Reproductive Gear and Sportfishing Boats in Woodshole...

[dave horne]

I go through Wood's Hole often. For those of you who have never had the pleasure, it's narrow, tricky, crowded, lined with rocks and has an 8 knot tidal current about 80% of the time.

That said, it has no posted speed limit (I need about half power on my twin 200 HP Optimaxes just to fight the tidal current), but almost everyone appreciates the danger. People generally stay in line and give sailboats alot of leeway (no passing).


Despite this, it seems like every other time I go through (in my 26' BW Outrage), I encounter some arshole in a 40'+ sportfisherman coming through at full speed (30 knots plus). These BIG FAT LOSERS plows past people boring down the middle of the narrow channel forcing everyone else to; first steer toward the rocks to avoid a head on collision, and then cut our speed to a dangerously low speed to steer through their 4-6 foot wake while getting a pounding.

My lovely wife asked me if guys who drive 40' sportfishing boats speed through narrow harbors to compensate for small reproductive gear.

What do you think?

[familyj]

I think the 40ft boat is representative of small "gear", but then again I can't afford a 40ft boat.

[jaccoserv]

I think you need a 40+ sportfish, as I don't see them adding a posted speed limit.

[dave horne]

My whaler has twin 200's and I could easily blow by these SF guys, but my gear is quite adequate (thank you for asking) and I prefer to retain my membership in the human race.

[racencase]

Use your radio to call the coast guard and report these folks. Rules of the water are not dictated by the size of the boat. If that fails, deliver a flare on their deck............that'll slow 'em down!

[mymojo]

You havent loved till one of the fast ferries are bearing down on you as you negotiate Woods Hole. This is one of the times I feel bad for the sail boaters!

[dave horne]

The ferries are a little scary (nice rhyme), but they slow when they get to the hole and they don't try and pass.

Today we past two ferries that threw off very little wake compared to the f$%&ing sportfisherman.

[mymojo]

You're right Dave they dont pass and have been courteous when they are behind me-nonetheless you can still get me hair up when I turn and see them a couple boat lengths behind me!

[taliban]

If you don't like the traffic in Woods HOle, don't go through there.

[Mist-Rest]

Must be Ma$$holes.

[Snapper Head]

dave horne - 8/6/2006 7:11 PM



The ferries are a little scary (nice rhyme), but they slow when they get to the hole

Read that again

Big Al
I'm scared

[CMP]

Taliban has it right on. It's life in the Hole-deal with it...

CMP

[kev-n-tim]

Yes, there are no posted speeds and true it is life in the "hole", but what about common courtesy. Just becouse you are in a large Sport Fish doesn't mean you can endanger smaller / slower craft. By the way don't the rules of the road state that you are responsible for your own wake?

BTW I advoid Woods Hole when ever possible.

Mike

[riprunner]

The fast ferry's sometimes slow down, sometimes the don't slow down. I've had them pass me at 30+ knots 30 feet away while I'm drift fishing and let me tell you, they throw a huge wake at that speed. Hey, they are on a schedule and I'm fishing, not thier bad if I don't like, I suppose I can go fish somewhere else. I fish Woods Hole a-lot and I'm typically drifting outside fo the channel and I don't really see to many issues with the larger sportfish boats. Most people will back down a bit, or move over a little when passing smaller vessels.

[jaccoserv]

Not to mention, can't you outrun these 40' sport boats?

[flyau98]

These are the same guys that were instrumental in getting the ICW made idle speed throughout Broward County. 25' and under boats weren't the ones throwing the "destructive wakes", it was the jackass in the 40' Sportfish running 25 knots down a 175yd wide canal with seawalls on both sides.

[mymojo]

Gee Taliban that's pretty helpful - why did'nt I think of that.

[dave horne]

Sorry Mr. Taliban,

You must not be from around here. If you're in Buzzards Bay and want to go to Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, or Edgartown, you MUST use Woods Hole. The next option adds 20 miles to a 20-mile trip. This is why it's one of the busiest Hole's in the Northeast.

By the way, it is not a straight hole; it has at least two zigzags and an intersection. It is dredged to no more than 30 yards, with sharp rocks and breakers on either side and in the middle of the intersection. Again, most of the time there is an 8-knot current. It's also a quick shot, even at 10 knots; it doesn't take more than 5-8 minutes.

SO WHY DO A FEW PIGS HAVE TO RUIN IT FOR EVERYONE ELSE AND WHY ARE THEY ALWAYS DRIVING 40'+ SPORTFISIHING BOATS?

But back to my wife's question -- do you think guys who do this, do so to compensate for their miniature anatomy?

[byram]

Snapper Head - 8/7/2006 11:03 AM

Read that again

Big Al
I'm scared

I got that Big Al....
Nothing gets past you

[Vectorfisher]

I try and time it so that I can get through without dealing with blowboats and large boats I will motor real slow until I see the clear and jump up on plane and go through. But there have been times when I got stuck in a pretty wicked mess between blowboats and larger vessels with a strong current and man it is definately not pretty. The worst part is when these boneheaded blowboaters decide to go through bucking the tide and feel all gay riding side by side to one another Most of them leave the nautical skills at home, you don't know how many I use to watch in front of the RR bridge in the canal when I worked up there, these idiots would be bucking the tide and not move 15' my whole lunch break, a lot of aggravation would be saved if they would just learn how to use a tide chart.