Ever wanted to chase down another boater and give them a beat down ?

[brooksville_rebel]

We are in the channel heading out on Friday. Boats not fast. 10-11 kph by the gps. Me, wife, 3 kids (10 months, 2 yrs and 5yrs) and a friend and his g/f.
Probably half way out the channel when this bigger faster boat comes flying up behind us. No biggie a lot of boats do it to us and the kids like the big waves.
But this A-HOLE doesn't move over and may have actually moved in closer to us and sprays the entire boat. I am on the opposite side driving and I got smacked pretty good from the spray. My wife and 10 month old were next to that side railing and all the stuff got soaked. I let loose with my Marine Corps language at the A-Hole. I was livid. Murder rage livid.
I know my wife is extremely pissed cuz when I get that angry to were I say I am going to go beat down she tells me to settle down and not gonna bail me out. This time when I say should I follow him and kick his *** shes like YES. Not a mild yes but a DO IT YES.
We would never catch him unless we found him out there anchored and if I thought we had enough gas I would have gone searching for him.

 

[grumpy67]

They are a dime a dozen out there. Idiots with gas money and chit for brains. OOH RAH Marine !!

 

[kjsAZ]

and they come on all sorts of power driven floating stuff!
We recently had a PWC take us over when I was towing the kids in a tube. Distance to the tube and later to the boat: less than 10ft! Width of the lake at that point at least 400ft and we were on the side. Admiral took a picture with her cellphone which showed his reg-number and we turned him in to the rangers. Easier than chasing him and the rangers like picture documentation!

 

[southkogs]

I totally get the mad part, and for myself every once in a while think that torpedoes should be legal on pleasure craft. I've wanted to chase down a few boats too.

But in reality - and I'm sure you know this - it's risky, futile and even self damaging to set after one of these jokers to start (and probably finish, for a good Marine) a ruckus. You put yourself in a goofy legal position, and run all kinds of risks.

However, a quick phone call with somebody's registration numbers to the local constabulary will very likely result in some retribution that you need be very little part of. I actually watched the sheriff put a kid ashore at his parents dock, load up his jet ski on their center console's stern and head back to the boat ramp. I kinda' felt bad for the kid and his dad (who was not happy at all), but I'd go back and make the phone call a dozen times over. He was gonna' hurt someone (maybe himself) eventually.

Just like in what you experienced, there was not just inconvenience, there was real, eminent threat. You could almost term it "assault" but it's a little tough to show legally. BUT, he was illegal if he was close enough and fast enough to spray you, and that's reckless operation of a boat at a bare minimum.

Let everyone dry off while you follow the wake trail to his next drinkin' spot, grab the binoculars and copy the registration numbers down. A simple phone call and he's now on the radar screen of the local LEOs. He'll do it again, and eventually he'll get caught and it'll get expensive on him.

Comfort the kids so they aren't scared, but know that what the other guy did was wrong and bad. Make sure everyone on board is okay, and y'all go on enjoy what you came out to do. Don't let the jerks drag you into what will become a crumby day for everyone.

 

[NHGuy]

Kogs, you are so right!

 

[rsmitty814]

Water rage, like road rage, cannot be tollerated. Use your cell phone and report it and then chill. Nobody got hurt.

 

[jkust]

I was on our lake this past week and there were record number of boats. In a narrowish area as I was cruising along at about 23mph and a pontoon jumped in front of me without looking first to get behind the Cobalt in front of me I was following that was smoothing out the water. I simply went around him maintaining speed and adjusting course slightly. As I passed him, he went off on me not realizing it was he that initiated the situation. You can quickly see folks that aren't experienced or have been drinking and I even saw a guy texting and not paying attention.

 

[m_steiger]

I would be very careful in a situation like that. If you were to chase that boater down, you would be the one invoking the confrontation. Its best to be careful because you never know who is packing on the water. I always have a loaded Bersa 9mm in my boats glove box and would not think twice about pulling it out if someone came up yelling or grabbed onto my boat in a threatening manner.

 

[H20Rat]

I would be very careful in a situation like that. If you were to chase that boater down, you would be the one invoking the confrontation. Its best to be careful because you never know who is packing on the water. I always have a loaded Bersa 9mm in my boats glove box and would not think twice about pulling it out if someone came up yelling or grabbed onto my boat in a threatening manner.

Do you have a concealed permit? I am guessing you don't, as you would know the laws against brandishing a firearm. Unless plan on using it, it stays put. And unless you are truly fearing for your life, you shouldn't be planning on using it. Someone coming up to and yelling is not life threatening.

 

[rsmitty814]

I believe that all basic pistol permits are concealed meaning that you cannot carry openly. I would say that if you are that afraid of leathal confrontation on the water…..give up boating. I don't think you can duck hunt with a pistol

 

[Gyrene]

My father & I were out in his boat and we see a butt-head with a flying bridge nearly swamp some small skiffs fishing in a no-wake zone. When we got to open water, my father gunned it and overtook the a-hole and paced it so our wake was rocking him on his flying bridge like the end of a fly rod. The guy screams "My family is on board" - and my father yells back - "There were families in boats in the channel you nearly swamped.".

I loved my father. It was very satisfying.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

My father & I were out in his boat and we see a butt-head with a flying bridge nearly swamp some small skiffs fishing in a no-wake zone. When we got to open water, my father gunned it and overtook the a-hole and paced it so our wake was rocking him on his flying bridge like the end of a fly rod. The guy screams "My family is on board" - and my father yells back - "There were families in boats in the channel you nearly swamped.".

I loved my father. It was very satisfying.

I wouldn't advise that nowadays. With the proliferation of people who think they can't go outside their house without carrying a weapon you never know if the drunk you chastise is gonna' pull a gun and shoot you, and then get off scot-free by claiming self-defense. IMO it's better just to get their registration numbers and maybe a cell-phone photo and make a call to the local authorities.

 

[southkogs]

I believe that all basic pistol permits are concealed meaning that you cannot carry openly...

Not true. It varies state by state. Here in TN, my permit is a "carry" permit. I can choose open or concealed at my own discretion.

And ... in my experience, no matter if you're armed or not, super tough and capable or a complete wimp, you're always better off backing off when you can. There are times when you can't, and in those cases I'm very much in the "finish what they start" camp. But more often than not, you're better off moving along and staying out of the fur ball.

 

[rsmitty814]

Pistol permits do vary from state to state. However I was refering to states that have gun regulations. Not TN.

 

[jestor68]

Water rage, like road rage, cannot be tollerated. Use your cell phone and report it and then chill. Nobody got hurt.

You're not in the spirit of the topic.

If someone splashes you, chase him or her down and give a good ole beat down. If they're bigger than you, that's why you got your gun along.

Then call the authorities and tell them you were just standing your ground against this boater bully.

They'll understand.

 

[Grub54891]

Had a similar thing happen,only with a car,it passed me in town,narrow street,slammed his brakes,turned onto his driveway,ran onto the house. I pulled in,knocked on the door,Dad comes out and I told him what his kid did. The car sat next to the garage for 4 months.....lol

 

[204 Escape]

GOOD !!!!!! IMO, that is what the driver deserved !!!!!!

 

[79Merc80]

I saw a video camera used for semi trucks at a truck stop and am thinking of installing in my boat, that way you can get a video of not only the boat, driver, and registration #'s, but also what they did. I always carry my video camera with me, but I really like the idea of installing this one as well

 

[Vegas Naturist]

I saw a video camera used for semi trucks at a truck stop and am thinking of installing in my boat, that way you can get a video of not only the boat, driver, and registration #'s, but also what they did. I always carry my video camera with me, but I really like the idea of installing this one as well

We have the "Silver" edition with a mount that fits on the railing. More to document our adventures, however...

http://gopro.com/cameras?gclid=Cj0K...ghxl-OV1QXEV5Yrk-7qIMgsgEQ0pSK01nIaAnq38P8HAQ

 

[Dodge Bass]

Though I've never had this happen to me, just last weekend I was having to get towed because a wire came loose (didn't find that out til later in the day) there were speed boats making wakes right next to my boat...I mean I get it they want to have fun but they can obviously see there is a boat being towed and have a lack of courtesy.