I wonder how "lunchtime" is measured? For example, the clock time (and my computer clock time) is currently 9:51pm. However, the post time is 7:51pm. A 2-hour difference. So, is lunchtime the clock time, or is it the post time?

Yeah?
 

Well, when I got to here:

I thought this...and then this. :rolleye2:

At my current assignment it's not practical to sign in and comment so I've been with you folks in spirit only. :)

I agree with the "public park" comparison for our lakes. It is perhaps the best way to get across the public domain concept. I will keep this in mind the next time somebody gets territorial about "their" slice of the lake. As a former frequent user of our public parks I have to say though, there are a lot of "Ranger Boneheads" on the trails so don't expect too many B/H's to see the light.

This says it all. It's truly not about us vs. them but about the boneheads on BOTH sides who ruin it for everyone. The lakefront owner who deals with loud, rude obnoxious rafter is going to remember that experience more than the group of respectful law abiding ones and vice versa. Remember the old Osmond song "One Bad Apple Don't Spoil the Whole Bunch Girl"!!! I'm dating myself here :)

water driveway
 

hoytglp -- The Varneys sounds like a nice place to anchor with about 20 of my closest boating friends. I'll have to spread the word and schedule a redevouz date! I'll suggest they bring the waterballoon launchers to ward off any boneheads zooming by too close. GB :D

Good idea with the balloon launchers,gravy boat.....and don't forget biodegradable toilet tissue in case you have to do your business in the lake.:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!:fire:

Against my better judgment I boated over to the Weirs on Saturday. Usually I don't do this due to the fact that the largest concentration of Captain Boneheads congregate in this area on any given Saturday. Anyway it was such a light boat traffic day that I thought what harm could come of it, right? WRONG!

I am sorry but this idiot in his pontoon boat in the Governors Island Channel pushed me to me breaking point. I've said it on here before that I try to fluff stuff of when I see it happening around me. I usually shrug my shoulders, laugh and shake my head. Well I snapped on Saturday. It began with this bleeping bleep-hole riding up my swim platform coming through the G.I. Channel. I had a Scarab in front of me and I wasn't about to drive up through him so I held my patience and figured well if this guy hits me he will owe me $$$ No big deal. Well as we approach the end of the no wake headed towards the Weirs this "captain" on his pontoon boat, older guy with his friends on the boat, punches his throttle and rides up next to me less than 15 feet away. Seriously 15 FEET! I have 3 little kids on my boat, ages 5 year old twins and 2 year old girl. Now he's actually turned towards the side of my boat and closing the gap. I FREAK!!!!! Basically I ask him, I don't have to yell because he could actually be ON my boat he's so close, "Is this your first day driving a boat?" He mouths off something and I elevate my voice inform him of the law and basically tell him he sucks at driving a boat. We break right throttle up and head for the Weirs channel. Guess who comes up behind us? YUP! You guessed it. When I finally stop at channel for gas he rides up beside us and tries, TRIES to make a comment, I cut him off and tell him "You are the absolute WORST boat driver on this lake, your passengers are in MORTAL DANGER driving with you!" I said "You not only put them in danger but the lives of my children." I then told him "move along before Marine Patrol is called and we check to see if you actually have a license to operate a boat in the first place!" He left, wonder if he actually had a license? :laugh: Probably not!

Phew I feel better now.

Usually I don't explode like that but when it comes to putting my kids in harms way I FREAK!!!

wow hazel... Not good... Sorry I missed you swung by around 1 ish. One of these times!

The old days are gone. Used to be, just a few shotgun blasts would do it :eek:

Seriously, was he doing the speed limit?

Do pontoon boats make wakes :eek:

I've had at least three pass me in narrow spots, when I question then they always say that they're not making a wake. It seems I'm the only boat on the lake that makes a wake, because whenever I question (OK, yell at) someone passing me within in spitting distance, they always say they're not making a wake.

It's been so quiet all spring, but Saturday reminded me how many people just don't under stand the rules of the road. How hard is it to remember, the guy on the right usually gets to go first.

And don't get started about the pinhead in the sailboat in Glendale...

................................
 

As much as you may not like it the lake itself is a public area. Weather having an anchored boater or fisherman casting under your docks etc. it's public and owned by the State of NH. I do find it lets say stressing when they are close to the front of your property, but it is actually more that they are inconsiderate to be so close in many cases. If you find they are over nighting then call and kick there .......... out.

When it comes to the let's call them unsafe boaters, you still need to keep your cool :cool: to insure the safety of your vessel and passengers. Unfortunately there are not going away and will probably only get worst. I have found myself not going out on warrior weekends any more between the unsafe boaters, parking battles at docks, speed limits, kayaks etc in the middle of the Broads, and motoring sailboats thinking they fall under sailboat rules (your a motorboat at this point). Commons sense goes along aways please use it.

It doesn't matter if they don't make a wake at speed.The rule is 6mph or the slowest speed to maintain your course.

Hazel...

The amount of Boneheads out this saturday was amazing... Sorry you had a close encounter with one!


No Wake speed does not mean 'Dead Slow".... In the past I have seen the MP chastise boats going that slow in the Weirs Channel... Usually a big cruiser with Martini Yacht Club flag! LOL!

Woodsy

Good for you! People like that need that verbal "slap in the face" to get it through their skulls

weekends
 

The difference between boating on a weekday and weekend, is remarkable!
It's like night and day.
On a Friday, which is my usual boat day, people seem to respect each other, and know where they should be..."give way, vs. stand on" and so forth.
But on a weekend?! Christ, it is completely impossible to anticipate another boat's coure of action...you just never know.
I would bet over 70 percent of weekend boaters have no idea who has the "right of way" in any given situation.

Didn't get better on Sunday
 

I took "Mee" and her friends out for a house tour around Governors I. on Sunday and despite the low number of boats I had no less than 4 boats ignore the 150' rule and 1 RoW violation. Two were cruiser captains, 1 runabout and 1 pontoon. Sad thing was, with one exception, all were at least my age or older. You'd think by that age they'd have learned something but as the saying goes, "age is no guarantee of wisdom". The good thing was as I waited for my turn to go under the G I bridge I antipated the 2'nd boat in line on the far side to try to sneak through. But to my surprise he held off and let me take my proper turn. Nice to see some courtesy and respect for the unwritten rules still exist.

Time to start this season's Capt Bonehead thread I guess. I've vowed to keep a spare digicam I have on the boat. You don't want to be in this gallery.

It is nice to come across the occasional courteous boater isn't it. I really do think that there are many good boaters out there and that it is just the few bad boaters that make the biggest impact on the whole experience.

I was making a joke. The incidents I refer to were all well above 6 mph, more like 15+. I did not mean to single out pontoons, and sailboats, I've seen pinheads in pretty much every type of boat. Once in awhile I even see one in the mirror. Everyone make mistakes.


BTW I was thinking about the original topic of this thread on Sunday. We decided to search out some new spots to stop and fish for awhile.

We pulled into a quiet cove on Bear Island. I looked around for a few minutes for a good spot but there were people sitting out on docks and porches and this thread kept going through my mind.

I even dropped the anchor for a second but just didn't feel comfortable, so I went for a ride instead.

My wife thinks I'm an idiot. She really likes to find good fishing spots, even though we never seem to catch anything. She could not understand why I felt uncomfortable.

Here is the problem at the root of it all..... putting ownership in regards to the lake....

"our lake" ... "your (lake)"...... it is THE LAKE...... any time people start to assign ownership over something arguments will insue...... locals, feel it is theirs, while lake front property owners feel it belongs to them..... it belongs to all of us.....

Now as for grumpy land owners, I watch two fishing boats go passed my property this weekend.... both of which maintaind their boats 30 to 40 feet out past the end of my dock, and where carefull not to cast anywhere near the dock or the kids in the water.... Hell I even talked with them as they passed by....... we RESPECTED each other right to enjoy THE LAKE...... therefore it was a wonderful day.....

You know, that is a very good point. You guys who encountered the Capt Boneheads this weekend no doubt saw dozens more boats who were being safe and courteous. Yet we have no thread about that. Kind of makes me wonder, with all the negative posts about the boneheads maybe to the uneducated observer to this forum, the lake doesn't really appear to be all that safe. Again, that is based on the posts in this forum...in general.

Try to remember this post from a land owner that is fortunate to have one edge of the property adjoining "the lake" the next time you feel uncomfortable. The great majority of those of us fortunate enough to touch the lake with our property and docks also own a boat. With that boat we travel to every nook and cranny of "the lake". We respect everyone's right to share the water. Boats come buy and fish or picnic or swim all day long. (on a good day) Most of us enjoy the change in scenery. We love to check out the variety of boats and people.

I get a little stressed when a Captain B head comes close to my family swimming, but that is a rare event for us.

I don't want to feel uncomfortable when I travel the lake and hope that no one feels uncomfortable experiencing our bit of heaven from the other side of the glass. The way I look at it is if I did not want people enjoying the space right next to me, I should have not bought a house that abuts a State Park.

Enjoy this great lake we share.

thanks for those fine thoughts....
 

That is one of the nicest and well thought out posts that I have read here in a long time!

You Rattlesnake's are a very fine couple; the Lake in general and society in particular would do well to have more folks around just like you guys! :)

I have to admit this thread went through my mind this past weekend as well. My wife and kids and I were out for a kayak ride. I was hugging the shoreline and we came across a property where I got the distinct feeling that the owner wasn't quite happy to see me just 20 feet off the dock cruising by. Oh well, most of the people I encountered were more than happy to offer a good morning a wave and a smile much to the delight of my kids who emphatically waved back. The 2 year old says "Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi...." over and over until she gets a response. Most love it and laugh, wave and say hi back. Then as we paddle away she starts with "bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye...." until she gets a bye and a wave. :laugh:

Saturday was soooooooooo quiet up until noon time or so.

R-Guy is right on target and Skip has both the RG's pegged right. They are very nice people that some out there need to learn from. :D

From my experiences out on the lake: a few years ago I was in the far eastern end of the lake in an area that has a sandy botton and is < 25' deep quite a distance out from shore. I anchored about 200' out from where there was a very small boat mooring area (400'+ from shore) and in fact not directly out from the mooring area. Well the "Woman" who obviously had some children with her on shore went out to her moored boat got in releasing the boat from the mooring and proceeded to do a few spins creating a large wake which came out towards my boat and then parked the boat at the dock. She never took the boat out from the dock while I was there. I also got a few nasty looks from her as well but she never said a word to me. I did not move - finished our lunch took a swim and then read a book for a while. BTW the "Womans" property was a common area to a number of other homes not directly on the water. I know the area well as the adjoining property is one that I visited in my youth and is still owned by the same family today.

I believe in respecting a property owners litoral rights and not be so rude as to drop anchor up close to shore. Would you pull up in front of someones home - on a street - get out and play catch in the street right up to their property line? Well maybe there are some that would. :eek:

no homes
 

If you are boating on weekdays, and are seeking a quiet cove, where there are no homes (yet, at least), try Johnson's Cove in Winter Harbor.
On weekdays, it has become one of my favorite spots on the lake.
Very easy to anchor, and see nothing but water and woods all day. Very quiet, usually. And if you feel like climbing ashore after a swim, there is noone there to chase you away.

Thanks for the good advice RG,

I'm not totally inhibited from anchoring but I usually don't like to be too close. We are quiet, no kids or loud music, so if you have to have a boat in your cove...

Now when the teenagers visit, we go to Paugus bay near the cemetary, and let the splashing and yelling wake the people there.

SA Meredith, I know about Johnson's, but I never tried going in there. Can't think of why now. Probably pretty crowded on weekends.

We have our tried and true places, some for crowded days, some we have friends at, some good for windy days, some only for weekdays, but sometimes we like to explore and find new places.

Thank you
 

Wish there was a thank you button on this thread.

Bone Head Varney People
 

Interesting, we use to anchor in the vary spot in the Verney's. The same folks, not so gray then, came shooting buy our kids swimming off the stern nearly hitting them. This is not new for these Gray Hairs, it's their mode of operation. You would think the Marine Patrol would take some action in this regard. Shame on them.

WB17Y, Thank you for your post. It sure does shed some light on what happened to us. The next time I choose to anchor in that location, I will have my camera at the ready. Apparently this has been going on way to long.

mooring
 

Someone said that they could moore 5' off the shore. I may be wrong, but it seems to me that there is a law saying that it illegal to moore less than 25' and then you must be 50' from another boat. I must admit that I am not sure of this and could be wrong. (did I say I could be wrong?):eek:

I think that we all should respect other peoples property and privacy. Be courtess to your fellow boaters, obey the 150' rule, and then above all else enjoy the lake the summer is too short.

John, the distance from shore and distance from other boats, only applies in "No Rafting Zones". Outside these zones there are no distance rules or laws.

See RSA 270:44 or search for rafting on this forum.

No laws!!!
 

Yiiikes! It's like the wild-wild west out there! Better stay in the no-rafting zones! :laugh:

Lake Norman NC
 

I have seen an aerial photo at Lancaster BBQ in Mooresville NC of a huge rafting party on Lake Norman. From the air it looks like a huge serpant in the middle of the lake. This is pretty slick. I like to see on a calm day a huge rafting party on The Broads. I see no entry in Guiness Book of World record for number of boats tied together. Will anyone be interested in joining a rafting party on The Broads, weather permitting, to enter a number in Guiness Book of World record? That will be slick to have another Winnipesaukee first. :D

I've seen and been in rafts of about a dozen boats on Winnipesaukee. It was novel the first few times but it lost it's appeal. I haven't rafted the new boat yet, but I may try it with one or two friends.

I've seen aerial shots like BH of huge rafts, at least a hundred boats. From a practical standpoint making this is on Winnipesaukee would be difficult. First you need a big shallow area that's not in a No rafting Zone. Anchoring in 80-90 feet of water like the broads will make an unweildy raft.

Second you need to keep the wakes down. And one big wake will send everyone scrambling. No matter how many fenders I had out I never felt safe in a big raft. Imagine the weight of ten other boats carried by a big wake and pushing on your hullsides. Now think about 100 boats.

Count me out, but I might buy the photo from Flyguy!

I wouldn't like to join it, but I sure would like to see it. If you do it make sure you tell us so we can watch!

After reading Woodswalks post,I would bet that he would welcome all in front of his place where it's a little more shallow

Thread-Drift? Not here...
 

Lake Norman's exceptional rafting contest is done for Charity: As a long, narrow and awkwardly-shaped lake, the raft must be serpent-shaped because room for normal boat traffic is necessary.

Two advantages of Lake Norman, is that it has a municipal water supply, and the location is
a "dry county". (IF you get my drift).

I doubt, even for Charity, you could get as many boats as Lake Norman gets:
Their record is over 1453 boats registered for the event! :eek2:

That said, locating your competing Lake Winnipesaukee rafting contest in "The Broads" would be far more accommodating to lakefront owners.

Many lakefront owners depend on a "clean" supply of water at the intake pipe. The availability of clean water is much-reduced in the shallower waters of Lake Winnipesaukee's inlets, coves, bays, and especially those oft-maligned No-Rafting zones. :cool:

Check this out

http://www.skipperbuds.com/Page.aspx...e-Raft-Up.aspx

BroadHopper,

In the day's of my youth I tried a simmilar stunt as you describe with about 5 or 6 boats in the broads behind Rattlesnake. It went really well until just after dusk we were interruped by the Mount's horn as it came directly towards us from Wolfborough.

If you need to know how fast a bunch of youngsters can unlash five boats and get them underway I can defenitly tell you.

Therefore I must pass the offer to attempt this on a larger scale. I am not that young, quick or darring any more.

That looks like so much fun that it would have to be illegal in New England.