Am I being a Richard Cranium?

[Stumpalump]

Lake Pleasant AZ is the big lake near Phoenix. It has one stretch at the mouth clearly marked No Skiing. It's so nice to get away from the surf boats doing circles and the canyon walls block some wind and provide shade. You see party barges enjoying the peace or old school jet boats wanting to run the smooth water. I use it because I'm in a light aluminum 18 footer and need a break from the wind and wakes. Lately on every trip I find folks skiing in it. They drive right past the warning boey because the Sherrif sits in the air conditioned clubhouse. In the past I've reminded people that they could get a ticked but they basically scoff. Now I ride up with the radio in my hand and pretend to talk on it. My boat looks commercial and I wear a guide shirt but with a dog and wife I'm not impersonating. I basically ride up and tell them that they are in a no sking area. They see the radio and me talking on it and leave. Like I said we have one place to run out of the rats nest of wakes and they have to surf there??? Who is the bigger Richard, me for running them off like that or them for breaking the law?

 

[thunder550]

No skiing means no skiing, I'm all for what you're doing, lol. Which specific area are you talking about? We've been out at Pleasant a lot the past 2 months, it amazes me everyone's "interpretation" of no wake, especially out in party cove.

 

[Stumpalump]

No Title

No skiing means no skiing, I'm all for what you're doing, lol. Which specific area are you talking about? We've been out at Pleasant a lot the past 2 months, it amazes me everyone's "interpretation" of no wake, especially out in party cove.

The Agua Fria River. It starts East of the party cove that's called Humbug Cove and runs up toward Table Mesa. A huge flock of North American White Pelicans lives at the end. In fact I saw a lot of migrating birds yesterday all over the lake. I try to avoid them.

 

[thunder550]

The Agua Fria River. It starts East of the party cove that's called Humbug Cove and runs up toward Table Mesa. A huge flock of North American White Pelicans lives at the end. In fact I saw a lot of migrating birds yesterday all over the lake. I try to avoid them.

Ah ok, we've been a little ways up that arm but not very far. Might have to check it out, then we can yell at the surfers too.

 

[roscoe]

Why not actually call the lake patrol/sheriff ?

 

[roffey]

If it were me I would complain to the authorities. I think you are in the right to ask them not to ski but also think you are asking for trouble.

 

[GA_Boater]

Well ****, Head to quiet spot away from them and call the water cops. Let them be the bad guys.

I'll guess there is a reason it's a no ski zone and it's for safety. I know of several places on my lake with no ski zones and all of them are narrow and congested with docks and in one case, a large marina. Let WC's do their job and don't even act like you're calling them. Idjits do stupid stuff and you don't want to be a target.

 

[82rude]

Your in the right but let the coppers take care of it .

 

[Stumpalump]

The lake is in Maricopa County. Ever since Sherrif Joe left they don't even monitor channel 16 anymore. They write a few tickets for trailer lights and only Joyride the sherrif boat on nice days to entertain the brass. You should see them...The jet skis took over the no wake zone on the other side. The party cove is still good! The wife was asking to know why dollar bills are floating around in it and why aren't we picking them up. I said "I don't know." Then she saw the stripper pole.. We don't get to go there anymore......

 

[thunder550]

We were out at Bartlett last weekend and didn't see a sheriff boat either. Used to be out and making the rounds for the majority of the day on Saturdays and Sundays. Guess not any more. Got two brief drive bys on the beach, that was the extent of it.

 

[H20Rat]

Now I ride up with the radio in my hand and pretend to talk on it. My boat looks commercial and I wear a guide shirt but with a dog and wife I'm not impersonating. I basically ride up and tell them that they are in a no sking area.

No skiing is no skiing, but that is a dickhead move. You are very, very close to impersonating law enforcement, and you are risking being the cause of a less-than-friendly experience.

Call the cops, don't pretend to be them.

 

[thunder550]

No skiing is no skiing, but that is a dickhead move. You are very, very close to impersonating law enforcement, and you are risking being the cause of a less-than-friendly experience.

Call the cops, don't pretend to be them.

Meh...driving an unmarked boat while talking on a radio isn't borderline impersonation. If it is, tell that to all the guys driving ex-police crown vics with black and white paint and the spotlights still installed.

 

[southkogs]

Meh...driving an unmarked boat while talking on a radio isn't borderline impersonation. If it is, tell that to all the guys driving ex-police crown vics with black and white paint and the spotlights still installed.

... until one of the one of the ski boat skippers is done dealing with stupid cops and does something that you're completely unprepared and untrained to handle occurs. You probably wouldn't be charged with impersonation for doing something like that, but with some of the weirdos out there being charged is not always your biggest concern.

Be safe.

 

[gtochris]

How is the water level out there? A quick google image search and it appears the water is quite low.

 

[thunder550]

It's low....a little above half capacity.

http://www.cap-az.com/departments/water-operations/lake-pleasant-operations

 

[Stumpalump]

No Title

How is the water level out there? A quick google image search and it appears the water is quite low.

The lakes are never full unless it floods so the percent full is misleading. It looks full at 75%. There is a lot of water in all the lakes right now considering we are in the dry season. Out east you get more rain on an adverage rainy weekend than we get in a year so the lakes fall dramatically over the summer. This is the shoreline from two or three weeks ago. Looks to be pretty full to me at 57%. Here are pics of Pleasant, Sajoro, Powell and Bartlett over the past 2 months.

 

[Starcraft5834]

i'd refrain from playing "cop"... report the activity and let the Sheriff do their job.. getting the Sheriff to do their job is another story entirely... I'd offer to boat elsewhere... unfortunately, that lake is about the only puddle capable of boating in the greater Phoenix area.. to many boats to few places to boat... wrong region of county to own a boat,, IMHO.. have been in that area several times.... if your an avid boater.. dont move there

 

[oldjeep]

Lake Pleasant AZ is the big lake near Phoenix. It has one stretch at the mouth clearly marked No Skiing. It's so nice to get away from the surf boats doing circles and the canyon walls block some wind and provide shade. You see party barges enjoying the peace or old school jet boats wanting to run the smooth water. I use it because I'm in a light aluminum 18 footer and need a break from the wind and wakes. Lately on every trip I find folks skiing in it. They drive right past the warning boey because the Sherrif sits in the air conditioned clubhouse. In the past I've reminded people that they could get a ticked but they basically scoff. Now I ride up with the radio in my hand and pretend to talk on it. My boat looks commercial and I wear a guide shirt but with a dog and wife I'm not impersonating. I basically ride up and tell them that they are in a no sking area. They see the radio and me talking on it and leave. Like I said we have one place to run out of the rats nest of wakes and they have to surf there??? Who is the bigger Richard, me for running them off like that or them for breaking the law?

The rules are the rules - if ti says no skiing then there should be none. I find it odd that you have no issue with "old school jet boats wanting to run the smooth water" and somehow a ski boat which puts out less wake than any classic jet boat I've ever been in is a problem. Although you seem to keep mixing skiing and surfing, so maybe it is just a fisherman's generic description of watersports and you mean surfers.

 

[shrew]

There is a very fine line between inferring that you're an officer and impersonating an officer. No you're not wearing a badge, uniform or stating you are an authority. However, that is very thinly sliced IMHO. All someone has to do is say "The cop over there told me....." Now you're having to prove that you didn't impersonate.

 

[Stumpalump]

The rules are the rules - if ti says no skiing then there should be none. I find it odd that you have no issue with "old school jet boats wanting to run the smooth water" and somehow a ski boat which puts out less wake than any classic jet boat I've ever been in is a problem. Although you seem to keep mixing skiing and surfing, so maybe it is just a fisherman's generic description of watersports and you mean surfers.

I don't know the terms today. They used to be called ski boats and they invented wake board boats. Today the big new ones are called surf boats out here. They were invented for all the folks that are too weak and uncoordinated to ride a slalom ski. Same reason the dirt bike manufactures invented the quad. The problem with them vs a jet boat is that the jet boat does one fast run and is gone vs wake enhanced boats driving in circles. The other thing is just being able to joy ride without risking running over somebody. Per capita AZ has more boats than any other state but we have the best weather and best water as well. Havasu, Mead, Powell, Colorado River, Rosevelt, Apache, Alamo, Canyon, Sajoro, Pleasant ,Bartlett. Mohave and I'm sure I missed a few. Google images for Lake Canyon, Sajoro and Powell. OMG are they nice! I grew up on the Mullica River NJ and worked for Post Marine. I'm headed to Florida in the morning and lived to boat all of the amazing waters in Arkansas and Georgia. Is AZ the best? It could be argued that it is if you trailer.