Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

[Home Cookin']

It seems like the majority of the holiday weekend stories, of things comic, tragic, incompetent or annoying, as well as overwhelming crowds, come from the fresh water environs. I divide my time between two areas, one heavily populated urban/coastal, and the other rural/coastal, and see lots of boats but only a few instances of bad boating--enough to make you shake your head but not enough to bother you.

This won't set up like a iBoats poll since it's multiple questions, but here it is:

On holiday weekends in general, and this one specifically, do you:

1. find the waters too crowded to enjoy?

2. find the public ramps or other facilities too crowded to use?

3. See enough bad boating behavior: drunks, cutting too close, jet ski "watch me" syndrome, unsafe boating, too fast for conditions--that it interferes with your enjoyment?

4. come close to getting in a wreck or a fight?

5. encounter people being courteous, safe and willing to help out a boater in need? Help them yourself?

6. Have other boaters ignore a reasonable request for assistance? Ignore them yourself?

5. Are you on:
a. salt water or fresh water?
b. urban or rural (population wise)
c. large or small body of water?
d. boaters seemed experienced or inexperienced?

6. any incidents worth repeating as examples?

Have fun, be safe, keep your temper and help someone out!

 

[mommicked]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

I personally stay away from fresh or saltwater adventures on holidays anymore. It is much safer, less stressfull, and more enjoyable to me to be able to drive too and from the water, launch and load, and take my time to relax and enjoy the water and fishing w/o crowds of noisy, disrespectfull boaters and jetflea operators everywhere all day long. Weekdays are the best of all around here

a fresh 95percent
b urban spilling over into rural
c Harris, Jordan lakes
d way more inexperienced on holidays and weekends always

As far as the poll, I'd say your better off in saltwater because lakes are only so big and can get crowded in spots and hectic all day. With access to the ocean, you can get away from it all if you've got the right boat, weather, and enough fuel!! Have fun

 

[JB]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

I think going where there are crowds acting like crowds is a SHT itself.

 

[FlaCowboy]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

I stopped boating on Holiday weekends when I realized "city slickers" owned boats :facepalm:

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

I don't think fresh or salt have anything to do with it. Both have inexperienced/occasional/holiday boaters. On the lakes and rivers the boats are concentrated so "bad manners" are observed more often than in salt were you have a whole inlet/bay/ocean to hide from the observers. But one thing is common to both - The ramp or launch. And pretty much all ramps and launches get crowded on the three day holiday weekends. And these crowded conditions are what causes many of the SHT's. Well, also people just getting over their heads or not respecting the rules of boating.

 

[V153]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

Being a big fan of chaos, mayhem, and destruction. I make it a point to boat every Holiday weekend I can. Never been disappointed ...

 

[FlaCowboy]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

Being a big fan of chaos, mayhem, and destruction. I make it a point to boat every Holiday weekend I can. Never been disappointed ...

:facepalm: you gotta be a city slicker then

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

Being a big fan of chaos, mayhem, and destruction. I make it a point to boat every Holiday weekend I can. Never been disappointed ...

that was in part the reason for my question; I go out whether it's a holiday or not and find the conditions pretty much the same. the number of boats is more a function of weather than holidays, I find. The better fishing areas get crowded, but almost everyone is good about cooperating with each other, then one guy cuts through and screws it all up. But that's just one guy every now and then, not often enough to matter. On a holiday you'll see more boats beached, rafted or fishing but not so many that it interferes.

so 1. No
2. don't use them
3 no
4 no
5 yes
6 no

salt water urban (> 1 million living on the banks); largest natural harbor in the world; recreational, commercial and military; experienced boaters mostly.'
but it's early. I'll be on the water all three days and update!

 

[QC]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

Due to kids schedule we often boat on Holiday weekends. I am not this particular one, but usually would. Let's see:

1) No, I enjoy my time on the water crowded or not. Just have to change your ways. More hangin' on the hook, or on the beach, or head for remote locations
2) No, I just adjust. Splash earlier, and stay later, or get a slip if possible.
3) No. I see a lot of "bad" behavior, but I use it for entertainment and kid instruction, "don't do that".
4) Maybe. Crowds increase odds of either. Never been in a fight, but more boats means more chances for accidents.
5)
a. 99% fresh these days
b. Hard to call Havasu urban, but town adjacent to lake. Mead, rural, but Vegas nearby. I think a little different than East coasters would readily understand. Check on Google Maps, may be more clear.
c. I call our lakes large. Mead, very large.
d. Mix of both. I would agree that our saltwater boaters (Pacific) are more experienced. There are some serious idiots on our Freshwater lakes for sure.
6) Lots, and I share them here often.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

It seems like the majority of the holiday weekend stories, of things comic, tragic, incompetent or annoying, as well as overwhelming crowds, come from the fresh water environs. I divide my time between two areas, one heavily populated urban/coastal, and the other rural/coastal, and see lots of boats but only a few instances of bad boating--enough to make you shake your head but not enough to bother you.

This won't set up like a iBoats poll since it's multiple questions, but here it is:

On holiday weekends in general, and this one specifically, do you:

1. find the waters too crowded to enjoy?

2. find the public ramps or other facilities too crowded to use?

3. See enough bad boating behavior: drunks, cutting too close, jet ski "watch me" syndrome, unsafe boating, too fast for conditions--that it interferes with your enjoyment?

4. come close to getting in a wreck or a fight?

5. encounter people being courteous, safe and willing to help out a boater in need? Help them yourself?

6. Have other boaters ignore a reasonable request for assistance? Ignore them yourself?

5. Are you on:
a. salt water or fresh water?
b. urban or rural (population wise)
c. large or small body of water?
d. boaters seemed experienced or inexperienced?

6. any incidents worth repeating as examples?

Have fun, be safe, keep your temper and help someone out!

1. Enjoy regardless...just need to be more water-aware when its a nice day and a holiday weekend. Expect ramps to be slower.
2. Naah, I find though if I get there before 10:30am I avoid the folks with too much going on...kids...hungover people etc.
3. I don't let anything ruin my day, but certainly idiot boaters can ruin a moment.
4. Never come close to getting in either...just gotta keep your cool is all and be aware of others...if there is someone who doesn't look right...they aren't right.
5. Freshwater lakes and rivers
6. Examples would include people asking for, and receiving more attention than I would want.

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

I've been on both sides of this coin, both as a pleasure boater, and as a water patrol deputy. In MN the boating season is short, the crowds start on Memorial Day and things get slow after Labor Day. The lake I use and patrol is one of the most popular lakes in this area, so all summer on weekends it can be somewhat crowded. Weekend parking at the two public launches fills up quickly, only a total of a few dozen trailer parking spots in total. I wouldn't say the water is too crowded to enjoy, but you certainly have to keep your eyes open and share the water. The more boats out there, the more idiots. I see plenty of violations both while using my own boat and while on patrol. Not terribly difficult to get a BWI or two on a typical weekend shift. Plenty of stops for dangerous operation, riding on the gunnels, blowing thru no wake zones, not obeying the other navigation rules, expired tabs. First time offenders get a written warning, it doesn't cost anything, but logs the offender in a database we use to track repeat offenders. Repeat offenders get citations with fines.
And first time offenders that are operating dangerously get cited. Everyone we stop gets a free no obligation inspection for passenger capacity, PFD compliance, fire extinguisher, horn, etc..... I could write a book on the examples, maybe some day I will.
Weekends are pretty busy, holiday weekends and the 4th of July are very busy. Yesterday seemed to be the day for not following the lighting laws. Had to escort several jet skiiers off the lake for after hours operation. Had to stop several boats for non working lights, and one guy got a BWI, he was stopped at for driving with no nav lights on well after sunset. He spent the night in jail and narrowly missed getting his rig confiscated. Lots of late night boating last night, more than usual, surprised the guy with no lights didn't cause a crash.

 

[Triton II]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

On holiday weekends in general, do you:

1. No.

2. Yes, I am a member of a private boat club with its own ramps, courtesy dock and secure parking.

3. No, well not often anyway.

4. No.

5. Yes, most of the time.

6. No.

5. Salt water.
b. 50:50
c. Large
d. Experienced in the main.

6. The odd jet ski being a goon in our anchorages, and small fishing boats tying up to channel marks. But in the main, most people out there know what they're doing and behave well enough, even when there's a lot of holiday traffic.

TII

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

I bet if your petrol was as cheap as ours you'd see worse!

 

[Triton II]

Re: Holiday Weekend Poll: does water salinity affect boating sanity?

I bet if your petrol was as cheap as ours you'd see worse!

Good point! We're up close to $6.00 a gallon these days. We're basically being gouged.

TII