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My favorite type of boat going thru the fleet is a cargo ship. In the last few months, they have been running right down the ledge in 100-120ft of water off of Palm Beach County. Last time I was there, a tournament was going on so the ledge was packed with hundreds on boats. So here comes this ship honking his horn and barreling thru people kite fishing and live baiting. Almost everyone had to move..
I'm not very experienced on the ocean, but I would expect a cargo ship to have restricted maneuverability, or be confined to a channel. Wouldn't it make sense for recreational boats to give way?
I'm not very experienced on the ocean, but I would expect a cargo ship to have restricted maneuverability, or be confined to a channel. Wouldn't it make sense for recreational boats to give way?
Of course they have limited maneuverability and small boats should give way. But why cant they stay out in the 500ft depths like 99% of the other ships do? Its not like it is a secret that lots of people fish in those depths... And it has been happening more lately. A company is in trouble for tearing up a reef by going to close. I have fished for years out of there and have only recently seen the bigger ships moving in shallow.
.... help the people out who are making mistakes, it might make it safer for all of us.
Well said!
I would also like to point out that what may seem like simple common sense to seasoned boaters might not be so obvious to newbies like me
Again, this is why I'm enjoying this forum.... I'm sure I'll post stupid questions that will make some eyes roll.... but I'm willing to look like a complete clueless rookie here in print if it means I'm getting educated. It's better to ask and learn than put other boaters in danger or piss them off.
I am looking into coast guard boating classes.... but it may be a few months before I can get into one. In the meantime I'll hang out here and learn what I can, stay away from heavy boat traffic and not even think about putting in or taking out until the ramp is traffic free
I would also like to point out that what may seem like simple common sense to seasoned boaters might not be so obvious to newbies like me
Again, this is why I'm enjoying this forum.... I'm sure I'll post stupid questions that will make some eyes roll.... but I'm willing to look like a complete clueless rookie here in print if it means I'm getting educated. It's better to ask and learn than put other boaters in danger or piss them off.
I am looking into coast guard boating classes.... but it may be a few months before I can get into one. In the meantime I'll hang out here and learn what I can, stay away from heavy boat traffic and not even think about putting in or taking out until the ramp is traffic free
With all due respect for all newbs out there even the Coast Guard leaves the issue of COMMON SENSE up to the individual to learn and practice. If you are operating a 4 ton boat such as the one in the pic, common sense dictates to allow as much room as possible given that deep water is available between you and an idle vessle as your WAKE will surely cause a danger to the idle vessle let alone a disturbance. Again, just practice some common sense and threads like this will not get published. Im sure as a new boater you can understand why veteren boaters become angry and annoyed by these actions. Its the lack of common sense and respect out there.
LOL... threads like this are a big part of the reason I joined the forum.....as a new and first time boat owner I want to make sure I'm never that "yahoo".
Soooo aside from not driving with the fenders out ..... what is considered appropriate distance when approaching / passing boats that are fishing.... in order to be considerate??? Fill me in please.
My law in my home state of Georgia states that you should maintain 100 feet of distance from your boat, in general. There are specifics regarding where, when, how fast, etc. for each case, but it seems to be a general rule.
Congrats on a desire to learn all about boating navigation, GCG. I suggest online reseach for your home state, as well as any other states you may travel to. Happy and Safe Boating to ya!
You haven't lived until you've had a big boat wake swamp your little boat on a cool crisp December morning ... ahhh the memories. Fortunately, it wasn't my boat ... step brothers 16ft whaler.
__________________ 1986 Sea Ox 180CC w/115 Honda
2001 Chevrolet 2500HD 8.1/Allison
2005 Pontiac GTO - 11.770 @ 114.26 in the 1/4mi
Thanks for sharing your pictures once again, you truly have an artistic gift
for photography. And I'll argue you are helping the newbie's out by showing
an obvious error in judgement.
Thanks for sharing your pictures once again, you truly have an artistic gift
for photography. And I'll argue you are helping the newbie's out by showing
an obvious error in judgement.
I guess the dockhands at the restaurant didn't have time to flip the fender on deck for him as he pulled away.
While it is true that clorox bottle owners almost always seem to be the ones who are oblivious of little things like fenders bouncing merrily in the water, they also are the ones most likely to go roaring thorough an anchored fishing fleet on auto pilot.
There are clorox bottle owners who are very serious about their boatsmanship. Unfortunately they take the collective rap because there are far more boats in the collective clorox bottle genre than there are of anything else.
It is the law of averages.
You concientious owners, don't be offended. We so-called REAL boat owners do dumb things too. It is a great learning tool.
Good point Doug! There are a large segment of the "Clorox Bottle" fleet that are 1st time boat owners. They have the mindset of getting into boating in a big way buying the biggest boat they think they can handle that can accomodate their "better half".
Turn the key and off they go! Many are at least smart enough to take a CG safety course but that does little to provide the feel of knowing the basics,that take time and experiance. When I see a boat in trouble it's usually a "Clorox Bottle" with an inexperianced skipper at the helm. One time I'll never forget while I was drift fishing one went by me in reverse! I watched as he continued into the harbor. By the time I was done I pulled up next to him while he was still going in reverse! I yelled over and asked if there was anything I could help him with. He said he was anchored at the beach(a 14 mile trip) and his engine wouldn't get out of reverse when he pulled anchor. So he kept on going. I yelled back..."Did you engage the lock button on the throttle handles"? That was it!!!
I couldn't agree with you guys more. I've been fishing a lot of weekdays this Spring because of my work schedule, but the weather was so nice this past Sunday, I felt like doing some Sea Bass fishing. I left my dock at 5:30 am, snapped the below pic. with my cell phone while in the State channel, just before leaving the Jones Inlet. I had a nice morning catching some feed frenzied Blue fish and took 2 nice Sea Bass off a rock pile. So, around noon I decide to head in....... well, I didn't take a pic, but lets just say the same State channel that was so serene about 6 hours earlier, was filled with idiots on waverunners with NO CLUE and only concern seemed to be jumping a boats wake, and idiots in ugly boats (read Renker, bayliner...sorry, it's true) again with NO CLUE about navigation. I'm glad I spent most of the day in the Atlantic, but next weekend I'm out of the inlet, I'm waiting for dusk before heading back (weather permitting).
Not everyone thinks every bayliner is an "ugly boat". Get off your high horse and show some respect to people who happen to own one and also boat and fish responsibly.
All members of THT were born veterans of the sea and never noobs, and never make mistakes. :D
LOL... yes it would appear some members here shot straight out of the womb as masters of the Sea I've been scuba diving for about 20 years now.... I always thought the biggest egos on the water were divers.... I stand corrected.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug in Bermuda
You concientious owners, don't be offended. We so-called REAL boat owners do dumb things too. It is a great learning tool.
I didn't find your post offensive at all. I understand how frustrating it can be sharing the water with those of us with less experience. Luckily I've been fortunate to have very patient folks helping me out... not rushing me and making me feel welcomed out there on the water.
One older gentleman with 30+ years experience put it to me this way "take your time sweetie, no one out here "owns" the water and you have every bit the same right to be out here as they do. Just take your time and stay focused on the task at hand. You will make mistakes, we all do and if someone gives you grief about it you tell them to go pound sand" (haha... "pound sand"... I liked that!!)
Anyhoo.... while I'm learning I stay close to land and help, I don't drive fast and I stay away from other boats. Hell if I could find a big "Student Driver" flag I'd fly it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aerostern
Not everyone thinks every bayliner is an "ugly boat". Get off your high horse and show some respect to people who happen to own one and also boat and fish responsibly.
I agree! Lots of prejudice around this place for Bayliners... no that's not what I have.... but I'm sure most here would laugh just as hard at my cabin cruiser. Boats are like cars in that we all buy ours based on our own personal wants and needs out of it and what we can afford. I think there are a lot of hideous cars on the road that I might snicker at in private but I would never go up to the owner and tell them their car is junk to their face. Seriously... what's the point...just to make someone feel bad? Hell why not tell them their spouse is ugly and their kids are stupid too while they're at it.
I do not see a problem in it....was he in a no wake zone? If you are fishing in a marked channel be prepared to be rocked and rocked hard! Now the fenders are another story..may be they needed to be washed????? I dunno. Jay, no offence and I love your website but I just do not think he is doing anything wrong.
I once found my way unceremonously on a local sailing forum. There was a picture of me and my boat giving a wake broad side to a sailboat.
Did I do it - yes I did. Of course the poster never mentioned the fact that there was 2-300 sailboats in the area and that they tacked to force them to take the wake broad side.
I got on the forum and defended myself saying that no matter which way I went under the Newport Brdige that day, somebody by the law of averages was getting a wake on their beam.
Repsonse ranged from - "Wow you are brave coming here" to "you should have preceded at no wake speed" to "You're an a-hole"
In the end, take it in stride, is it really worth getting worked up about?
__________________ Move along, nothing to see here.
I do not see a problem in it....was he in a no wake zone? If you are fishing in a marked channel be prepared to be rocked and rocked hard! Now the fenders are another story..may be they needed to be washed????? I dunno. Jay, no offence and I love your website but I just do not think he is doing anything wrong.
You are correct Capt.! I agree 100%,it was in open water,no marked channel, no speed restrictions in the area. However the lack of courtesy running full bore among idle boats can and has caused accidents. I'm the last person to spoil anyone having fun. I just wish those who do have fun don't ruin others from their actions.
I've been scuba diving for about 20 years now.... I always thought the biggest egos on the water were divers.... I stand corrected. 
