anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

[marine4003]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

The flare thing sounds brilliant to me, but only because the boat didn't blow up or burn to the water (apparently, we don't actually know do we?). I honestly think if those idiots had been injured you would have been liable, as the story was told.

Obviously I wasn't there, I don't know how close they were getting, how big your boat is, how big their boat was, etc, etc. But it would be hard to prove your life was in danger just from some yahoos boating in circles around you.

Now if they continued time after time to try to get that line on your boat even after warnings I think you would be fine.

As for brandishing a firearm. It should NEVER, EVER even make an appearance until it needs to be used to immediately protect your life. If your plan is to shoot up the boat, you should ever pull the gun in the first place.

In that situation the only point you would be justified in the use of deadly force is if they got that line attached to your boat, or if you were in danger of capsizing. If that was the case with my boat, the last thing I would do would be to waste bullets I need to save my life on putting tiny little holes in the hull that would do nothing. 2 in the chest of the guy with the rope, two in the driver's chest, and if anyone still feels like fighting I'ld have 8 more for them.

The fact is, the best way out of that situation, and 99.9% of all situations, is to do what the houseboat did. Call teh cops, point your boat for home and don't stop until the idiots get bored.

My wife took our 3Y.ut this summer and found herself being buzzed by 4 jetfleas...splashing her & kaitlin..the madder she got the more they buzzed & splashed, she didnt want to run them down due to kaitlin being on board but she did use the flare gun ,,shot 4 flares at the sob's..finally left her alone..turns out the jets were rentals, tracked down the renters..Ohio boys..thought it was funny, till i called 2 of there fathers and explained what happened..got letters of apology and phone calls from the same. Good thing i wasn't on board..there would of been 4 statistics.Me... that's one thing..threaten my family???someones gonna die. Semper Fi.

 

[david_r]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

i have to agree with the majority................. you felt endangered and your life threatened........ do whatever it takes to make it back home safely.

another weapon not mentioned is fishing weights....... i carry an assortment from the little clip on lead weights to the 6oz catfishing weights...... thats what we use them for anyhow.

just get you some weights tie them onto your line and give'em a fling. if you hit someone who cares.. they should show respect and act their age. even if you only hit their boat its still gonna leave a mark.... and if you miss well you just reel it back in a try again............ although 4 to 1 might make you rethink an altercation, even though bullies are usually wussies you get a couple runnin together and they get braver.


im glad to see you changed your mind about boating.

as far as the flares go.. good thinking. i dont carry flares but i might start now lol.

all in all i think you were spot on with your actions.

 

[Maclin]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

I like the fishing weight idea, if they complain it proves they were too close! Flares are dangerous but I would not hesitate to use them in the situation originally described.

 

[Dellonn]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

I love florida and it's Castle Doctrine. Your honor, I was in fear for my life. I honestly thought my life was in danger. I attempted to evade several times, but his boat was more powerful and I couldn't get away. I just had to shoot him over and over.

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

I have a big shiny .45 Auto I keep on the boat. Would get the point across faster than a lit flare I bet...

Don't give up on the boating experience. Thats a 1:100,000 scenario, and even if those guys do meet you on the water again, I bet all you need to do is hold up a flare and they'll head to shore.

Worst I've experienced (I live on a moored houseboat BTW) are a bunch of teens 'wake surfing'. They'll make laps around the inner bay and get within 50 yards. Not terribly close, but the point of their travel is to make the biggest wake possible to surf on, and it certainly moves things around onboard.

 

[cribber]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

I love florida and it's Castle Doctrine. Your honor, I was in fear for my life. I honestly thought my life was in danger. I attempted to evade several times, but his boat was more powerful and I couldn't get away. I just had to shoot him over and over.

Absolutely!!! Here in Florida if you're threatened you do not have to back down and have the right to protect yourself from harm. Also we have the Sheriff's Marine Patrol along with the Fish and Wildlife guys out on our lakes most weekends and these dillholes would have been arrested. Sorry you had to put up with these idiots and hope they get their due soon!!!

 

[bass or bass ?]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

I love florida and it's Castle Doctrine. Your honor, I was in fear for my life. I honestly thought my life was in danger. I attempted to evade several times, but his boat was more powerful and I couldn't get away. I just had to shoot him over and over.

Ditto here in Arizona. I always have at least 3 guns on board. The .22 revolver, loaded with snakeshot I keep in my tacklebox; My designated boat gun, a 1911 .45, and one of my concealed carry weapons, either 9mm or .44 magnum. At the point of trying to tie up to my boat, I would have produced a weapon. If the situation escalated, intentional discharges would have occured until I no longer felt that my family's lives were in danger.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

I have a big shiny .45 Auto I keep on the boat. Would get the point across faster than a lit flare I bet...

It was discussed earlier, but that probably would not have ended well. You are dealing with someone who is drunk, not afraid to get hurt, and probably pretty stupid at the same time. You would have pulled out your shiny 45, and they could have pulled out multiple firearms. Who do you think is crazy enough to shoot first?

Pulling a gun on someone only works if they actually might respond to the consequences and don't feel they have an upper hand with the own guns, otherwise you just screwed yourself.

 

[cribber]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

I'm retired military and was trained if you pull a weapon, aim for critical mass and take out your target. Otherwise, stand your ground and meet force with force. Knuckleheads are everywhere and I'd rather call the cops if I'm not in danger and not having to explain why I brandished a weapon to the police without pulling the trigger.

 

[Dellonn]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

If I pull my weapon, rest assured, it's going to fire less than a second later. I shoot dime size groups at 10 yards with my carry wep. If my life is in danger, it's a no brainer.

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

Pulling a gun on someone only works if they actually might respond to the consequences and don't feel they have an upper hand with the own guns, otherwise you just screwed yourself.

I'd argue if they were still able to stand on a moving boat, then their brain would register the sobering fact that its no longer 'fun and games' on the water. BUT, it could very easily go the route you mentioned...

I'm retired military and was trained if you pull a weapon, aim for critical mass and take out your target. Otherwise, stand your ground and meet force with force. Knuckleheads are everywhere and I'd rather call the cops if I'm not in danger and not having to explain why I brandished a weapon to the police without pulling the trigger.

In any case, I'd rather no take a life... but I'll take an outboard out. Going back to the point smokingcrater was making, even that could escalate things to a more dangerous situation, if they too were armed.

SO, with all that said, when and where its time to defend yourself with what means you have available is a touchy subject I'd rather not get into detail with. Easier to make enemies rather than friends with this subject, so I'll leave off here.

 

[JDs Dorsett]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

im fairly new to boating myself (which is why i had the flares lol well that and have had a lot of problems with this evinrude engine) most of the people we have come across have been very nice i have only had this thing in the water 8 times. once i had to remove the flywheel on the water due to a points adjustment issue and had 3 people stop and ask if we needed anything, it made me feel good to think that "boat people" seem to sort of look after each other and i was looking forwad to being able to "help somone else" then this happened. To be honest im considering selling it, I know my mom wont ever go back out and around here its not like we can just go somwhere else its an 80 mile round trip to where we were and a lot further to lake erie, not to sound like a wimp but it sort of left a bad taste in my mouth all this work fixing the water pump, points, carbs, all the work on the trailer and the boat itself to get it ready not to mention the purchase price and all the other little stuff then on the way out we had a lower radiator hose pop on the way up a hill and spun the back end of the truck around on our own coolant when it let loose (which scared the living hell out me). maybe im just feeling sorry for myself but its upsetting when you are learning the rules of the water and have had so many problems, then when you get them sorted out and all the crap you went through to get there and have to deal with people pulling crap like that sort of seems like the whole boat thing which i thought would be relaxing has been more stressful than work.

You have heard the saying...."That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger" Don't let these things that have happen detur you from what can be fun and relaxing and give you some great memories, all these people on here, aren't addicted to the problems and attacks that you had that day. they have had what makes working on a boat and using it, with all the great trips,memories, worth while. trust me, glad your fam. is ok, you have a great thinking mind to come up with that Idea, and save your fam. from any further harm. I am new to this site, your post inspired me to put up my first post on this subject.

 

[Dellonn]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

When my boat is running, it's hard for most boats to catch me, hehe.

 

[j_martin]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

If a weapon isn't seen, first round goes into the motor. After that it's up to them.

My advice is to shut up and hold your hands high, while I back out of here. I'll send a tow.


My 02
John

 

[Dellonn]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

When you go in front of the judge to justify your shooting, the prosecutor is going to make the case that you couldn't have been in fear for your life. Had you really been in fear for your life, you'd have shot the man trying to kill you, not his engine.

No thanks. He's trying to hurt me, not my engine. I think i'll stick with my first instinct, remove the threat... for good!

Besides, I have no issue thinning out the population of ignorant people.

 

[j_martin]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

I'm afraid for my life, but I don't want to kill someone if I can stop him. If I take the engine, and cover him while I escape, I've met the goal.

Fearing for one's life doesn't have to include panic, only a reasonable assumption that harm is imminent. It is possible to be in that position and still be able to think in terms of escape.

BTW, the tow I would have called would have been the water patrol.

my 02
John

 

[greenbush future]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

Stupid people are everywhere and while this situation happened to you, I can tell you there are more idiots on the roads than the water. So if you have figured out how to deal with all the crap we experience on roads, the lake should be a cake walk. What would you have done if this happened on the road? I would call 911 and explain with details what occured and let them decide what to do with stupid people that choose to endanger others. Let the cops shoot these ding dongs because in todays world, right or wrong, taking the situation into your own hands would more than likley land you in jail. Very sad but true.

 

[Suthrngntlmn]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

I have a big shiny .45 Auto I keep on the boat. Would get the point across faster than a lit flare I bet...

Don't give up on the boating experience. Thats a 1:100,000 scenario, and even if those guys do meet you on the water again, I bet all you need to do is hold up a flare and they'll head to shore.

Worst I've experienced (I live on a moored houseboat BTW) are a bunch of teens 'wake surfing'. They'll make laps around the inner bay and get within 50 yards. Not terribly close, but the point of their travel is to make the biggest wake possible to surf on, and it certainly moves things around onboard.

I agree get their attention and change their attitude.

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

I think the OP's idea of chucking a few flares onto their vessel is right on. No telling what they were after if they were trying to board his craft without permission. Their behaviour was aggressive and intimidating to him and after having watched these guys try the same to the houseboat guy, I would argue that you were defending yourself.

I think we can all agree that these were most likely a bunch of stupid kids who got ahold of Daddy's boat (since they most likely never worked for anything in their lives) and they needed a comeuppance from those of us who worked for our living.

I say: "NICE WORK clearwatguy!"

 

[CaptainPointless]

Re: anyone else ever get harrassed by drunks on a speed boat?

You mean no body would have used one of these against them?

But in all seriousness, I think a self-defense type weapon, such as a taser, or better yet, OC spray (by the way, this sh!t will bring down a bear without trying), would definitely have been in order. However, given the fact that you had no idea what their devious intentions were, you were totally justified in using the only tools you had aboard to fend them off. It worked, didn't it? They DID stop bothering you. And in all honesty, most courts would have found you innocent had something worse happened, as long as you had the testimony from the other guy they were harassing.

So, my recommendation? Buy a can of OC spray, and keep it in the glovebox of your boat at all times. It's relatively inexpensive, has a pretty good usable range, considering it's an aerosol, and will buy you time. Trust me, you get hit in the face with OC spray, finding a weapon is the LAST thing on your mind. You're going to be far too preoccupied with attempting to restore the vision that suddenly has temporarily ceased to exist. The best thing about the stuff? You simply have to wait for the effects to wear off. It's oil based, so water does nothing to remove it from your skin and eyes.