does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

[kwdude11]

hi all, last year, on my boston whaler 18ft, i had a close call with dumb jetski people who went past me and went across of me during my test run at full power due to adjustments and tune up. i was so pissed that i had to throttle back, interupting the seatrial run! i never had a chance to confront those idiots because they dissapeared. does any one have similar experience?

cheers!

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Learn to expect it!!!

 

[kwdude11]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

of course i always expect it, but those guys have no respect for safety!

 

[moterboat]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

yes,I had a close incounter with one around a year ago,I was ancored out fishing and they come by pretty close to me interuping my fishing hole and thier second pass by me my can of coke had a close incounter with them..

 

[Chris1956]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Here in NJ we have a law requiring PWC operators to have a special license. That law has had the effect of reducing the number and stupidity of the riders. They will still turn in front of your boat (seems like every time), and cut you off, but it is better than it was 5+ years ago.

when my son was 1-2 years old, I had him in the boat, in my arms, idling down a no wake channel. A Waverunner shot out from the shallows, perpendicular to my course and behind me. He turned toward me as he passed behind me and then was on a collision course. As he got closer, I saw that he had his eyes closed (saltwater?). He nearly hit the back of my boat, but opened his eyes at the last moment and turned away.

It would have been an interesting collision since my boat had a flat, high transom and V6 I/O for power. I think he would have hooked his jaw on my ski eye, as he flew over the hull.

 

[loppster]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

While going towards a narrow passage to go underneath a bridge, a lady was on a jetski sitting right in the middle of the passage for the bridge. She had the front compartment opened, so I thought maybe she was having a problem. I slowly pulled close to her and asked if she needed assistance. She said "no thanks, I am just getting something to drink." She must have thought she was the only person on the lake!!!

Late in the day, as I was getting ready to pull my boat out of the water, there were two jetski's blocking part of the ramp. This couple, previous lady included, decided instead of using the courtesy dock to dismount the jetski's, would just block the ramp. Needless to say, having already been a bit irritaded with her previous actions on the lake, I backed my trailer straight into the water where they were at, forcing them to move over to the dock.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

At the risk of stereotyping it seems that 98% of PWC operators seem to be irresponsible kids, fools and lobotomy patients.
I've seen one (only one) responsibly operated...and the guy on it was a 60 year old guy taking his granddaughter for a cruise.
The premise of these PWC's are to go as fast in one direction as possible and then radically change direction (a lot)....exactly the last thing associated with any safe boating. They are not any good or practical (or fun?) for anything other than 'extreme' maneuvers.
Who would get on one of these to cruise?...ski?....travel? Pretty much no one. They are for kids.
They should be confined to a fixed enclosed area like bumper cars for the usually 53 minute physical 'jump and frolic' and they be done. They should not be allowed in any area with (legally legitimate) boats.
....bit harsh maybe...but thats my opinion.

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Well, to each his own. I should say though that I see far more STUPID boaters on the water than I do PWC's and I am much more fearful of the boaters. It is really not too much different that motorcycles on the road. Everyone has a right to the space and yes the point is to go as fast as you can and do radically change direction, kind of like wakeboarding and other watersports.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

I see stupid and smart people on both. I think one of the problems is if you are a non boater and looking to get into the sport, it is easier and faster route to get into it with a PWC than a boat because they are less expensive and much easier to tow. Thus, you get unexperienced people with way too much "boat".

That being said, the ability to make something the size of a baby crib hit 60 MPH on water is asking for trouble.

 

[rheyboer]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Not exactly. I don't tow my kids behind my car and I've never had a motorcycle try to get thrills jumping my buicks wake and missing said children by a few feet.

If I see a PWC nearby while towing I go no-wake now to take away any incentive for the PWC to come closeto me. Of course this makes the kids hate PWC's. I still remember a story of a lady who was camcording her kids on a tube when they got run over and killed. Just seems like PWC's are always getting too close.

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Well, maybe my point was lost on you. Safety is YOUR concern, if you expect the other guy to be safe you will be wrong. BTW, we ski, roller blade, etc... behind cars and snowmobiles all the time (or at least I used to) not that it was safe either, but it was fun as hell.

 

[srothfuss]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Yes, I think every single boater in the world has witnessed or expereinced some form of "stupid human trick" that relate to a Jet Flea. At the same time, I've had powerboats nearly run into me when I'm out sailing (1 did infact make contact with my boat)


For proper boating (even PWC's) the owner of whatever craft should be well read in all of the laws of proper traffic flow on the water. However some are not

 

[Scaaty]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

I ride my boats just like I been riding my bikes for the last 47 years....everybody's an idiot, and none can see you...

 

[Nandy]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Let me see...

Getting in the cove im fishing even though there is a big lake outhere.
While in the cove, pass behind me at wot...
While in the cove, pass between me and the shore im fishing, wave while at it...
Changing direction without looking first.
Cutting me off just to show off how fasters he is.
Jumping my wake and landing real close, I mean, real close...
and the winner is...

Taking your new father's day jet ski gift for it's first ride, leave the ramps (no wake) at wot, having the fish cop stop him in from of everyone in the ramp and drop the entire book on him.

Priceless...

 

[Dakota47]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Almost every time i go boating. there everywhere.

 

[sbulla]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

A few years back my Sis had an old Kawasaki TS650 that she and her hubby couldn't get to run so, they gave it to me to play with. Well, within a week I had it out on the lake acting like a kid with a new toy (wait, I WAS a kid with a new toy...a 56 year old kid anyway).

At that time common sense told me to keep my distance from other vessels but, I never knew the animosity between boaters and operators of those toys 'till I started reading this forum although, I did notice a lot of attitude at the launch ramp when I was putting in.

I now know why I got such an out pouring of gratitude the day I spied a man paddling his bowrider with wife and kid and I towed him a few hundred yards back to the ramp. ;-)

Sonny

 

[Nandy]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Sonny, we dont seem to find a lot like you, mostly the other kind were are talking here. Worts thing, some adult seems to be as bad as any teenager. I mean, from what I wrote, only the incident from the cove was a teenager, everything else, including the guys going wot at the ramp were older gentleman, older than I and I am almost 40.
However, I have seem my share of dangerous boaters, just not in the amount and disregard as with the pwc.

 

[Mark42]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Most of the time I am boating on bays. I can tell you that jet ski's are few and far between. Once and only once did I see a middle age couple on a large jet ski cruising about 20mph in the middle of the bay.

One time on the Hudson river I found a "swarm" of jet skis hanging around the launch by the GW bridge. They run a hundred yards out, do some stuns, then race back to the dock and rest. Seems to me they never stray far from the dock or launch.

Am I correct in assuming that there are more jet skis on lakes and rivers than on bays and ocean waters?

 

[Ezrider_92356]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

i can say i have had my fair share of experiances with stupid jet ski operators i dont mind one jumping my wake if they stay a safe distance away but it pisses me off when they fly threw a no wake zone when im fishing doing 30+mph i rode one when i was a young teenager i was always taught to follow the rules of the watter i think the problem with alot of tehm is they dont know the rules or think that they dont apply due to there small size and manuverabilty

 

[Nandy]

Re: does any one had close call with jetski while boating?

Exrider, they do know. In nc where I boat they must have a navigation curse from the state, power squadron or coast guard and I dont see any difference.

Mark, I believe you are right. The ones in saltwater tent to stay close to shore.