The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

[tswiczko]

last year at a ramp that I was coming up to after a day of being on the water I watched a man back a boat several times into the river on the last time he pulled it out before his final attempt at a launch the keel was between the starboard bunk and fender of the trailer. I beached my boat and let the kids swim while we waited for this guy to get away from the ramp (I didn't feel safe in the water near this guy) another 15 minutes go by and he has his wife and son in the boat and he is now loading the coolers and what not in the boat as the line at the ramp grows longer and more agitated.

I wandered down there to watch the show and offered the guy a hand and got snapped at by him( probably stressed out ) so I shrugged it off as he tried to start the motor, after letting him crank for about 5 minutes I walked over beside his boat in the water and offered again. He then looks at me and says it's his neighbors boat and he had borrowed it for the weekend. I asked him if he had ever piloted a boat before and the answer was his Dad had a john boat when he was a kid and it shouldn't be that hard. While I was talking to him I was looking the boat over, wife and son had pfd's on and fire extinguisher etc and it appeared to be in order. So I reached in the boat and took the lanyard off the dash and plugged it in then set the start lever on the throttle and told him to give it a spin and it started.

I told him sit here and let it warm up a little and went to the bow to unhook the bow strap but he was in too much of a hurry and liked to pull the truck boat and trailrer into the water. I hollered as the rig was coming at me and he must have jumped because he pulled the kill switch out. I was gettig a little nervous about letting this guy take his wife and son out in the boat .

he tried to restart the engine and totaly floded it this tim and the battery had bee worn down from his cranking earlier. I told him to give me his keys and I would pull the rig out of the water for him.

He gave me the keys I went to the bow and winched the bow eye up tight. got in his Suburban and pulled them slowly from the water letting the boat settle properly onto the bunks. The line at the ramp was clapping and cheering as we drove up to the parking lot agravating this guy even more when we got there this guy comes around to the front of the truck yelling at me in frustration about the piece of crap boat, the river current, and anything else he could blane the situation on instead of him and his inexperience. His wife in the mean time is trying to calm him down to no avail.

I told the man, that? I didn't think it was a good idea to take them out without having his neighbor take him out and giving him a shake down on the boat and how to operate it safely?.

I was trying to be polite and calm about it when this guy blew up like an atomic bomb at me ad began a tirade of profanity toward me and WHO THE HE** WAS I TO TELL HIM HE COULD NOT TAKE HIS WIFE AND SON OUT ON A BOAT and this went on for several minutes. I hadn't said anything bad yet to the man ( which was completely out of character for me when confronted) about this time a ranger pulls up behind the guy and hears him yelling at me, evidently someone at the ramp had called them, the Ranger began talking to the guy and after trying to explain his situation to the Ranger he turns to me and says tell him what a piece of crap this boat is and how it wasn't his fault

I looked at the ranger and told him this guy has no business borrowing a boat let alone being on the water and the Ranger told me that was all he needed from me and got my pertinent information and let me go back down to my family at our boat and waited for the ramp to clear. I usually try to help if I can but there are some people I am afraid to help. I wouldn?t want to help someone out and hear they were hurt or worse yet hurt someone else because of their negligence or inexperience on the water.

 

[rbh]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

OHHHH-
Give till it hurts, you know you love it.
(at least you lended a helping hand and that is more than some do, good for you)

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

I've seen similar situations where the guy didn't have a clue, it's in those situations that I'm hesitant unless I'm by myself, then heck yea I'll babysit for awile, just not when my wife and kids are with me.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

Hey, you gave it an honest shot. If the guy is even close to non-lunatic he will realize after a time that he allowed he emotions to overcome caution, care, due diligence or whatever.
I bet he smarts in his mind when he thinks about what happened. And it's just as well he didn't get launched. His friend must have been a trusting person to lend him that boat.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

I've got to get out to the public ramps more often! All these stories lately, what a mess. But then that's OK I see enough goofs on the water every day.

Can't say "Saftey 1st" enough.

 

[tswiczko]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

I've got to get out to the public ramps more often! All these stories lately, what a mess. But then that's OK I see enough goofs on the water every day.

Can't say "Saftey 1st" enough.

Dealing with the publis isn't all it's cracked up to be

 

[iop]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

Here is some assistance I HAD to give...and this is the first time something like this has happened to me and and ****fted my attitude some.

Me and the wife are out last Sunday with some friends anchored in our usual spot on the inlet. Tide is coming strong and a good wind the same direction. Just ocean side from us the inlet opens up into a small bay and there is usualy a few folks skiing or tubing. My bow is facing the bay. I look over at the bay a see a 19' center console coming in towards our area. it's a family... 2 kids on board one in the water, mom and pop. They are all at the stern fiddling with some ropes.

The boat is in nuetral coasting towards us. At this point its close enough to keep looking but no reason for concern... 10 seconds later: First cause of alarm... i realize that if the guy takes no action NOW he at least going to come close to my anchor line having a tight relationship with his prop. he looks over... sees me and procedes to run to the helm. he sits down and then just as fast GETS UP AND WALKS BACK TO THE STERN and proceeds to fiddle the ropes again... At this point I'm out on the bow of my boat yelling at him... he is now on 100% collision course! I sit down on my bow and catch his boat with my feet and was able to stop it from hitting. my friend jumps over too and we got 2 sets of feet hold us apart. I'm thinking my luck my anchor will break loose and we all going into the marsh! But we held.

I look over at the guy... there is only one way to put it fellas... he dont wear the pants!!! Within a few minutes we got my anchor line from under his hull and pushed it under the prop to get him free and pushed him off. He didnt say one word during the entire "meeting" he just followed our instructions so we could get him free. I wanted to ask WTF he was thinking to allow this situation to develop. But the look on his face said it all. And i didnt want to hear him lie about the obvious in front oif his kids and wife... he was in over his head.

The boat he was HAD to be his friends... it was a grady, had some years on it but in nice shape. The same state tags.

The lesson I learned is never take for granted folks know what they are doing... even if they look like it for the moment.
I still would love to know why he abandoned helm at the moment when he had the chance to avoid collision. Could it have been his wife yelling at him to come help with the ropes??? WTF????

 

[rbh]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

Dealing with the publis isn't all it's cracked up to be

You know it is kinda funny when you are out and this crud happens.
You drop your voice two octives (sgt major style) get your rant on, and tell them "there will be a test later".
The air becomes quite (sp), and people pay attention,
some times it is best to be the crankiest one in the bunch, if you want something done properly.

 

[superbenk]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

tswiczko, that's definitely one thing more annoying & unproductive than an angry line at the ramp. Sorry you had to deal with that reaction, but I commend your willingness to help rather than just get cranky at a beginner!

 

[JZammetti]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

Okay, confession time, my first launch as captain and new boat owner. I was retrieving and following my handy dandy checklist to the letter, except for the line that said ?Raise the transom before pulling out of the ramp? I was in my Jeep, my wife on the dock, after a few brief scraping sounds this guy runs down the dock yells to me ?Can I jump in your boat and STOP?. I let him and I stopped instantly. The guy raised my transom and I pulled out without any of issues. I walked over and thanked him over and over and even offer to buy him dinner. He refused; he said he was glad to be there. I try to help others at the ramp whenever I can. Glad some do the same.

 

[tswiczko]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

You know it is kinda funny when you are out and this crud happens.
You drop your voice two octives (sgt major style) get your rant on, and tell them "there will be a test later".
The air becomes quite (sp), and people pay attention,
some times it is best to be the crankiest one in the bunch, if you want something done properly.

Yeah I thought about doing that in the first place but my wife and kids were with me, and she always tells me be nice as they are used to hearing me and it goes in one ear and out the other with them, but strangers don't know how to take it some times so I bite my tongue and speak softly when she advises it( she hates it when I escalate things for the fun of it).

IOP I have had a few similar run ins. couple years ago, my daughter was in the water off the tube and we were picking her up when a little tri hull came at full throttle at us and almos drowned her. I wound up throwing a water bottle and hitting the pilot, they came back around to vent their anger at me so I climbed onto their bow and jumped in their boat with them after I thew the first one overboard the other two tried running from me in that little boat, my wife couldn't stop laughing.

Now she tells everyone what a terrible roll model I am for the kids but they will at least have a good reason to goto a therapist when they get older

 

[rbh]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

Yeah I thought about doing that in the first place but my wife and kids were with me, and she always tells me be nice as they are used to hearing me and it goes in one ear and out the other with them, but strangers don't know how to take it some times so I bite my tongue and speak softly when she advises it( she hates it when I escalate things for the fun of it).

IOP I have had a few similar run ins. couple years ago, my daughter was in the water off the tube and we were picking her up when a little tri hull came at full throttle at us and almos drowned her. I wound up throwing a water bottle and hitting the pilot, they came back around to vent their anger at me so I climbed onto their bow and jumped in their boat with them after I thew the first one overboard the other two tried running from me in that little boat, my wife couldn't stop laughing.

Now she tells everyone what a terrible roll model I am for the kids but they will at least have a good reason to goto a therapist when they get older

HHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Mello my Iboats brother, Mello, Go to that happy place.

 

[RobbyA]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

Yeah I thought about doing that in the first place but my wife and kids were with me, and she always tells me be nice as they are used to hearing me and it goes in one ear and out the other with them, but strangers don't know how to take it some times so I bite my tongue and speak softly when she advises it( she hates it when I escalate things for the fun of it).

IOP I have had a few similar run ins. couple years ago, my daughter was in the water off the tube and we were picking her up when a little tri hull came at full throttle at us and almos drowned her. I wound up throwing a water bottle and hitting the pilot, they came back around to vent their anger at me so I climbed onto their bow and jumped in their boat with them after I thew the first one overboard the other two tried running from me in that little boat, my wife couldn't stop laughing.

Now she tells everyone what a terrible roll model I am for the kids but they will at least have a good reason to goto a therapist when they get older

I have a handy 12/0 weighted treble hook tied to a rod and reel for idiots like that. I have hooked a jet skier, set the hook, cut the line, hung him the bird and told him have a nice day. There is a whole lake and these idiots gets so close, if they report me, hey I was just fishing and they came into my cast zone. The rod and reel is carried at all times whether I am fishing, skiing, tubing, or just joyriding.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

No body can help "Know it All's" Like these guys.........

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

I have a handy 12/0 weighted treble hook tied to a rod and reel for idiots like that. I have hooked a jet skier, set the hook, cut the line, hung him the bird and told him have a nice day. There is a whole lake and these idiots gets so close, if they report me, hey I was just fishing and they came into my cast zone. The rod and reel is carried at all times whether I am fishing, skiing, tubing, or just joyriding.

golf balls to throw=- last year I snagged the pole of a guy who trolled (big motor)right thru a school of surfacing white bass with a 1oz lead slab.

some people are clueless.

 

[nitsuj]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

I always offer help. I do this in hopes of karma. I've needed help a few times, and gotten it. And I've needed help a few times and watched as people just passed by. So if I see a guy who looks like his boat is broken, or he's having trouble launching or docking, I offer help. Just a quick offer. "Hey, you need some help?" That's it. I don't force it, or jump in without asking. People are weird, some folks are glad you offered help and accept it. Other folks don't like to admit their in over their heads so they'll decline help. Fine by me. I offered, and in my mind, that's the right thing to do.

 

[superpop]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

I have a handy 12/0 weighted treble hook tied to a rod and reel for idiots like that. I have hooked a jet skier, set the hook, cut the line, hung him the bird and told him have a nice day. There is a whole lake and these idiots gets so close, if they report me, hey I was just fishing and they came into my cast zone. The rod and reel is carried at all times whether I am fishing, skiing, tubing, or just joyriding.

I'm all for trying to get the idiots off the water, no matter what they do, but if someone did that to me, they would probably be spending some quality time in jail, or at least at the receiving end of a very expensive civil lawsuit. That is assault, pure and simple. You had malicious intent and carried it out, its people like you that should be banned from ever boating again. Don't count on that 'hey i was just fishing' line to get you out either, everyone carries a video camera these days, you never know when you are being recorded.

Maybe you can live with doing things like that, most people with some moral sense couldn't though.

 

[RobbyA]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

I'm all for trying to get the idiots off the water, no matter what they do, but if someone did that to me, they would probably be spending some quality time in jail, or at least at the receiving end of a very expensive civil lawsuit. That is assault, pure and simple. You had malicious intent and carried it out, its people like you that should be banned from ever boating again. Don't count on that 'hey i was just fishing' line to get you out either, everyone carries a video camera these days, you never know when you are being recorded.

Maybe you can live with doing things like that, most people with some moral sense couldn't though.

If you are within casting distance of my boat going above a no wake speed, you are in a sense breaking the law. You are also putting my family in danger and it is up to me to protect my family and not rely on the intelligence of others. If I have a my 3 children swimming in the water while anchored and you can be hit with a treble hook from the boat, then you are too damn close! Bring on the civil lawsuit, the video camera, because there is always the countersuit! We have a video camera also. I am not by any means a confrontational person, but when you put my family in danger, I will protect them by any means possible!

Oh, and most people with MORAL sense don't drive their watercraft within casting distance of a boat! Morals has nothing to do with it, protecting a 5yo, 11yo and 17yo swimming is my priority, especially when there is another 1/4 to 1/2 mile of water between us.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: The question is where do you draw the line on assistance?

A single neighbor gal asked if I would take her and group of her single girl friends on a cruise on the St Croix River. With my wifes blessing I did that and while anchored at a sand bar I took a stroll and found a rather scruffy looking dude with a house boat backed into the bar with the lower unit off a very aging outboard. I strolled up and said "doesn't look like any fun at all" to which the dude told me in no uncertain words how much fun he was having. Well -- the dude obviously had an serious mechanical issue so I asked if I could help in any way and once again he went off on me. Since this guy was waving wrenches at me and all I had to defend myself with was a diet coke I went back to the girls where I had a much better time and the scenery was just great. Some folks just don't want to be helped regardless how much trouble they are in. And it is usually because they feel their "manhood" is being threatened -- especially if Mom and the kids are along.