What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

[dingbat]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

While idiots doe exist I see lots and lots of comments placing blame on larger boats for putting smaller boats in danger.

The question I has is this, at what point does the blame fall on the small boat owner for not having a craft of sufficient size for the conditions?

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

The question I has is this, at what point does the blame fall on the small boat owner for not having a craft of sufficient size for the conditions?

I guess with thinking like this, we should ban all people choosing not to drive a Hummer, because anything else would be considered too small for the highway, when compared to semi trucks.

In our two close calls this summer, the water was like glass, the yachts were 5 to 6 times our size, both on the wrong side of the channel.

In the first swamping this summer, they swamped us and two boats running in front of us within seconds.

They were in a no wake zone, and were racing another yacht, side by side, in a narrow section of the river, just out of the locks, where single file only is allowed. They passed within 10ft of us WOT.

The other incidence, the boat also on the wrong side of the channel drove strait for us smilled, pushing us within 2ft of the flood wall on the right, and his boat on our left,, also with less than 3ft of spare room.

In both cases, I made eye contact with the drivers of the boats, and in both cases they were laughing.

This happened in Germany where everybody has to have a boating license. Training will not curb this behavior. They just don't care about others.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

If it is a size war we are starting now, maybe small boat owners SHOULD be allowed to carry equalizers?

Might doesn't make right!

 

[KeyWestBoater]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

I don't think that a large wake caused by another vessel is part of "conditions". The law says the operator of a vessel is responsible for the damage they cause to other vessels. It has nothing to do with the size of the vessel being swamped.

I guess when I see a big important cruiser or powerboat coming I'm supposed to pull anchor and get far away from them since It's my fault my boat is smaller than theirs. After all they are more important than me and they do own whatever waterway they travel in!

KWB

 

[dingbat]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

I guess with thinking like this, we should ban all people choosing not to drive a Hummer, because anything else would be considered too small for the highway, when compared to semi trucks.

Let?s say you travel to and from work every day on a major north - south route which is heavily traveled by large trucks and commercial vehicles. Fuel prices are high and parking at your facility is at a premium so you decided to purchase a Smart Car.

The first day you drive to work you notice that the passing vehicle cause your car to very off tract and you?re intimidate at looking out your windows at the hub caps of passing trucks and SUV.

Did you make a mistake by selecting such a small car given the prevalence of larger vehicles on your route or would you expect the authorities to modify the current regulations to accommodate your selection of vehicle?


The rest of your examples involve blatant violations of the law. Larger vessel craft are not the only ones guilty of these types of offenses.

 

[scipper77]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

Did you make a mistake by selecting such a small car given the prevalence of larger vehicles on your route or would you expect the authorities to modify the current regulations to accommodate your selection of vehicle?

There are already laws that state that you ARE responsible for your own wake and the damage it causes. There is no need to expect the authorities to modify anything.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

Let’s say you travel to and from work every day on a major north - south route which is heavily traveled by large trucks and commercial vehicles. Fuel prices are high and parking at your facility is at a premium so you decided to purchase a Smart Car.

The first day you drive to work you notice that the passing vehicle cause your car to very off tract and you’re intimidate at looking out your windows at the hub caps of passing trucks and SUV.

Did you make a mistake by selecting such a small car given the prevalence of larger vehicles on your route or would you expect the authorities to modify the current regulations to accommodate your selection of vehicle?


The rest of your examples involve blatant violations of the law. Larger vessel craft are not the only ones guilty of these types of offenses.

Lets just say that a Smart is not safe for the highway at any time, which is why their top speed is governed, and why you almost never see one on the Autobahn. The Smart was regulated by the German government to go slow, because they were not safe at Autobahn speeds, not the laws for every one else on the Autobahn.

My car on the other hand which weighs about the same as a Smart handles like it is on rails at 115MPH, even when I pass semi trucks in cross winds at these speeds.

If the semis follow the rules, and I do too, we have no problems.

So that is a rather bad choice for a comparison.

In the water it works the same way, the rules are made for everybody, not just those with small boats. Follow them and we won't have any problems.

The barges, commercial, and Hotel ships here cause no problems for anyone and they are sometimes several hundred yards long. They follow the rules.

Also nobody said anything about modifying regulations to fit the needs of my small boat which is quite safe, when people don't come close to ramming with their boat for fun, that is unless you took my sarcastic comment about allowing the use of equalizers for small boats serious.

Large boat owners are not the only people who exhibit this type of personality in the world, but on this stretch of river, and I have explained it in other threads here, there is a uptown yacht club where SOME of the members seem to take extreme joy in doing so on a regular basis.

We are not the only victims, the boating community is small, we all talk, and we know who is doing this. It has happened too often, to too many people, by the same boat owners. At the beginning of the summer we were already warned to watch out for them.

The problem is they are never prosecuted for the violations.

P.S. This is the smallest boat I ever had. I grew up on very large crusiers, and we took all other boaters into consideration when on the water. Big boat doesn't equal bad boat, but small brains, combined with big boat equals dangerous conditions for all on the water.

 

[KeyWestBoater]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

Let?s say you travel to and from work every day on a major north - south route which is heavily traveled by large trucks and commercial vehicles. Fuel prices are high and parking at your facility is at a premium so you decided to purchase a Smart Car.

The first day you drive to work you notice that the passing vehicle cause your car to very off tract and you?re intimidate at looking out your windows at the hub caps of passing trucks and SUV.

Did you make a mistake by selecting such a small car given the prevalence of larger vehicles on your route or would you expect the authorities to modify the current regulations to accommodate your selection of vehicle?


The rest of your examples involve blatant violations of the law. Larger vessel craft are not the only ones guilty of these types of offenses.

Your example about the Smart car has no relevance to this topic. Boats that are producing potentially damaging wakes are required by law to take care not to cause damage with their wakes and to slow down as necessary. Trucks on the highway are not required to slow down for smaller vehicles such as a Smart car. For sure someone purchasing something like a Smart car would need to be aware of their limitations and the effect of driving on highways where they would be forced to travel next to trucks and other larger vehicles.

 

[marine4003]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

While idiots doe exist I see lots and lots of comments placing blame on larger boats for putting smaller boats in danger.

The question I has is this, at what point does the blame fall on the small boat owner for not having a craft of sufficient size for the conditions?

I hope that was tongue-in-cheek humor....

 

[External Combustion]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

I have had more serious contacts with other boaters trying to swamp me with our steam launch as compared to our smaller gas driven boats. I now assume that boats between ten and one hundred tons on the inland waters are manned by drunken crews or the most arrogant bastards that humankind can muster. Of course the assumption is not true for the majority of the boats out there, but enough close calls has made it a safe assumption.

What I have noticed is the salt water craft captains seem to be a more responsible type.

There have bee a few clueless ones that didn't know the rues of the road and wanted to see inside our boat (at a closing rate of twenty knots!).

The heavy go fasts for the most part don't deliberately try to swamp anyone around our state. Maybe being a redneck gun toting state has its advantages. Those that do rarely last a season.

Keep an eye on all approaching craft and you will live longer. You will also be more able to get the registration numbers!

 

[scoutabout]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

I'm not sure what this thread is about exactly, so I'll try to cover all the bases.

1. I wasn't smacked as a kid and I turned out ok.

2. I don't smack my kid and he's turning out to be a fine young man.

3. I'd sure like to smack the everliving snot out of some of the inconsiderate and downright dangerous boaters out there.

4. That Smart car/semi scenario posted by way of comparison/justification for blatant abuse of rights of way and marine law was about the poorest analogy I've ever read.

There -- did I miss anything?

 

[dingbat]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

Your example about the Smart car has no relevance to this topic.

I disagree. You yourself stated that the Smart cars owners should be aware of the limitations of the vehicle and act accordingly. There would be a lot fewer problems and deaths on the water if more boat owners heeded this bit of advice

There is no excuse for purposely trying to swamp anyone. And in close quarters and controlled conditions i.e. speed limits, no wake zones etc, I don?t have a problem with the wake argument. That is just respect for the others.

On the other hand I take issue with the people who are in places and situations of which they have no business being then cite the wake laws in an attempt to exonerate them for using poor judgment. You?re going to be hard pressed to win a case against a container ship owner that swamped your boat while you where anchored in the shipping channel or tied up to the channel marker outside the entrance to the New York Harbor.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

On the other hand I take issue with the people who are in places and situations of which they have no business being then cite the wake laws in an attempt to exonerate them for using poor judgment. You’re going to be hard pressed to win a case against a container ship owner that swamped your boat while you where anchored in the shipping channel or tied up to the channel marker outside the entrance to the New York Harbor.

If you read at the top of your post, it says,

“What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?”, it was meant as personality or psychology profiles of people who exhibit this type of destructive behavior pattern while piloting boats,

not

“What kind of people anchor in commercial shipping channels in rowboats?”,

or

“What kind of people drive irritatingly small cars on my Highway?”.

Those topics belong in another thread. Perhaps you could start your own thread dealing with those topics, and quit trying to “Hijack” this thread.

 

[scipper77]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

I'm not sure what this thread is about exactly, so I'll try to cover all the bases.

1. I wasn't smacked as a kid and I turned out ok.

2. I don't smack my kid and he's turning out to be a fine young man.

3. I'd sure like to smack the everliving snot out of some of the inconsiderate and downright dangerous boaters out there.

4. That Smart car/semi scenario posted by way of comparison/justification for blatant abuse of rights of way and marine law was about the poorest analogy I've ever read.

There -- did I miss anything?

This is the best summary I have read in a long time. Thank you for making me laugh out loud

 

[KeyWestBoater]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

I disagree. You yourself stated that the Smart cars owners should be aware of the limitations of the vehicle and act accordingly. There would be a lot fewer problems and deaths on the water if more boat owners heeded this bit of advice

There is no excuse for purposely trying to swamp anyone. And in close quarters and controlled conditions i.e. speed limits, no wake zones etc, I don?t have a problem with the wake argument. That is just respect for the others.

On the other hand I take issue with the people who are in places and situations of which they have no business being then cite the wake laws in an attempt to exonerate them for using poor judgment. You?re going to be hard pressed to win a case against a container ship owner that swamped your boat while you where anchored in the shipping channel or tied up to the channel marker outside the entrance to the New York Harbor.

For sure I'm smart enough to know (and I'm sure the others here) aren't talking about being "anchored in a shipping channel" or any other place where there is heavy traffic. For myself I can't think of any reason why I would. The experiences I've had has all been when anchored or idling near the edge of a river or creek. I don't know why you're bringing this extreme scenario into this discussion.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What kind of people swamp other peoples boats on purpose?

this has turn into a fight. CLOSED