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Random Quote: The sea is my life, my life is the sea, treat her right, respect her ways, live to enjoy another day!!
Let's get one thing straight, these people hit the sturgeon not the other way around. The sturgeons were just minding their own business before being startled by these obnoxious machines.
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Instead of blaming the individuals that do stupid things on pwc, you guys label all pwc riders as trouble makers. That is idiotic.
I have a boat and a pwc. A pwc is a boat. I use mine exactly the way I use my boat.....I follow the same rules and I treat other boaters with the same respect that I always do. Sometimes I use the pwc more due to the fact that it is cheaper to trail, cheaper to operate, easier to clean, better for outrunning bad weather, more comfortable, easier to get into shallow areas, and just more fun when I'm not boating in such a way that I require a larger boat. If you've never been on one, i'm sure you'd be shocked to learn how seaworthy, safe and capable they are in handling the rough stuff. Mine holds 17 gallons of gas and has a range of about 120 to 150 miles, depending on how fast you go. Yesterday, I made it out south of the barrier island chain here in MS, about 13 miles out in less than 30 minutes....30 miles round trip, about 4 gallons of gas.
The bottom line here is that it is too easy for someone to just up and buy a boat. Pwcs are cheaper and more appealing to the younger people who just want to go out and go fast and are more likely to act irresponsibly. Some people shouldn't be allowed to operate any type of watercraft. Blame the law, not the pwc.
The problem comes from the fact that many PWC operators have absolutly no idea of the navigation rules, or the coastal environnement. Since it's cheaper to buy than a boat, it opens the sea to more people, the problem is that overall they will behave like maniacs rather than educated boaters.
Your case is a minority, I see PWC every single day zooming buy, not respecting no wake zones, not respecting any basic rules of navigation, and I see them getting grounded on the flats and blowing their impeller sucking sand.
Also they are very noisy, and since they have a tendency to zoom past any boat or any docks very close, they are much more of a nuisance than regular boaters.
Agreed that the law is bad, but don't tell me that you want a boating license.
I have been in countries that require boating license even for PWC, but that don't make then any smarter or any more respectfull.
I guess mostly dumb A##SS buy or ride them, with some exeption of course grin:
So if you want a solution, I would simply BAN the darn things, it's easier than having the GVT creating a boating license, which they will screw up anyway.
Just allow PWC in very specific areas.
They serve no purpose of any kind, thay are just toys for very selfish people.
You told us we are elitist at THT, I think PWC operator are the elitist one, since they don't show any respect.
I have a 26' boat and 4 jetskis (2 standups, 2 sitdowns- I rde with my son). I have to say I see more stupid stuff on the bigger boats than on jetskis. The bad jetskier rides in circles 20' from shore annoying everyone. The bad boater doesn't know what a no wake zone is, has to pass with 50' of me at full speed even though I'm ancored and fishing and he has the whole ocean, The bad boater who just today anchored LESS THAN 10' from me and decided to back down to secure the anchor without looking to see me behind him ( I had to sream to get his attention)
I do believe most are just mistakes and not just rudeness. But, that being said, I notice a lot more from the bigger boaters than the jetskiers. We also have boater's liscences here in Conn., maybe that helps with the rules of the road.
Not trying to start trouble, just telling it like it is. Run what you brung.
They serve no purpose of any kind, thay are just toys for very selfish people.
That is one of the stupidest things i've ever heard anyone say.
These people created the image themselves, so who is stupid?
But as someone said they are not alone in their disrespect for others. The jet powered river boats are in the class of disrespectful boaters and next is the Bass Boaters. Did I leave anyone out? Fishing boats, ski boats, deck boats? All great boaters with a few exceptions. Just as the PWC are all a bunch of inconsiderate idiots with a very few exceptions.
Sorry to step on toes but that the way it is in the northwest.
It is really sad that so many boaters are close-minded. In my opinion, you all are no better than the same people on the pwcs that you complain so much about.
catastrophe - 7/1/2007 4:21 PM Pug, The problem comes from the fact that many PWC operators have absolutly no idea of the navigation rules, or the coastal environnement. Since it's cheaper to buy than a boat, it opens the sea to more people, the problem is that overall they will behave like maniacs rather than educated boaters. I see PWC every single day zooming buy, not respecting no wake zones, not respecting any basic rules of navigation,
You could be describing teenagers with cars here or if you are really concerned about the environment, almost anyone with an off road vehicle.
All PWC riders aren't in this group.
Having said that- a boating license would be a step in the right direction for all operation of water borne vehicles.
sturgeons attack PWC riders 
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