4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

freelancer · Jun 26, 2009

Is it worth leaving the dock and heading out to catch the fireworks? Last year it was a real circus, especially after the grand finale. Any thoughts. Freelancer.

tashasdaddy · Jun 26, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

only if you have plenty of time to wait for the maniacs to get out of the way, and have sober captain.

gypsysoul · Jun 26, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

I have been three times out of long beach, everbody was curtious and behaved very well. It was the best fireworks show I had ever watched. they have not had the funding to do them the last couple of years. I need to check and see if they are this year, if so I am there.

Thajeffski · Jun 26, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

I usually go out around 11, drink calmly till about 6 and then only drink water after that. about 10 we head back in (at 10mph or less) after all the idiots have gone home.....

freelancer · Jun 26, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

In my neck of the woods there can be over a hundred boats on both sides of the exclusion zone. Once the last firework goes off, it?s like turning on the lights with a bunch of roaches on the kitchen floor- rules of the road way out the window. Freelancer.

i386 · Jun 26, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

If I had a house boat where I could spend the night I would, especially if it had a deck on top.

Too crowded and too many crazy people to try and leave the lake after fireworks are over. Someone always wrecks their boat.

freelancer · Jun 27, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

I've listen to stories of some skippers getting swamped and going down, I wouldn?t go out with less than three foot of freeboard. Too bad because I enjoy going out but each year I have more and pause. Freelancer.

idrownworms · Jun 27, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

The local fireworks are shot off the dam on sylvan lake and the water is the best place to see them.
here are some tips that work here
1. know how to anchor properly and expect everybody else does/t ( be ready to fend off boats )
2. get there early for a good spot
3. when the fireworks are over turn on every light you have on the boat and just sit there. it turns into a total zoo
4. relax and have a good time

n2ostroker · Jun 27, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

I've done it every year around here for the past 6-7yrs. There are a ton of boats around. Never had a problem, just be careful. This year a couple of marinas are staggering the shows Friday and Sat night. Should be a ton of fun. One of the best shows I go to is 4 miles down the lake so I have to go out to catch it.

arks · Jun 27, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

Good advice here. IMO it's definitely worth it to watch fireworks from the water, but precautions need to be taken (see above).
For many years we boated to firework shows on the Bay, and almost every year there were boat accidents or groundings. I learned a lot from what I witnessed.
Now I'm lucky because my town sets off the fireworks from an island directly across from our marina. We have a front-row seat tied right in our slip. After the show, the crowd on land is just as bad as the water so we usually stay overnight or wait a few hours for the idiots to get home.

skargo · Jun 27, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

People are a silly species

I am on the list to get a transient slip at Arks marina. If we get it we'll probably stay the night.

windsors03cobra · Jun 27, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

Reserved 2 days transient slip for $36 a night.
Launching on the 3rd and will be painting my trailer and spending the night of the 4th on the lake and picking up the 5th.

First time doing it, no need to un-launch in a zoo with drunks all over.

AguaSki · Jun 28, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

Lake Pleasant outside of Phoenix typically does a nice fireworks show, but they canceled the show this year due to funding concerns. I am bummed because being on the water is my favorite way to watch fireworks. Nobody I boat with drinks, but we do have to watch out for the other drunks out on the water. I usually plan on staying out on the water for an extra 90 minutes after the show ends. I just stay anchored and don't even bother starting my motor. After about 90 minutes I carefully work my way back to the ramp. Even 90 minutes later the ramp is still busy, but it has slowed enough that I feel comfortable going through with the retrieval process. Even land based fireworks shows are crowded, so don't let the crowd keep you off the water. Just give yourself extra time and exercise a lot of patients. Since my lake canceled their show, I will be looking for a land based show this year.

arks · Jun 28, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

skargo said:
People are a silly species

I am on the list to get a transient slip at Arks marina. If we get it we'll probably stay the night.

I PM'ed you, Skargo.

skargo · Jun 28, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

arks said:
I PM'ed you, Skargo.

Right back atcha, you are a wealth of info

Blue Crabber · Jun 29, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

Plan on finding out if it is worth it or not this year. Looking forward to catching a couple firework displays this weekend. Thanks for all of the advice everyone!

freelancer · Jun 29, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

I went out this last Saturday and didn?t have any problems; I stayed pretty much away from every one. I actually left the dock only 20 minutes before the display was to start and never even anchored, just drifted with the current. Great show and by the time it was over, I was well on my way back to the slip. There are several fireworks displays in my town around the 4th; the one on the river is the Saturday before the 4th. Freelancer.

skargo · Jul 1, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

WOOOHOOOO, just got the call and I got the last slip at HDG for the fireworks. I will be putting in Friday-Monday!

jack1130 · Jul 1, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

YES, well worth it!

Blue Crabber · Jul 1, 2009

Re: 4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

skargo said:
WOOOHOOOO, just got the call and I got the last slip at HDG for the fireworks. I will be putting in Friday-Monday!

Awesome! Hope that you enjoy it and have a great time. We will be looking for you this weekend as well as Arks!

4th of July fireworks from your boat - Is it worth it?

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