Basic Seamanship

[JCasey]

I am a new boater who has a basic seamanship question. I have an open 23ft bowrider and recently I was at the lake fishing with a colleague of mine and his wife, who is a couple of months pregnant. Somewhat out of nowhere we heard a clap of thunder off in the distance so we decided to call it a day and head back to the ramp. Shortly on our way back to the ramp we got caught in a massive down pour and fearing a lighting strike I decided to head back at full throttle. I came around a bend in the river and being new to the lake I did not know, nor did I see, that their was a marina right there. At the marina was the local sheriff who was more than happy to order me to dock up to him and give me a ticket for having a wake near the marina. Althought it was still pouring, I explained my situation and judging by the 5 other people that he also cited in the 20 minutes I was there, I was not the only person who had this dilemma. <br /><br />My questions is, isn’t their something to be said for ensuring the well-being of passengers on your boat? I ALWAYS obey the zone laws but on this day the only thing I was thinking was that we were going to get struck by lighting. <br /><br />I have the option to either pay the ticket or go to court to fight the citation and in the end it will cost me more to go to court but I honestly feel that I was right. I would like to see what more seasoned boaters think before I pay this ticket.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Basic Seamanship

What a Barney Fife. <br /><br />I'd fight it. We've been in that situation many times before and of course we are going to get to safe harbor as quick as we can. This is ridiculous. Personal safety first, always.

 

[Luna Sea]

Re: Basic Seamanship

Sounds like a speed trap to me! <br /><br />BUT, as captain of the vessel, I suppose if you had a marine radio on board, there may have been a "notice to mariners" type of warning which you are responsible for hearing and relaying to your passengers.<br /><br />I doubt maritime laws make exception for rain, thunder, lightening, it's getting dark, we're out of beer, ect.<br /><br />Pay the ticket. Just my opinion. It stinks but you're responsible to know the conditions when your out there.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Basic Seamanship

No wake zone means no wake zone, unfortunately. The no wake zone exists for the safety of boaters in a high traffic area. What if a boater was working his way out of the marina in that downpour and you were going too fast to avoid him? Also, wakes tend to toss moored boats about, which can cause them to bang against the dock or each other (not everyone ties their boats lines properly). If the docked boats are moored in shallow water, the up and down motion caused by the wakes can cause an outdrive or outboard to actually contact the bottom. Just do the right thing and follow the rules, and get a bimini top for those occasional downpours, it helps a lot. The odds of being struck by lighting are minimal. It will always take the path of least resistance, and the trees on shore are more likely to get struck than your boat. Since you are new to boating, you have to really make sure you are being careful and thinking your way through problems. The water is unforgiving and does not care if you are new or not. You can fight the ticket if you want, but I have this strange feeling you will be paying. Good luck and boat safe....

 

[RatFish]

Re: Basic Seamanship

Sorry, but laws don't change based on weather conditions. Just pay the ticket and consider this your wake up call.

 

[JB]

Re: Basic Seamanship

Well, for maybe the first time, I disagree with Ladyfish.<br /><br />Pay the fine, and be happy that you aren't being held liable for damage to vessels in the marina. Idle zones are for the safety of others, not for their comfort.<br /><br />Your passengers were born wet, they have been wet thousands of times since then. Getting wet one more time is no hazard.<br /><br />On the other hand, running WOT in unfamiliar water does hazard your passengers, as well as other boaters.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Basic Seamanship

The cop is being a jerk and is enforcing the letter of the law and not the spirit of the law. <br /><br />Technically you are in violation. But considering the mitigating circumstances a judge is likely (if he isn't a boater) to see things your way.<br /><br />By the way all the above posts are right!!! Being the captain means more than being able to make the payments. <br /><br />Good Luck<br /><br />JB a ticket doesn't eliminate your responsiblity for the damage caused by your wake. He may still be held liable if damage occured. I am sure this is just a wording thing.

 

[deofc]

Re: Basic Seamanship

Cops are supposed to enforce the law. That is their job. Our job is to obey the law. It is hard to obey the law if you don't know the law. Learn the rules and obey them. Pretty simple. Most of it is commen sense. If you think you were in the right then go to court and fight it. Storms come up all of the time. Running wide open in unfamilar waters is not very smart either. Don't blame the police because they were doing their job. Learn the rules and you will be much safer.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Basic Seamanship

You All raise very Valid points,<br />But, I'm with LadyFish,+ POINTER94.........<br /><br />Several Key Words come to mind......<br />Quottas.....(Always Denied)<br />Revenue Enhancement.....(Why do you think New York was the LAST state to raise the limit to 65mph)<br />Technically Speaking......<br /><br />A couple of years ago, the local County Sheriff,State Trooper,+ Coast Guard had a Field Day.....<br />Tickets for Battery Box Lids, that were There, but not tied down......<br />Fire Ext.s that were up to date,+ working, but Just out of Reach of the Operator.......<br />Etc...<br />Etc....<br />The Local Judge, who Is a boater, Threw-Out several Hundred tickets.........

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Basic Seamanship

always slow down when going around a blind turn!<br />u r lucky it was just the sheriff and not a 37'<br />boat coming out of the marina. same goes for a<br />blind intersection/jetty etc.<br />safe boating,<br />M.Y.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Basic Seamanship

yeah, complain all you want, i would as well. but just pay the ticket and be done with it. going to court will be a waste of time.

 

[Luna Sea]

Re: Basic Seamanship

Realize we're board here, ain't boating season yet........ <br /><br />Ok, you're on the highway, in a convertable, you left the t-tops at home, you're going 95 miles per hour cause it's raining and you want to get home...<br /><br />If you just started driving, and it was the first time you took the tops off... no excuse<br /><br />On the other hand, I think a medical emergency would get you off the hook. But that's about it.<br /><br />Welcome to boating.<br /><br />Break<br />Out<br />Another <br />Thousand

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Basic Seamanship

I guess my reaction was based on the amount of over protection and harrassment we have in our canals.<br /><br />For 500 permanent residents we have 5 police officers. They are better equiped than the city of Houston police with all kinds of cameras and special crime fighting equipment. They also have a boat. They love nothing better than to sit at the end of the canal with the speed gun and harrass boaters. Instead of creating a safe environment for boaters they are usually creating a pile up of angry boaters.<br /><br />For example, they try to enforce 5 mph in canals. Our boat can go more than 5 mph and still not create a wake. I don't think they can enforce mph on the water without an actual law, our local law says 'no wake' only.<br /><br />Anyway, you should have slowed for the blind curve.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Basic Seamanship

Jcasey – if you were to challenge the citation in court and described the situation as you did here, it is unlikely you will prevail because it appears more a personal ‘comfort’ issue, not a personal ‘safety’ issue.<br /><br />On the other hand, if you feel you were ‘wronged’ and want your ‘say’ on the matter, definitely follow it to court. In the process you can create a greater financial burden to the county than your citation is worth. Also, try to use up as much of the offending officer’s time as possible to keep him away from issuing other citations that create more income. You get inner, personal satisfaction of knowing it cost ‘them’ more than it cost you.

 

[JCasey]

Re: Basic Seamanship

Thank you for your truth and honesty. The general consensus is that I was wrong and I will own<br />up to that and pay the fine. For my own reputation I do, however, want to clarify a couple of points. This was not a matter of COMFORT it was totally a matter of safety. There are sections of the lake that you cannot even see land, let alone count on a tree on the land to take a lightening bolt, in short there is a lot of area where we were the tallest object around. This was the sole basis for my decision. About three years ago I was in a similar situation without the lighting, in the ICW and I chugged the entire way back at a minium wake, as per the speed zone, for 45 minutes in the rain. That is life with boating and the ICW situation was actually a great story to talk about AFTERWARDS. I always obey the speed zones and I have never had a problem like this before. I had my VHF on all day and I only heard some small chatter but as soon as we heard the lightling I lowered my antenna. Also, and in reviewing my post there was one point that was accidently misleading, I was not a wot on the turn, when I saw the turn, I cut the throttle but I was still leaving a good wake on my approach past the marina, I do not deny that. Before I saw the marina, the boat in front, who over took me right before the turn, started to slow, so I did as well and then I saw the marina, I never saw a speed marker. Not that, that would be an excuse. <br /> <br />Thank you all for input.

 

[JCasey]

Re: Basic Seamanship

Thanks again

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Basic Seamanship

Don't feel bad, I would have done the same thing or worse. I was hit by lightening very near the water. Thankfully I'm alive to tell about it.

 

[neumanns]

Re: Basic Seamanship

This thread is titled "basic seamanship"...Any safe boating course will tell you to check the weather before you leave and monitor it while you are out to avoid such situations. Might I also add if you were truly concerned for all's saftey you would have been headed for that marina and not on down the river. <br /><br />Sorry for sounding unsympathetic...Just sounds like your pleading your case to a trial jury, Better hope I'm not on jury duty. <br /><br />I'm glad your able to enjoy your rig...Were solid ice here yet & I'm getting impatient!!! Rrrrr...

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Basic Seamanship

Don't feel bad Jcasey, just use it as a learning point and keep boatin'. I got caught in a nasty one while we were boating in the intracoastal waterways not too far from Savannah Georgia. One minute we are skiing and having a good ol' time, the next minute it is a dash for the nearest dock. It was pouring, wind was crazy, and we finally found a private dock and tied off. The homeowner was cool, let us chill for the hour or so it took for the squall to pass, then it was back to blue skys and skiing again. It sucks getting caught in the weather...

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Basic Seamanship

FYI, Slow no wake is not entirely accurate, What it is really means is to go slow enough to maintain steerage. Typically under 5mph. But if wind and wave prevented you from meeting the under 5mph rule you might have a case.