255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

[marine4003]

So where's my video camera when i need it ?? Took the smaller boat out yesterday for a run up the ICW,Not many boaters out,but alot of jetski's....as i went thru Little River i saw a new jetski rental dock,filled with brite/shiny new silver/orange jetskis,just great,another bunch of clueless tourists buzzing around,getting in my way. On the return trip a pack of these things was headed in..headed right at me,so i slowed down...there was one who kept coming...and coming...theres not alot of maneuvering room so i turned to starboard....so did the JS...i turned port....so did JS, finally i shut it down,then realized this fool was still going full-tilt-boogie coming right at my 12, at the last second the JS turns...fear on the driver&passenger's face..and proceeds to steam up and into the marsh,yup,mud..sawgrass.Fool went 25 yards into this mess before finally stopping.A bout 2 min's later they come drudging back to waters edge,i picked them up & brought them back to the rental dock.Here's the thing...these rentals are the new 255HP boats...the instruction on how to operate these rockets lasts 3 min.These kids (17 & 15) had never operated JS before..someones...gonna...die....

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Well, soon enough, the tourists will destroy all of that place's expensive jet skis and it'll be out of business.

Personally, I think it's irresponsible to rent stuff that powerful to beginners. It's just a huge liability. As you say, someone's gonna die.

 

[rndn]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

A 255 hp jet flea is just asking for trouble, especially rentals.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

in Florida, you have to be 18 and a boaters certification to rent a ski. over 21. private ski 14 with certification.

 

[carrotsnapper]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

I gotta admit foolishness on my part being on one of them things. Somehow the power between your legs affects your brain. I know the rules of boating and curse fluently at these things whenever I see them. Then I am on my brother's down at Lake Powell a year or so ago. He has two of them and his son and I are goofing around jumping each other's wakes. I know better. Wakeless within 150 feet of anything. We got pulled over and received a good chewing out from the lake police. He told me that already one guy had been killed on Lake Powell that year and this was in the spring. I deserved the ticket he fortunately didn't give me and haven't been so stupid since. My nephew wisely kept his mouth shut as he is prone to mouthing off. They're fun toys, but dang, you gotta be careful when boating and I needed and appreciated the reminder.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Same thing with motorcycles, especially the sportbikes. A young guy buys one of those things as his first motorcycle and, pretty soon, he forgets that he doesn't really know how to handle a bike that'll do 150 mph.

I saw a kid about 25 on the freeway the other day. He went past me doing over 100. Shorts. No helmet. Girlfriend on the back dressed about the same. I just shook my head sadly.

Now, I'm an old geezer, but when I started riding at 16, my first bike was 125cc, and would do about 50, if you laid down on the tank. I worked up from there. By the time I was riding bikes that would do over 100 mph, I was a seasoned motorcyclist and had enough low-speed road rash scars to realize that bikes can kill you.

I hope that 25 year old and his girlfriend live long enough to learn that.

 

[marine4003]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Sunday afternoon...just got back from crusin' wife..20 month old daughter...Chessy retriever...great day. Was bothered by the foolish antics of a gaggle of teens in dad's 26 Searay,not observing no-wake's while pulling along a tube...cutting back & forth thru boat traffic and generally doing just about anything to become a statistic.Pulling thru the red/greens into my marina when a siren erupts off my stern,look back and its the local DNR boat with Laurel & Hardie aboard,I ask why i am being stopped while theres enough infractions around to keep the Navy busy for a month...Laurel tells me there was a complaint about a Go-Fast doing about 75 thru a congested area & i endangered some boaters....HUH? i ask if in fact he notices that my wife & child are aboard,then i ask if there was a description of the boat to which he says "No".so politely i ask if there done, so i can get my tired/cranky child back home,and nicely explain i hold a USCG Captain License,have been boating for over 25 yrs,never had an infraction,and NEVER go more than 25-30 on inshore waters,Too which he replies.".I am going to board your vessel and search for contraband" WHAT!!! Right about now is a good time to describe my wife...32 yrs old,owns a Pilate's studio,runs 10 miles a day and is HOT, not to mention very well educated..and a bit of a temper...The fun part is her good friend and partner in business is the wife of a South Carolina Supreme Court Judge..HAHA. so while Laurel & Hardi are succeeding in pissing me off,upsetting my child and causing steam to erupt from wifes ears..shes on the phone calling her friend at home..explaining the situation....after 10 minutes of searching,DNR gets a call...There faces turn RED...apologizes are offered..Declined.And off we go. As i stated when i started this rant we just got home (6:10 est)and there was a message on machine from lieutenant so&so of SC DNR,asking to please return his call at my convenience.....So should i get them fired? What do you think?

 

[olehoggvalley]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Darn Jet Skier's always taking all the fun out of the water!! I've had bad expirences with them. They are just so inconsiderate. When ever we go to Fort Matanzas in the Summer Haven River, they alway's hal but down the river which is only about 150yds wide. So anyways when were anchored out having a big time on the sand bar this Jet skier i guess not paying any attention comes right over the sand bar (which was not fully up) and ran a ground. When he did that he flew over the jet ski's handle bar and lands right in the water face down! He was only about 10ft away from the boat which was the most scariest thing because he could have killed us. I have nothing against the Jet Ski's just the people who acted stupid on them!

 

[Uraijit]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

So should i get them fired? What do you think?

ABSOLUTELY! They done felt themselves too strong...

 

[gonefishie]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Right about now is a good time to describe my wife...32 yrs old,owns a Pilate's studio,runs 10 miles a day and is HOT, not to mention very well educated..and a bit of a temper...

Since you mentioned her, now would be a good time to show us her pic....If you dare.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Quote:Originally Posted by marine4003
Right about now is a good time to describe my wife...32 yrs old,owns a Pilate's studio,runs 10 miles a day and is HOT, not to mention very well educated..and a bit of a temper...

Since you mentioned her, now would be a good time to show us her pic....If you dare.

... and that's the news from Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong & HOT, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.

Boy I hope I don't get fired for saying that!

 

[freddyray21]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Sunday afternoon...just got back from crusin' wife..20 month old daughter...Chessy retriever...great day. Was bothered by the foolish antics of a gaggle of teens in dad's 26 Searay,not observing no-wake's while pulling along a tube...cutting back & forth thru boat traffic and generally doing just about anything to become a statistic.Pulling thru the red/greens into my marina when a siren erupts off my stern,look back and its the local DNR boat with Laurel & Hardie aboard,I ask why i am being stopped while theres enough infractions around to keep the Navy busy for a month...Laurel tells me there was a complaint about a Go-Fast doing about 75 thru a congested area & i endangered some boaters....HUH? i ask if in fact he notices that my wife & child are aboard,then i ask if there was a description of the boat to which he says "No".so politely i ask if there done, so i can get my tired/cranky child back home,and nicely explain i hold a USCG Captain License,have been boating for over 25 yrs,never had an infraction,and NEVER go more than 25-30 on inshore waters,Too which he replies.".I am going to board your vessel and search for contraband" WHAT!!! Right about now is a good time to describe my wife...32 yrs old,owns a Pilate's studio,runs 10 miles a day and is HOT, not to mention very well educated..and a bit of a temper...The fun part is her good friend and partner in business is the wife of a South Carolina Supreme Court Judge..HAHA. so while Laurel & Hardi are succeeding in pissing me off,upsetting my child and causing steam to erupt from wifes ears..shes on the phone calling her friend at home..explaining the situation....after 10 minutes of searching,DNR gets a call...There faces turn RED...apologizes are offered..Declined.And off we go. As i stated when i started this rant we just got home (6:10 est)and there was a message on machine from lieutenant so&so of SC DNR,asking to please return his call at my convenience.....So should i get them fired? What do you think?

No you should have let them board your boat. Mistakes can be made and the description of the boat may have closely enough resembled yours to warrant a stop. If only having a wife and kids in the boat or car would keep people from doing stupid things then the world would be a better place. Holding a captains license should at least let you know the proper thing to do.

 

[Jack Daniels]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Sunday afternoon...just got back from crusin' wife..20 month old daughter...Chessy retriever...great day. Was bothered by the foolish antics of a gaggle of teens in dad's 26 Searay,not observing no-wake's while pulling along a tube...cutting back & forth thru boat traffic and generally doing just about anything to become a statistic.Pulling thru the red/greens into my marina when a siren erupts off my stern,look back and its the local DNR boat with Laurel & Hardie aboard,I ask why i am being stopped while theres enough infractions around to keep the Navy busy for a month...Laurel tells me there was a complaint about a Go-Fast doing about 75 thru a congested area & i endangered some boaters....HUH? i ask if in fact he notices that my wife & child are aboard,then i ask if there was a description of the boat to which he says "No".so politely i ask if there done, so i can get my tired/cranky child back home,and nicely explain i hold a USCG Captain License,have been boating for over 25 yrs,never had an infraction,and NEVER go more than 25-30 on inshore waters,Too which he replies.".I am going to board your vessel and search for contraband" WHAT!!! Right about now is a good time to describe my wife...32 yrs old,owns a Pilate's studio,runs 10 miles a day and is HOT, not to mention very well educated..and a bit of a temper...The fun part is her good friend and partner in business is the wife of a South Carolina Supreme Court Judge..HAHA. so while Laurel & Hardi are succeeding in pissing me off,upsetting my child and causing steam to erupt from wifes ears..shes on the phone calling her friend at home..explaining the situation....after 10 minutes of searching,DNR gets a call...There faces turn RED...apologizes are offered..Declined.And off we go. As i stated when i started this rant we just got home (6:10 est)and there was a message on machine from lieutenant so&so of SC DNR,asking to please return his call at my convenience.....So should i get them fired? What do you think?

Dont get them fired, they were just trying to do their job. It probably was a simple mistake and should be forgive. TBH if i were you i would have just let them search the boat and go away, did you tell them that the boat they were looking for was the sea ray. Do the right thing and let these guys go, its my opinion that it was a simple mistake and should be left at that.

 

[Alan Hicks]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Sunday afternoon...just got back from crusin' wife..20 month old daughter...Chessy retriever...great day. Was bothered by the foolish antics of a gaggle of teens in dad's 26 Searay,not observing no-wake's while pulling along a tube...cutting back & forth thru boat traffic and generally doing just about anything to become a statistic.Pulling thru the red/greens into my marina when a siren erupts off my stern,look back and its the local DNR boat with Laurel & Hardie aboard,I ask why i am being stopped while theres enough infractions around to keep the Navy busy for a month...Laurel tells me there was a complaint about a Go-Fast doing about 75 thru a congested area & i endangered some boaters....HUH? i ask if in fact he notices that my wife & child are aboard,then i ask if there was a description of the boat to which he says "No".so politely i ask if there done, so i can get my tired/cranky child back home,and nicely explain i hold a USCG Captain License,have been boating for over 25 yrs,never had an infraction,and NEVER go more than 25-30 on inshore waters,Too which he replies.".I am going to board your vessel and search for contraband"

I've not been here at iboats for very long, and my boating experience is quite a bit less than anyone else's here, so forgive me if I sound stupid when I make these statements.

First off, with no description of the boat, it's a might bit silly to stop any old boat that might possibly have done something wrong. Second, even if they had a description of a boat that was speeding through a congested area, that is no reason at all to board the vessel and search for contraband. That is an abuse of power and should not be tolerated. There is a reason why the Anti-Federalists pushed for the fourth amendment to the Constitution!

If they had a warrant, then they have the right to search your boat. I'll even go further to say that if they had a report just come in with a description matching your boat believed to be shipping contraband, that they could search you boat. But these people admitted they had no description and had no justification for searching your boat. In my opinion, not only should they be fired, but they should also be imprisoned for violating your Constitutional rights for a period of no less than 2 years per offense. Three people in the boat makes that 6 years minimum.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Well, I'll go ahead and make the obligatory comments here:

1) We only know his side of the story.

2) It may in fact be "legal" for them to board and search where he was... local municipalities like to tack on tons of extra regulations for "their" lakes and waterways. They regs stand until challenged in court, usually.

Getting someone fired for making a mistake like this is vindictive and petty, and it sounds a lot like someone is trying to show off their "connections".

People are stupid, and do stupid things.

 

[newbie4life]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Cops/DNR Wardens LOVE it when you "drop names". If you've ever watched any of those COPS shows -- when someone mentions they know someone that can get them fired, they always leave the scene, don't they?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

Most of the time there's also a little bit of attitude to go with stories like this -- Humility goes along way in life.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Maybe you didn't realize it but when you are on the water the rules are different.They can board anytime they want and for NO reason.
Don't do anything wrong and you won't have to worry.Jerry

 

[BayouBoater]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Don't do anything wrong and you won't have to worry

Wouldn't it be nice if that were true.

 

[marine4003]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Well, I'll go ahead and make the obligatory comments here:

1) We only know his side of the story.

2) It may in fact be "legal" for them to board and search where he was... local municipalities like to tack on tons of extra regulations for "their" lakes and waterways. They regs stand until challenged in court, usually.

Getting someone fired for making a mistake like this is vindictive and petty, and it sounds a lot like someone is trying to show off their "connections".

People are stupid, and do stupid things.

No,No,No..Its not "legal" for ANY law enforcement agency to board a vessel based on assumption only,there has to be a reason.There wasn't any good reason for these idiots to act like i was the friggin scourge of the seas.
Im not a petty nor vindictive person by nature,BUT screw with my family or me and i will get mean,you don't operate a 45+ employee construction company by being a push over. And finally..those two fools never heard me warn beforehand that i "knew someone" they found out AFTER my wife felt there harassment had gone far enough. PS I didn't ask for there forced retirement,didn't ask for an apology.Now that i have calmed down,its water under the bridge.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: 255HP JetSki's & The Clueless

Good for you.


Just remember as far as reasons for boarding you, all they have to use is "We wanted to make a safety check" or "He looked like he might have been impaired" or the ever popular "we wanted to make sure he knew about invasive species".

Actually I think the Coast Guard can board for any reason at any time in waters they administer.

Erik