Attempted Sabatoge?

[DayCruiser]

What do you fellow boaters think of this:

We pull up to a large usually active cove for a swim. There are a good many homes that ring this cove. We are anchored in the center(40 to 60 ft of water?). I am swimming and feel something hitting my side. Look down and just under the waterline is this heavy duty tree branch. Floating vertically. I could lift it partially out of the water but it was a strain. Tied to the branch were water bottles up and down it. Looks to me like it was set up to do damage to somebodies prop etc and I think it could have done a good job of it. You would have never seen it from a boat. Kinda spooked me.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

Did you hook up your anchor rope to the branch and pull it out of harm's way..........Just a thought first time i saw that being done i thought they were crazy.............after a bit of thought i now both pull and call (some are to big for a rec boat) the Sheriff when i run across submerged tree's........... i know that's a bit self centered but what the heck, there are very few thing's in life that are so easy and give one's self so much satisfaction.......8)

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

i pick up a beer can the other day, covered in barnacles, and fell apart in my hand.

 

[LongJohnSilver]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

Any chance it was " artificial structure" dropped by a fisherman? I know some who drop branches, limbs, etc. and use it as a place to fish. They would weight down the branches with bricks or blocsk as I recall. Bottles attached does sound odd.

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

The bottles attached is what led me to believe that it was meant to do some damage. I should have but didn't move it out of the way. It was muddy and slimy like it had been under water for quite some time. Strange how it was just floating under the surface. I pulled it up a little ways out of the depths and saw those bottles and it didn't make sense.
I have hit a beer can with a boat and know it wouldn't put you out of service like this thing would have lol

 

[bomar76]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

My bet is that was an attempt by some idiot fishermen to create structure.....

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

I agree. Too much work for the average prankster to do. Lots of other things you could chuck out there to mess up a boaters day of fun....

 

[QC]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

"I know Bubba, fill the jugs with water, that there's heaaavy"

 

[Kevin70]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

Could have been a local marina trying to drum up business. Gelcoat jobs cost aloooot of cash.:devil:

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

The bottles were previously placed to warn boaters. But the tree sank further and pulled them down with it. Or it's stuck in place and the water is high (les likely).

A few years ago I was boating along and saw a seagull standing on the water. There were a few others swimming nearby so he really stood out. I figured this must be some sort of Jesus gull, so I moved closer. It wasn't until I was very close that I noticed that he was standing on a submerged tree tunk floating horizontally just below the surface. Had he not been standing on it, it never would've been seen. I towed it to shore.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

LOL @ QC !

willieB probably has it right...but maybe...fisherman tows fallen tree into lake, weights the bottom, bouys the top to keep it vertical (cover more of the water column). It breaks loose from its anchorage and Bob's your uncle.

Few weeks ago I saw something floating in the water, wearing a life jacket...would've been the tallest person ever, though...turned out to be a log about 17 feet long, some thoughtful boater marked one end with a jug and the other end with a PFD.

 

[QC]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

I agree. Willie's probably got it.

FWIW, this is what I keep old PFD's and old fenders around for. It amazes me how much stuff is just under the surface even in well traveled areas. There is a mooring can in a popular marina that I use "floating" about two feet under. It even has a loose line flailing about. You'd think the marina operators could handle that one without help from little old me . . .

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

Well I feel better thinking it was dumb ol fishermen and not evil doers

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

Were they beer bottles? Could have been a beer tree!

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

They were water bottles or those type fruit type drinks you find in a convenience stores. Looks like they were meant to make something float than hold something down.

 

[MrBigStuff]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

>They were water bottles or those type fruit type drinks you find in a convenience stores. Looks like they were meant to make something float than hold something down

Well, I think your conclusion is incorrect. I believe Willie's explanation makes the most sense. The OP states it is hard to remove and likely anyone else who tried came to the same point, they left it there and did the best they could with what they had on hand to provide a warning.

If I wanted to float something, I wouldn't chose numerous dinky bottles to do it, I'd pick something that requires less work like milk jugs or similar.

Conspiracy and sabotage explanations have more allure, don't they?

 

[PlayDoh]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

I figured this must be some sort of Jesus gull, so I moved closer.

OMFG I cant stop laughing at that one. 2 funny

 

[LongJohnSilver]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

The more I read this one, the more I think I fugured it out. The materials are not sufficiently nasty enough for true sabatoge. I think the intent was for it to be "suspended structure" since the depth is 40-60 feet, probably put there by a die hard crappie fisherman. Even so, he if caught, he should be lashed with a cat 'o nines, keel hauled and run up the yardarm.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Re: Attempted Sabatoge?

"Jesus Gull" is the funniest thing I've heard in weeks...

ROFL!