Quote:
Originally Posted by Lake Fan
I've also noticed a big increase in operators who refuse to give way when required, or who, with a little situational awareness, could change course a bit to eliminate a pinch point. I believe it's a combination of entitlement, coupled with strict adherence to the navigation lines on the GPS.
The "boat rage" is off the charts also. I've been flipped off for just for trying to avoid some bonehead who's on a collision course with me.
No doubt about it, it's been like the wild, wild west out on the water this summer, but Fall is coming...
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Its obviously hard to know what another boater is thinking unless you have a personal interaction with them, but my gut tells me some of these folks are honestly unaware of the combination of the rules and the practical matters of operation. (and they are not always the same or even in agreement with each other) I suspect some of the rental boat operators have never driven a boat before!
Then some are like kids with a new bike riding around on public football/soccer/etc fields raising a little hell in what they feel is a safe environment and not realizing the dangers of operating a 50 MPH power boat on a lake like Winnipesaukee.
Then you have just the pure arrogant jackasses. I see so many of the entitled types just decide to cut you off whenever they feel, or power into a no wake zone at full speed and cut the throttle only after the bow is on the other side of the marker. And what surprises me is that its not just the wakeboat - big money people doing this, though there are plenty of them. I also see so many "senior" captains running modest older boats and driving them like they own the lake and get out of their way of you will get run over. They will jump the line at the docks and look you in the eye and tell you they were there first when they were in fact the LAST one in line! And so on and so on. And then there are the "cabin cruiser" guys curling 3 - 4 foot wakes all over the lake that rival the wakeboat people i their ability to wreak havoc.
Pretty much its like you said, the wild west, well at least on some days.
Be safe/ATB