing this one with you. This happened a couple of weeks ago, but I'm jut getting around to posting it:
I was on our floating boathouse on Saturday afternoon and noticed a family in a ski boat idling out of our slough toward the lake. I noticed the ski rope being towed behind and observed the young son apparently teaching the younger daughter how to put on a ski. I was happy to see a family out on the lake and a father taking the time to teach his daughter how to ski. Suddenly he stopped the boat and the two children jumped out. The stupidity had ensued before my very eyes. Our area of the slough is approximately 30 feet wide MAX between our boathouse and the pier on the other side. He had stopped the boat in the middle, putting him about 15 feet MAXIMUM from our boathouse and 15 feet from the other piers across the way. Could have been closer. I'm not kidding here folks. I could have spit on him he was so close. Long story short, the son gave the daughter a few instructions and then give a signal to good 'ole dad, who promptly gunned it. I couldn't believe my eyes. He was trying to teach his daughter to ski within 15 feet of several piers/boathouses AND he was throwing massive wakes all around. She of course fell immediately at which time he turns the boat around (toward my side of the slough) and drives back to pick her up. He bobs up and down in his massive wake and passes about 5 feet from our floating boathouse, where I was now standing and trying to keep my balance. I made sure to give him a few choice words as he passed by and suggested that he go out into a larger portion of our creek to teach his daughter to ski. Thankfully he did so.
I couldn't believe what I saw. How do these idiots survive in a normal society? I'm all for teaching your child to ski in a calm body of water, but in a 30 foot wide slough that is lined with floating boathouses and piers?!?!? I am constantly amazed at the lack of courtesy and respect shown by a select few on our great lake. I understand that these people represent a very small proportion of the boating public, but when it happens, I am just dumfounded.
Sorry for the rant, but had to post.
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Name: |
chazzman
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Subject: |
New Level of Stupidity
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Date:
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6/16/2004 3:01:04 AM
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Manoy Man, Just look around you and figure that half of the people you see have an IQ of a 100 or less. I'm surprised you're still dumbfounded when you see such stupidity in action -- believe it, it's there. LOL ;-)!
Is there a place around the Lake where one can buy bouys for swimming areas or no wake zones? Of course there would be very little enforcement but the bouys would serve as a notice for consideration -- assuming the boaters can read. LOL!!
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Name: |
Feb
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Subject: |
New Level of Stupidity
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Date:
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6/16/2004 6:04:11 AM
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Hey chazzman, You may want to do a search on buoys on this forum. There have been previous post on buoys even forum post by th Marine Police. There are restrictions and in some cases a permit is required from the Marine Police before the legal placement of buoys. I believe improperly and/or illegally place buoys can be removed or the owner required to remove them. Remember, they can also be a safety hazard if improperly placed.
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Name: |
lakebum
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Subject: |
You're right on this
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Date:
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6/16/2004 6:33:33 AM
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Name: |
Manoy Man
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Subject: |
Agreed
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Date:
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6/16/2004 8:21:33 AM
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Chazzman,
I agree with the two previous posters. Check to make sure the area in which you want to place the bouy is legal. That being said, take a look at a West Marine or a Landfall Navigation catalog. They should both have bouys for sale there. I seem to recall seeing bouys in one of those thin catalogs for skiers, too. We thought about a bouy for a while at our place, but opted for posting a sign on our boathouse instead. It's only been up a couple of weeks, so it remains to be seen whether or not it works.
Good luck.
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Name: |
LifeTime Laker
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Subject: |
Actually he is dead wrong!
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Date:
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6/16/2004 8:54:07 AM
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Bouys on this lake are placed and maintained by the LMRA at the direction of the water patrol. THERE ARE NO 'PERSONAL' BOUYS AND NEVER WILL BE. If you buy one and put it out, you will be forced to remove it at your expense and probably fined as well. Even if you contact LMRA and offer to pay for one ( and they run about $1500 each) they will not put one out. Once they do it for one slough, they would have to do it for EVERY slough that was requested, which would soon be EVERY slough. Alabama power requires 6 concrete slabs at 100lbs each on every bouy it puts out, and it only puts out ones that mark the dam. One of my neighbors had a sign made and put on his pier saying "NO WAKE ZONE'". The WP contacted him and asked if he would take it down, he declined and they did not force the issue since it was on his pier, but nobody pays attention to it. I think the corps of engineers determines the actual placement of hazard bouys, but am not 100% certain as to who has the final say.
As for No Wake bouys, the water patrol depends on the individual to know and obey the law. THAT IS NO WAKE WITHIN 100 FEET OF A PIER. So if you look at it, most all sloughs are already no wake zones. As I have stated before the best tool in fighting inconsiderate neighbors is first a freindly chat, then the video camera. Tape it, with good shots of the hull numbers and faces and then contact the WP. Ask them to pay a trip to the neighbors for a "freindly chat" also. I saw this method work once many years ago. It would certainly get my attention.
Now what really dumbfounds me is the guy in Manoy Creek who anchors a log just off his pier to keep folks away. He replaced his old log this year with bigger and better one. I have really gotten a laugh a couple of times to go by and see kids doing circles around his log on PWC's. This puts them closer to his pier/boathouse than they would come if he just left the matter alone.
I know the law, and understand that each boater is responsible for damage done by his/her wake. But my feelings are if you live on 'big water' or in high traffic areas take responsibillity for your own watercraft. Don't look for the WP or other boaters to do it for you. Lakes have waves, waves rock boats. It ain't rocket science. I get tired of hearing folks whine about what the waves do/did to their boat. Tie it up properly for the conditions it will face while there. It's like buying a place next to a Marina and whining about the noise and confusion it creates.
Ok, I have had my rant now. The first in many weeks.
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Name: |
LifeTime Laker
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Subject: |
and BTW....
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Date:
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6/16/2004 8:56:23 AM
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LMRA accepts volunteers to help with the bouy tending each year I have heard. Never check into it though.
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Name: |
SBsigmapi
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Subject: |
Actually he is dead wrong!
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Date:
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6/16/2004 10:01:16 AM
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Wow! Very informative post. I enjoyed reading this one. LOL great closing lines as well.
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Name: |
yearround
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Subject: |
Actually he is dead wrong!
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Date:
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6/16/2004 10:10:51 AM
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I would really like to know where to look to find the law regarding "no wake within 100' of a pier". This rule is not being followed near my pier. Thanks in advance.
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Name: |
LifeTime Laker
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Subject: |
Actually he is dead wrong!
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Date:
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6/16/2004 11:34:52 AM
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I just reviewed the link provided below in another thread by Gary of the WP. It looks like I may have been mistaken about the 100ft rule. The only reference I could find was to stay 100ft away from divers bouys. Maybe my Dad made that rule up, oh so many years ago, when teaching me to operate a boat..... LOL. If so his intentions were to make me a safer boater, and so far it has worked. I will continue to follow that guide in my personal boating. If it is not a law, is is common courtesy, which should dictate our behavior as much as laws.
But in any case there are enough rules and regulations about "reckless operations" to cover folks acting like fools. We know that Gary of the Wp cruises this forum so maybe he could enlighten us as to the actual law reagarding wakes in confined areas (such as sloughs).
But I still think each of us should take PERSONAL responsibilty for our watercraft when moored.
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Name: |
Manoy Man
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Subject: |
Agreed, with Exception
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Date:
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6/16/2004 1:53:02 PM
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CEO,
I agree that the condition of my boat is no one's responsibility but mine. However, you said that we should "Tie it up properly for the conditions it will face while there." For my particular case, I have two responses. 1) We have a floating boathouse. It doesn't get tied up any tighter than it already is. Wakes wreck havoc on the anchoring system of floating boathouses. 2) I don't think anyone in their right mind would consider someone trying to ski within 15 feet of their pier a "condition" they would normally face. I'm not whining and I'm certainly not trying to rain on anyone's parade. Everyone has a right to enjoy that lake. I'm just sick of the lake being populated by people who have no idea how to operate a vessel courteously.
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Name: |
LifeTime Laker
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Subject: |
I agree totally.....
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Date:
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6/16/2004 3:34:14 PM
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Trying to start a skier there was inexcusable, whether the skier was experienced or not. I did not mean for my post to sound any other way. I also understand the wave fighting issue, been there done that. One of the reasons I live here instead of the "big water", being too poor is another...LOL. But my Dad's old place was on big water and we fought it constantly. We had places to tie 3 boats MAX, yet some weekends there would be many more watercraft than tie off spots. We actually had boats damaged a time or two.
It all goes back to simple courtesy. A trait we seem to have less and less of these days. Maybe my Dad should have taught more of us to operate boats. ...lol. Actually he told me to give 100ft clearance to ALL structures, but if I was within the 100ft, obey the NO WAKE rule. As stated before, it has worked for me so far.
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Name: |
Manoy Man
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Subject: |
Agreed again
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Date:
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6/16/2004 4:10:37 PM
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Looks like we're on the same page after all, CEO. My dad did a fine job of teaching me proper boating techniques as well. Too bad many of the idiots out there didn't receive proper boating instruction before they took the helm. I will have to say that the Marine Police were doing a fine job this past weekend at Chimney Rock. I was there for about 4 hours and saw them stop a handful of people (both young and old) who were tearing thorough the crowd at well over idle speed. I was very happy to see them letting people have fun on the lake and enjoy a beautiful day, but stepping in where it was necessary.
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Name: |
lakebum
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Subject: |
and BTW....
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Date:
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6/16/2004 5:58:43 PM
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I voluntereed..never heard back..
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Name: |
LifeTime Laker
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Subject: |
Agreed again again..lol
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Date:
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6/17/2004 10:35:31 AM
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Have you seen the log that the guys ties out in Manoy Creek? His place is right where Lone Branch slough empties into Manoy Creek.
Funny story about teaching kids safe and proper boating......
I was the the boat with a a bunch of freinds and the driver/owner of the boat let another friends 16 year old son drive for a while. Obvioulsy the kid doesn't have much experience but was very contientious. Shortly after taking the helm, with no traffic in sight, he was asked if he knew who had the right of way? Without missing a beat the kid answered, "they do".
I figure he will be a good boater for many years to come.... :)
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