Oblivious boaters!

[ufm82]

Went to put the boat in Saturday night on the river to go out and play a bit. While at the ramp I watched a guy and two buddies work on an older 24' cuddy. They were having issues keepng it running. I asked if I could help, got a wave and a "we got it" and left it at that. I launched and ran downstream to fish.
About an hour later I'm headed upstream to a new spot and see the cuddy in the channel rolling along at a decent speed so they obviously got it fixed (or so I thought). I started to move off to his left in order to pass him. This is on the Ohio River so it's not exactly a tight channel so it wasn't even a second thought in my mind. As I steer to pass by him by some 100' or so he begins a slow left turn. Since he's now heading into my path I steer a little further left. He continues to steer left and I continue to steer further left. By now there is an oncoming boat that I will be cutting in front of if I continue at my current speed and heading. I now cut back hard right to avoid both boats and have to run across the cuddy's wake. As I pass the cuddy I can see that the engine cover is off, two guys are hunched over the engine and the driver is looking back at the two, paying no attention to where he is going. I cut the throttle for a moment as I see they are about to cut in front of the oncoming boat. I hear the oncoming boat's horn, see the driver snap his head up and make a hard right turn to avoid that boat. Both guys in the back go sprawling due to the sudden direction change. The other boat swerved to avoid them and missed them by 20' or less. He blows his horn again and the driver of the cuddy flips the other boat off! I had to shake my head and go away. Scary to watch. You'd think they'd fix the stupid thing before they went out and caused a wreck.

UFM82

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: Oblivious boaters!

Why would they? I have seen charter boat captans on Lake Erie dang near run over people because they weren't paying attention or drinkng beer. Why would the river be any different?

 

[axeman1988]

Re: Oblivious boaters!

true to that one its okay to have a good time fishin or boating , but come on just cause there is no tires doesn't give someone the right to boat while being 3 sheets to the wind, my brother has a problem with this so does his girlfriend, and they always wonder why i catch more fish than them....... they'd have better luck trying to drown the fish with all the booze they been drinking than hook one with there line.

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Oblivious boaters!

You have to drive a boat defensively just like your car. I stay clear of everything and give others PLENTY of room. If it doesn't work...I've even just cut the throttle and waited for them to pass. When the lake is really crowed I just stay home.

As far as the drinking...the laws here are much the same on the water as on the road. I know several that have been ticketed for drinking while operating a boat. I like my cold beer too, but I treat my boat just like my car when it comes to operating it.

North Carolina is trying to get licensing passed for boats, just as you do for cars. I have no problem with that.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Oblivious boaters!

the problem i have about drinking on a boat is, ok you drink all day get a good buzz going and now waste all focus left for the boat ride to the dock. who the hell drives home? not only are you a drunken boater now your a drunk driver so not only do i have to worry about your bad habits on the water which i could easily see you coming and take evasive action i have to worry about you passing me on the road at 70 mph pulling a trailer with your undersized vehical. if your going to drink fine but at least have 1 sober person aboard, best to have 2 incase you get really drunk and if you pass out your rideing in the boat all the way home better not puke. my dad was hit by a drunk driver in the late 80's ruined his leg and he was in the hospital for 2 years so you can see why i take the postion that i do.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Oblivious boaters!

before we get off topic with the tiresome old "beer on boats" discussion, which has nothing to do with the post....

This situation sadly is all too typical. Boaters think they have "the whole river" instead of a 15' highway lane and they just let it go. That's why as someone said you have to drive defensively in a boat. If any boat is underway near me, I make sure i see the driver's eyes and he sees me. Drivers pulling tubes, etc., are the worst offenders so I watch them carefully.

Also a reason to keep that sounding device in arm's reach, not buried in the glove compartment.

Earlier this summer a commercial fishing boat ran over a drifting 15' boat, I think one of the 2 old men in the small boat was killed. The whole crew of the commercial boat was in the hatch working on the motor.

I know how it is. When you have the whole bay to yourself, you often go on auto-pilot. When you pull someone, you want to see what they are doing, both for fun and because you need to adjust your speed, turns, etc. You just can't get in the habit.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Oblivious boaters!

Not sure I saw anything about drinking beer in the OP.

The biggest problem I have with the whole situation is that, after almost causing an accident, the guy flipped off the boat that could very well have saved their lives. Otherwise, you just have to drive defensively. The guy was preoccupied with an engine problem, which incidently, I have no problem with a little diagnosis on the water. We always tell everyone to never buy a boat without test driving because things happen on the water that do not happen on muffs. So YES, sometimes you have to do some diagnostics while out on the water. I certainly did. My boat ran perfect on muffs but clattered like crazy on plane.

Since there was 2 other people messing with the engine, the driver should have been paying more attention. Every one of us can be distracted for one reason or another. Maybe not as long as this guy seems to have been but we have all been there. Adjusting a radio, answering a cell phone, looking for aligators, who knows. But we have all done it. Dont even pretend that you havent. I agree, if he was "moving along at a good speed", then he should certainly have been paying more attention. If we all take the stance to be ready for this, then when it happens, we can take actions to avoid it. But to flip off the boat that saved your butt is just ignorant.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Oblivious boaters!

sorry my last post did get a little off topic, more in responce to cadwelders second statment.

i do agree tubers are the worst the drivers always looking back like they dont have a spotter. some times they really dont!

and might i just say to flip any one off on the water is very rude we've all forgot a plug once, and like "mnypitboat" said we've all be distracted once weather it be a cell phone or an aligator. so yes we all make mistakes if you want to flip off every one go right ahead but you wont have any friends when you need a tow or a hand.