Jetski behavior

[jimdd810]

Re: Jetski behavior

In Wisconsin pwc have a 200 foot no wake limit on all lakes. Meaning they have to be 200 feet from anything. Docks, boats, shore or anything. They do not pay attention to any thing. Pwc have there place (I dont know where that is yet). I watch people every day doing dangerous things not to mention the lack of respect for others on the water. Pwcs inherintly make wake even when going slow if these people seen what they do to the lake shore (erosion) they would never ride them the way they do.
I find my self as a business owner refusing to work on them do to the fact that if a customer sees one in my shop they always have a comment about them usually negative. Its a shame that a few make life difficult for the many.

 

[dfw-gtx]

Re: Jetski behavior

I have both a SeaDoo and a 21' Bayliner and like to drive both. I find boats pulling tubes are the worst. Actually more unpredictible than skiis. The post above though is right on... take a deep breath and enjoy the lake!

 

['96 Charger]

Re: Jetski behavior

If I can make a cast and pluck a rider off their water roach they're way too close. My buddy keeps a 1oz bass jig rigged up year round to send anyone that gets too close the "message". He busted a windshield out of a brand new Triton one day that got too close. Luckally he has calmed down in the past few years and I've never had a reason to actually HIT a boat. Usually I just take off a little early extra fast if I'm about ready to change spots anyway.

 

['96 Charger]

Re: Jetski behavior

I have both a SeaDoo and a 21' Bayliner and like to drive both. I find boats pulling tubes are the worst. Actually more unpredictible than skiis. The post above though is right on... take a deep breath and enjoy the lake!

On Memorial Day my buddy and I were out enjoying the lake by brim fishing. As we were making our way back to a ramp a boat pulling a tube started playing chicken with me. I was veering right to pass him going the opposite direction and he was trying to force me into the bank. In this area that's really just a creek arm of Lake Ouachita there are signs posted everywhere that state NO SKI. It was full of them on this day. Between the boats pulling tubes and other things behind it and water roaches it was about 2 miles of white knuckle driving to keep from getting hit by these idiots. All this narrow area between the ramp in the main lake is intended for is one lane going each way. Come to think of it back when the water was only in the lower 60's earlier this year there was some idiot riding a tube out of there

 

[Vikesfan]

Re: Jetski behavior

We have a lot of trouble with boaters pulling tubes on our lake also. We have a lot of islands on our lake and there are a few main channels between the islands that get a little narrow. For some reason boaters like to pull tubes and skiers from the coves through the channels to get to other areas of the lake. There have been numerous times that I have seen people wipe out in these main channels without the drivers of the boats noticing. Being that this is an area of the lake where people are just taking off, a boat just getting on plane with its bow in the air can not see a stranded skier in the water. There have been many times that I have had to cut across this channel to stop my Seadoo next to the skier or tuber that has fallen just so that they don't get run over. I have been sworn at many times by people that are flying through these channels until they see the person in the water that I am protecting.

There are a lot of bad jet skiers out there and most of us could point to an example of bad behavior. I'm sure that all of us could also point out bad behavior by boaters too. It's all about respect and consideration for others. If you watch out for the other guy and everyone keeps a safe distance there should be no issues. I go out of my way to be extra courteous on the water because I know the reputation that goes along with owning a PWC. Nothing ticks me off more on the water than seeing someone on a PWC doing something stupid because it reflects poorly on me because unfairly or not, I get lumped in with those idiots.

I don't think it is the jetski that is the problem, it's just that an idiot on a PWC sticks out more than an idiot on a boat. There are generally less PWC on a lake and when one does something stupid it really stands out.

 

[MPII]

Re: Jetski behavior

There have been numerous times that I have seen people wipe out in these main channels without the drivers of the boats noticing.

In this state, on your lake, don't you have laws requiring spotters? Do you ever see anyone stopped for pulling ski/tube without having a spotter?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Jetski behavior

I agree that the people pulling tubes, etc are the main ones to watch out for. They are too distracted by what's behind them to pay attention to what's ahead or where they are going--even if they have spotters, mirrors, etc. They drive erratically (which is part of pulling a tube) and make sudden turns and stops (again, part of pulling). It's just the nature of the beast, that they will be more dangerous to be around than someone using the boat to go from A to B. I drive defensively and give them a wide berth, and keep an eye on them and their load.

Second worse are people trolling around bridges. Equally distracted.

Third worse are some, not all, sailors and paddlers. They are restricted on speed and direction and thus get in the way and can't get out of it. The sailor is focused on his mark and addressing a lot of factors it takes to sail and therefore does not always pay attention to other boat traffic. PLus many of them think they have the right to do whatever they want, where ever they want, at any speed. And the hot-dogging cats at the beach can be exceedingly dangerous.

Likewise, the jet ski driver who is hot-dogging is both distracted and driving erratically. I give him a wide berth. I don't care about the ones who are driving sanely; they are as good or bad as any other boat.

But doesn't it all boil down to this: everyone wants to do his own thing on the water, but there isn't enough room for all them at the same time?

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Jetski behavior

From the Louisiana Handbook of Boating Laws and Responsibilities

http://www.boat-ed.com/la/handbook/oper.htm

"Reckless Operation is operating a vessel in a manner that causes danger to others or their property. Examples of illegal, reckless operation are:

* Boating in a restricted area such as a marked swimming area
* Weaving through congested waterway traffic
* Swerving at the last possible moment in order to avoid collision
* Chasing, harassing, or disturbing wildlife"

That's not from the Louisiana handbook, that's from some boating website. There is no official law that states it as illegal. Here are the laws from the actual Louisiana website:

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/boating/required-equipment-regulations

Operation of any watercraft in such a manner so as to endanger the life or limb or damage the property of any person shall be guilty of the crime of reckless operation.

If it's not from a .gov website, it's not an official law. The wording of the actual law, and what you provided, is way different. Their "examples" are listed nowhere on the site.

The only place that it's listed as illegal to chase wildlife is in the HUNTING regulations, and since I'm not hunting, I'm exempt:

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/federal-hunting-regulations

Admittedly the number of times I even did this in 15 years could be held up on one hand because I don't get much thrill out of it, but you still have the right to. People seem to believe that someone defending someone's right to do something automatically means they 1.agree with it, 2. think it's great to do, 3. Do it themselves regularly. None of those are true with me. I have much more fun slamming a wave of water against a bouy than messing with birds. Hitting a bird at 45mph can kill you. No thanks, I'd rather play with stationary, and predictable, buoys.

 

[QC]

Re: Jetski behavior

Let's keep this one to a dull roar please . . Thanks.

 

[12vMan]

Re: Jetski behavior

I agree that the people pulling tubes, etc are the main ones to watch out for. They are too distracted by what's behind them to pay attention to what's ahead or where they are going--even if they have spotters, mirrors, etc. They drive erratically (which is part of pulling a tube) and make sudden turns and stops (again, part of pulling). It's just the nature of the beast, that they will be more dangerous to be around than someone using the boat to go from A to B. I drive defensively and give them a wide berth, and keep an eye on them and their load.

Second worse are people trolling around bridges. Equally distracted.

Third worse are some, not all, sailors and paddlers. They are restricted on speed and direction and thus get in the way and can't get out of it. The sailor is focused on his mark and addressing a lot of factors it takes to sail and therefore does not always pay attention to other boat traffic. PLus many of them think they have the right to do whatever they want, where ever they want, at any speed. And the hot-dogging cats at the beach can be exceedingly dangerous.

Likewise, the jet ski driver who is hot-dogging is both distracted and driving erratically. I give him a wide berth. I don't care about the ones who are driving sanely; they are as good or bad as any other boat.

But doesn't it all boil down to this: everyone wants to do his own thing on the water, but there isn't enough room for all them at the same time?

Nice post HC

That sums up some very good points, and brings into view that everything on the water can be dangerous, given the circunstances.

 

[Vikesfan]

Re: Jetski behavior

In this state, on your lake, don't you have laws requiring spotters? Do you ever see anyone stopped for pulling ski/tube without having a spotter?

Yes, spotters are required, but a lot of the "spotters" I see are usually friends on the boat that are drinking and it takes them a bit to realize there is nobody on the end of the rope. With as fast as some people go through these channels there is no time to stop and turn around before another boat is tearing through the channel.

We have had 4 people die on our lake this year because of drunk behavior on the water. (none were wearing a life jacket) 2 were because of getting hit by a boat and 2 were people swimming without a life jacket who didn't know how to swim. I think drinking on the lake is much worse than your average jetski behavior but you see that going on all the time and you don't see the seething hatred for people drinking and boating like you do for jet skiers....

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Jetski behavior

Nice post HC

That sums up some very good points, and brings into view that everything on the water can be dangerous, given the circunstances.

I had an instance on my jet ski that shocked me.

I was doing my thing (no waterfowl involved, as is the norm) and noticed someone fall. I watched as the skiboat drove off.....around the corner, out of sight and everything. The guy was all by himself, in the middle of the cove (a huge cove, but still a cove when you mean a 180,000 acre lake) with pullers of everything inflatable and otherwise going in every direction like mad bees, I rushed over to him and started to circle him. Eventually his "ride" came back to get him.

I've given people free tow's, circled water skiers, given directions, retrieved hats and life jackets that blew out of boats, all kinds of stuff, all from my evil jet ski.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Jetski behavior

Vikes don't start up the tea-totallers here.

Drivers are still distracted with spotters-they want to see what's going on, where the tube is, how's the wake, etc. Just can't be helped.

We have the dumbest law here in Virginia--you don't need a spotter if the skiier is wearnig a PFD. Well I guess it makes it easier to recover the body.

A lot of people put the spotters beside or even behind the driver. This impedes communications especially in an emergency. I put my spotter in the bow, facing back, so I can see her eyes and she mine, and she can see the skiier's eyes, too. She can relay information to me instantly, even with the same hand signals. I see that as well as the crab pots, channel markers, wakes and morons in 25' boats pulling tubes all over creation without looking.

 

[12vMan]

Re: Jetski behavior

Another Jet Ski Story;

Some years ago we had set up some timing buoys in Lake Mohave, near 6 Mile Cove and been testing different impellers and nozzles in some Kawi 550 stand-ups.

We were taking a break when these 2 knuckleheads on Waverunners come into the cove, see the buoys and start racing around them in, get this, a figure 8! It was only time until they did the demolition derby thing and went flying.

One was unconscious, which we rescued first. He came to and was breathing o k, so we covered him and got the other, who had a broken arm. They both got a nice long ambulance ride and hopefully learned a good lesson about PWC safety.

After that we went ahead and removed the buoys when we weren't using them. I can remember all the times I have used other people's buoys placed for slalom courses, left for people to use - with common sense of coarse.

 

['96 Charger]

Re: Jetski behavior

When my dad had his pleasure/ski boat his rule for the spotter was to yell commands as loud as possible and we normally found a nice large cove to play in and usually kept it to outselves. We did make numerous trips just me and him so he could pull me on the tube or skibob since he had a mirror. He always knew right when I'd wipe out because as soon as I'd fall he's do a 180 to get me. Don't know if it was from actually watching the mirror or by the lurch his boat did when someone fell. It was only an 85hp on a 19' deep v Spectrum aluminum.

On a sidenote when there was someone else with our group that had a boat when my dad started acting like he had his head up his arse I'd request to be on the other boat. Couple times I had to nicely tell him to pull his head out and smell the fresh air. Usually just stupid stuff like not waiting for the spotter to tell him the rope was clear of the prop. Yeah that got fun

 

[cheburashka]

Re: Jetski behavior

That's not from the Louisiana handbook, that's from some boating website. There is no official law that states it as illegal. Here are the laws from the actual Louisiana website:

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/boating/required-equipment-regulations

If it's not from a .gov website, it's not an official law. The wording of the actual law, and what you provided, is way different. Their "examples" are listed nowhere on the site.

The only place that it's listed as illegal to chase wildlife is in the HUNTING regulations, and since I'm not hunting, I'm exempt:

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/federal-hunting-regulations

OK, you cited a WLF site as being an authoritative source. Here's the same law listed on a Louisiana WLF website: http://www.boat-ed.com/la/course/p4-4_recklessoperation.htm

It states quite clearly that chasing wildlife is illegal. I don't have access to the entire code of Louisiana related to this, but if WLF says it's illegal, I'm going to assume they have good reason to say this.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Jetski behavior

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
....stay tuned for the rebuttal....

 

[QC]

Re: Jetski behavior

Clarification is good . . . Let's keep the rebuttals to that

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Jetski behavior

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
....stay tuned for the rebuttal....

Yea, a simple rebuttal. After all, his rebuttal was re pasting the same website again and calling it a rebuttal. Wow. He's not quoting the official law. He keeps going to a .com website, that means IT'S A COMPANY. Companies don't make laws. They make pretty little colorful handbooks, and word things the way THEY want to. He can't show an actual Louisiana law stating that chasing wildlife with a boat is illegal. It may not be right, but it's not illegal, at least not in my state. You think official Louisiana boating laws are on a .com website?

He said I keep quoting the wildlife in fisheries. Uh yea....that's who stops you out on the water, I figured the gov't website for the law enforcement agency who enforces the law would have an accurate wording of the law available. It says "examples include" now FIND ME THAT WORDING ON THE LOUISIANA WILDLIFE IN FISHERIES WEBSITE. You can't, they describe what reckless or careless operation is, and IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CHASING WILDLIFE. So ya know what? That means ITS LEGAL. Hint: boat-ed.com is NOT AN OFFICIAL LOUISIANA LAW WEBSITE. Just because they use the LDWF emblem on their web page, doesn't make it official. If it ain't got .gov behind it, brotha, it ain't official.

Wording from the ACTUAL GOVERNMENT WEBSITE:

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/boating/required-equipment-regulations

CARELESS OPERATION OF A VESSEL:
Operation of any watercraft in a careless or heedless manner so as to be grossly indifferent to the person or property of other persons or at a rate of speed greater than will permit him in the exercise of reasonable care to bring the watercraft to a stop within the assured clear distance ahead shall be guilty of the crime of careless operation.
RECKLESS OPERATION OF A VESSEL:
Operation of any watercraft in such a manner so as to endanger the life or limb or damage the property of any person shall be guilty of the crime of reckless operation.

Nuff said. Either "rebutt" with an actual law, or don't bother. Don't point to a company handbook and call that a law. Trust me, I've been boating all my life, we keep a copy of the boating regulations book, published every year, in the house. We have to know them, we own 7 boats.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Jetski behavior

OK, you cited a WLF site as being an authoritative source. Here's the same law listed on a Louisiana WLF website: http://www.boat-ed.com/la/course/p4-4_recklessoperation.htm

It states quite clearly that chasing wildlife is illegal. I don't have access to the entire code of Louisiana related to this, but if WLF says it's illegal, I'm going to assume they have good reason to say this.

That is really not the WLF's website; it IS, however, a link from it, and the Boater's handbook (used in WLF sanctioned boating courses, not just "pretty little colorful handbooks" ) is done in conjunction with the WLF. So common sense should dictate that it is accurate and has the WLF's tacit approval.

I was really curious about this since it just defies belief that it would not be against the law.

I took a minute and called the WLF Enforcement Division in Lake Charles, LA and spoke with an enforcement officer who said that it is not actually Louisiana State Law it is Federal Law and indeed "I'd bust that clown's sorry *** if I saw him chasing down birds".

The FWS confirmed this, apparently it's covered under Titles # 20 and 50, and that's enough for me, although I will be astonished if it's enough for our "goose-hound".

So in fact, you are absolutely correct :

but if WLF says it's illegal, I'm going to assume they have good reason to say this.

The WLF did say exactly that, and WIF will have to take this up with them.

Perhaps he could call the Enforcement Division @ (337) 491-2580 and speak to them directly....