Newbies

[DJ]

Has anyone noticed that alot of the newbies out there are buying/bought 19 to 24 foot boats with no less than 200 hp? Whether it be I/O or O/B.<br /><br />That's alot of boat and power for someone new to this game, that scares me.<br /><br />Comments? Anyone/Everyone?

 

[495v]

Re: Newbies

I think that just means some of these guys have alot of money to spend. I hear advice all the time about rigging your boat with the biggest HP you can afford, as long as it doesn't exceed standards. Plus they probably feel they would be safer in a bigger boat. And yes, that is a bit scary considering the damage that can be done with a boat of that magnitude.

 

[JB]

Re: Newbies

It scares me, too, guys.<br /><br />Not just that they risk their lives with their limited understanding of boat operation, towing, launch and retrieve, etc. They are probably aware and alert to those dangers.<br /><br />With their limited understanding of how to maintain and care for their big bux boats they are likely to lose a lot of money.<br /><br />Let's hope that they make full use of the help they can get here.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB

 

[ehenry]

Re: Newbies

Its scary alright. What really scares me about it is that these folks will bring a 25 to 30 foot highpowered boat to a conjested, narrow river and just barge their way where ever they want to go. Kicking up a wake thats the size of a small tidal wave. To Heck with the people in the small jon and fishing boats. I believe that there should be size and horsepower limits on certain waterways, but thats just my opinion. <br /><br />Another thing that scares me is the number of personal water craft that are out on the water ways now. If you think the inexperienced boaters are scary, what about the sight of 15 or 20 SkiDoos and JetSki's coming at you all at once running 50 to 60 mph is???? And all those drivers are looking at one another to see how cool they look and their buddies behind them are chasing the newbie guy, kicking up the monster wake, so they can run circles around him and jump his wake???? ALL THAT SCARES THE DOG S**T out of me. BUT thats just my opinion. HOpe I haven't offended anyone.

 

[495v]

Re: Newbies

That's funny, Sounds like three rivers up here in Illinois. Nothing but a bunch of nuts, half wasted, looking to cause trouble. But hey, consider all the nutty drivers on the road and I don't know if it's safer to be on the water or on the road. Cruise safe and watch for the monster wakes and overpowered newbies!

 

[JB]

Re: Newbies

Now I am even more certain that the sacrifices I make to go where few if any others go, in weather that keeps the wusses indoors, are worth it.<br /><br />Trailering 500 to 1500 miles to fish where you see maybe a half dozen other boats in a day sounds like a lot of travel and hassle until you spend a day on Three Rivers, Sturgeon Bay or the ICW.<br /><br />EFHenry: If NO WAKE zones are unenforced (except on the ICW), boat HP ratings are unenforced and DWI laws are unenforced on the water, would boat size and hp laws be enforced? Sounds pessimistic, yes, but water safety is terribly neglected once they make sure you have PFDs to sit on.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB

 

[495v]

Re: Newbies

I wish I had that option J.B. The only time up here to find few boats is if the weather really sucks. If it's nice weather, even the puddles have boat traffic. That's why I try and start my day early(5:00am) so I get plenty of fishing in before the newbie wake monsters come out.

 

[ehenry]

Re: Newbies

J.B., I rarely go to the river I'm speaking of anymore. Like you I go when and where most folks don't. I do know though, that the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks has stepped up their enforcement of all no wake zones, BUI laws and other offenses down here. I've been stopped several times and checked and each time I tell the officers thankyou for doing a thankless job that has to be done. The state has also required that people born after a certain date must pass a certification test in order to operate any type boat or water craft now.

 

[JB]

Re: Newbies

Good to hear that, EFH. <br /><br />Maybe it's time for some stuck-up damyankee states to look to Mississippi for leadership instead of bashing and ridiculing southerners all the time.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . . <br />JB

 

[Pursuit2150]

Re: Newbies

All you have to do when you see a newbie here is advise them to take a USCGAUX "Safe boating course", it pays off in the long run, and helps to keep us all a little safer.<br /> By the way J.B.C. NJ "does enforce the law",you are responsible "for the wake you make".Also the "damm yankee states" won the war!

 

[fishhunter]

Re: Newbies

Hope you guys arent ASSuming that all newbies with big boats and motors are ignorant maniacs out to terrorize the open waters. I am a newbie here too , just bought my first big boat with a 200hp o/b ,and although I may be inexperianced at maintanence,and operating a powerful bass rig,I assure you I'am way more cautious than most other boaters with a lot more experiance. I remember in 1980 i believe it was,when the captain of the barge that hit the Skyway bridge in Fla. after he decided not to pick up a pilot,(a pro who knows the channel)Remember the Valdez! there was some experience in that pilot house Iam sure. My point is "newbies" are more likly to follow the rules of safe boating,and take care of there new boat, making sure they have all the proper/required safty equipment etc. So it would be better to say a lot of newbies on here nowdays learning from you old salts the right way to maintain and operate their high powered rigs safely Dont be scared Iam only passin thru...(bout 60mph lol) But I'am being careful with my new rig.

 

[DJ]

Re: Newbies

fishunter,<br /><br />No insults intended. There are careful newbies and there are idiot newbies with meglo mania complexes.<br /><br />The same rules apply to our roadways.

 

[JB]

Re: Newbies

Glad to hear it, Pursuit. No offense intended, I just carry a thing about the ridicule of southerners. I'm a southerner. I have a 150 IQ and a Ph.D. I am less of a gentleman and less of an intellectual than many southerners.<br /><br />BTW, what war? My Great Grandfather commanded a Union ship on the blockade of NC, even though he was appointed to the Navy by Sam Houston.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: Newbies

frist and foermost, i ben enjoyin some brewski's. (imma suthern boy meself)<br />i can only say this whole forum makes me wanna cry - i hadda flashback of Roberta Flack singing "Killing Me Softly With His Song". Itz like you know my inner soul.<br />lol<br />Since i have this special 'edge' going, i remember well, how it feels to have a bad moesheen when u can get 1. and yes, you will be be xtra careful not to hurt it.... but then your macho attitude tells you to find out just what are the limits of this bad boat, and that IS the major difference. the people with experience don't want to absorb the repercussions of the inexperienced, but would rather have strong guidelines all ages agree upon. but this is life - its too freakin congested most of the time. i guess i need an American Indian to come over and slap reality back into my hed.

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Newbies

I guess there's pluses and minuses to where ever you live. We in NZ often feel like we live in a forgotten little corner of the world - but then that has it's advantages too. Being semi-retired, I can go boating during the working week when there's very few others out on the water - very quiet, pure bliss. I can take my time on the ramp with no worries and easily find plenty of quiet little fishing spots. It's a different story in the weekends though - yes we get all that kind of chaos here too.<br /><br />Even the mayor of Auckland just got into trouble on his newly purchased jetski...<br /><br />As an outsider to the USA, forgive me for putting my 2 cents in, but there can't be too much disrespect for people of the southern states - since your last three presidents have been southerners (I say the same thing to my daughters with regard to opportunities for women - NZ's last two prime ministers have been female).<br /><br />My wife and I are planning a site-seeing trip around the USA some time in the near future and amongst other places, I'm particularly looking forward to visiting the good ole southern states.

 

[Pursuit2150]

Re: Newbies

I simply said have nothing aganist the SOUTH!<br /><br />What I do have a problem with are the so called REBELS, that still think there is a civil war going on in their minds,still fly the rebel flag,still "Hate Yankees".<br /><br />Hell MOST came from the north.Infact I used to vacation in the south for many years.<br /><br />This discussion started about Newbies, and if I had my wishes,I would make it mandatory that ALL boaters take a safty course.<br /><br />Sure sometimes I enjoy going fast,but,I will always slow down for a smaller boat where I think my wake could give them a problem.<br /><br />I also have gone out in my boat later in the day on weekends (the sunsets are great) in order to avoid the weekend warriers,that simply think going fast with no regard to others is the way it's supposed to be

 

[JB]

Re: Newbies

Hi, Pursuit.<br /><br />We agree about requiring training before operation of powerboats...let's say over about 10 hp. <br /><br />The conservative in me resists the idea of "drivers license" for boats, but it might be a lot better than what we get on many waters, and not just from "newbies". Much of the problem is ignorance, but alcohol and purely bad manners contribute a lot, too.<br /><br />For what it's worth, we also agree on people who carry regional prejudices and make a nuisance of themselves with them.<br /><br />Happy boating.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB

 

[ehenry]

Re: Newbies

Boy Howdy!!!! I didn't mean to get the war started all over again. I would have thought that all states require the same thing Mississippi is doing now. If they don't they should. I was born before this law was passed so I'm granfathered in, but I took the course with my son who's 14 and can't leagally operate a boat on a public waterway until he's 15 here. We both passed I'm proud to say. BTW, he scored better on the thing than I did. <br /><br />62_Kiwi if you make it through Mississippi on your vacation look me up. I'll show you why they call us The Hospitality State.

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: Newbies

yeah, i was kidding about the southern thing, i don't get any flack or give any on the north vs south stuff, unless i'm kidding around. and we have some good laws in GA concerning PWC reqrd courses, and age limits.(the rules seem to me to be even stricter than for boats) it seemed to really tighten up in the last 2 yrs. its great! rules against distance within docks, anchored vessels, etc. there are still dingbats who break the law, but at least you'd have a valid right to get them stopped. and on the original point, its very true. i remember last yr seeing a guy who looked early 20's with female & another couple splashing this big cabcruiser for 1st time (they were stating this on the ramp). it was probably a 25+ft boat. it took them awhile to get the trailer deep enough. then the guy took 5mins to figure out how to get it running. they took off, and within 100yds cut right by a reef marker and grounded on the sand bar <br />they finally got it backed off though. i just hope they didn't swamp some little john boat by passing too close...

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Newbies

A couple of years ago, my friend was stunned to find when he bought a 30' planing launch (as his first boat!! ) and could legally take it out on the water with no training or licence. I thought that was bizarre too. As it happens he got a lot of help and training from another friend who's a professional skipper - it was just a shock to realise how easy it would be for someone totally ignorant of the rules of the sea to be in command of such a big and powerful boat.<br /><br />In NZ we have a similar friendly rivalry between the North Island and the South Island. I'm from the north one.... <br /><br />EfHenry - thank you for your kind offer. My friend came back from a trip to Mississippi a couple of years ago and couldn't stop talking about what a great place.