safety topic

Connecticut has a boater licensing program. We have lake patrol on our part of the river who stop people to check safety equipment and to write tickets. Still doesn't stop people from doing stupid things. I think stricter enforcement is the only thing that will help.
                               Farmer

Well in MI they are say we need boat indorcements now. It has not happened yet but they are trying to get it passed. The only problem I have with this is, the bill is all about income has nothing to do with safety.

Riley wrote: Hardly anyone on my lake knows how to, or cares to yeild. The biggest boat wins. Sadly, on the Saturday night of the NE Reunion, on Long Lake about 45 minutes away, a 32' Cigarette type boat with twin 425's ran over a 14' Glaspar at 9:30 at night. The 38 yo guy from MA, and his 19 yo friend from ME got thrown from the boat and swam to shore. Their boat went 150' into the woods. It took the wardens 4 days to find the remains of the guy and lady in the Glaspar.

10-5-2007, this guy is going to jail.
From MaineToday news story:

Cumberland County District Attorney Stephanie Anderson said LaPointe and his passenger Nicole Randall of Bridgton said they had seen Trott’s 14-foot boat traveling without lights shortly before the crash. LaPointe and Randall, family friends, had been idling in the 32-foot high performance boat at Long Point, a popular gathering spot for boaters, when the smaller boat passed.

Minutes later, LaPointe headed toward the north end of the lake where his
boat was kept, going 45 mph despite the low visibility at 9 p.m., said
Warden Jason Luce, who joined Anderson for a news conference this morning.

Following the crash, 2000 feet from shore at Bear Point, the larger boat
continued onto the shore with such speed that it was more than 160 feet
into the woods before stopping.

The indictment charges LaPointe with two counts of manslaughter in the
deaths of Trott and Groetzinger, four counts of aggravated drunk driving and
one count of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon. The latter charge
accuses LaPointe of driving a boat too fast, failing to have adequate
visibility, failing to stay clear when overtaking another boat, failing to
yield to another boat and driving the boat while drunk, Anderson said.

He's tyin' way too hard...and that chain should be in the glovebox   

Well anyone who is running that much weight is asking for trouble.

But. . .

If I am out on the lake I would be a whole lot less worried about the guy in the malibu running into me than some crazy wally wahoo.
Most likely if they are running that much weight they are going to be paying more attention than anyone else on the lake to make sure that they do not sink the boat.

The 50 guys in the white boat is just a dumb idea.

there's no way that one is photoshopped, you can see thier reflections in the water

that sqaure cushion always has to be with in reach of the boat operater, the reason i know this is from boaters safety coarses and the Coast Guard pulled me over and refreshed my memory he also let me know my flares were expired

i dont think it is. that looks like either a malibu tantrum or a moomba boomerang.i think ether with that many people would look like that. i count 12 people.

In think in Missouri if you were born after 1988 you are required to have a license, although I have never heard of anyone actually being checked for it.

On the big lakes there are too many big boats, 30' plus, with a lot of horsepower, making a lot of noise, making huge rollers, with their noses a lot in the air, that have no idea of boating safety.   

I'm glad to have a small lake nearby where the Nautique can scoot along in relative safety.

Chuck

Alan, I should have emphasized watching out for the other guy more and the fact that it isn't going to get any better. I know people can't even follow rules on the road so they certainly won't on the water!!

8122pbrainard wrote:

I'm not criticizing you Pete but Good Luck with that Yeild /proceed thing, I'd bet there's only a select few on the water who know's anything about right of ways and how/ when to overtake. How many times do you blow your horn to overtake, yeah right, blow the horn and get flipped off. People won't get it until you have to get a license to operate a boat just like a car.

Best advice I can give is the same as when on the road, "defensive driving" don't assume the other guy is going to do the right thing just because it's in some manual somewhere. You can only control your actions not the other guys so be aware of your surroundings, water conditions, and other boaters at all times and don't expect the worse or you'll never have any fun but be prepared for it.

What if the orher guy doesnt know what he's doing? Man ive been on boats for 25 years, and the times i can count of being close to death was on boats, it wasnt necessarily me, it was a combination, sometimes alcohol, sometimes poor judgement and alot of the other times were inexperienced boaters causing the problem

quinner wrote: More times then not the riders behind those loaded boats can barely do any decent tricks anyways so what is the point, my feeling is use what you got as most decent riders can do a tantrum without a wake anyways.

+1

Always check the capacity plate and follow it!!!