close call

[jeff750kawasaki]

On my local small lake today, pulling one tube with my youngest boy in it, my older one in boat on watch. Start to slow down as I was passing through an area about 150 yrds. wide between a beach and an island. Here comes a jerk-ski head on about 35 mph. (I'm goin about 15) He goes to my port side about 60 ft. off my bow, an comes around the stern to jump my wake, and if I had not hooked up my shorter line he would have taken my kids head off. I had just changed tow lines so so the kids could float on the tubes tied to shore. That 5 feet not only saved my kids life, but also that jerk-offs if something had happened.SRY for the rant but WHAT THE HE#%. First close call in about 6 years of boating. I mostly boat during the week to avoid these idiots on the weekend, but I guess there out every day. be safe and watch out.
Thanks jeff

 

[valkyr]

Re: close call

Sorry that happened, (and I'm not fan of jet skis either) but perhaps he saw your tow and knew what he was doing. If it had been longer, he probably would have adjusted for it. Perhaps not, but sometimes we assume the worst when someone does something that looks dangerous or we perceive danger to those we love.

Its like that guy that ranted about the guy at the dock leaving his daughter in the boat while he put the boat in while holding the bow line. And then dropping the bow line to walk around to the dock to grab the boat. To the guy watching, it appeared dangerous, but to the guy doing it he knew exactly what he was doing.

Just my $0.015

 

[woodrat]

Re: close call

hello?!

I think that zooming up that close to somebody's boat to ride their wake is not only dangerous, but seriously rude and disrespectful. A lot of these doofuses think they know what they are doing, but a great deal of the time they are drunk and not such great judges of distance and speed, and even if they are an expert and stone cold sober, what if the ski suddenly quits while they are cutting across someone's bow to get around into their wake?

I am sorry, but even if I didn't have one of my precious children in tow behind, I would be looking for blood if some jetski jackass pulled something like that with me. These people need to grow up, read and obey the boater's rule books or get the h&ll OFF the water.

I'm going to go ahead and value my input at a full 2 cents...

 

[Windykid]

Re: close call

hello?!

I think that zooming up that close to somebody's boat to ride their wake is not only dangerous, but seriously rude and disrespectful. A lot of these doofuses think they know what they are doing, but a great deal of the time they are drunk and not such great judges of distance and speed, and even if they are an expert and stone cold sober, what if the ski suddenly quits while they are cutting across someone's bow to get around into their wake?

I am sorry, but even if I didn't have one of my precious children in tow behind, I would be looking for blood if some jetski jackass pulled something like that with me. These people need to grow up, read and obey the boater's rule books or get the h&ll OFF the water.

I'm going to go ahead and value my input at a full 2 cents...

I agree with you, its the unexpected that happens no matter how good you are that gets someone killed.

 

[valkyr]

Re: close call

hello?!

I think that zooming up that close to somebody's boat to ride their wake is not only dangerous, but seriously rude and disrespectful. A lot of these doofuses think they know what they are doing, but a great deal of the time they are drunk and not such great judges of distance and speed, and even if they are an expert and stone cold sober, what if the ski suddenly quits while they are cutting across someone's bow to get around into their wake?

I am sorry, but even if I didn't have one of my precious children in tow behind, I would be looking for blood if some jetski jackass pulled something like that with me. These people need to grow up, read and obey the boater's rule books or get the h&ll OFF the water.

I'm going to go ahead and value my input at a full 2 cents...

(First, this is not a flame and secondly, my post to Jeff750 was to perhaps make him feel a little better about the situation).

What if what if what if

Woodrat, how many times have you changed lanes in traffic cutting it close to someone in front of, or behind of you?
(what if the car in front slammed on his brakes? What if your tire blew? What if.....)
How many times have you driven on a highway with no divider or barrier between you and oncoming traffic?
(what if a car in opposing traffic blew a tire? Had an accident? Hydroplaned?)

 

[woodrat]

Re: close call

If I was driving on the highway like many of the jetski jerks drive on the water, I would fully expect to be pulled over and ticketed if not arrested.

 

[sparticus]

Re: close call

I think it boils down to one thing. Whether he knew what he was doing or not he was within 150' and above wakeless speed! No excuse for that behavior.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: close call

Any jetski that tries to use my wake is going to find that the wake will disappear, since I'm going to just shut down until it's gone.

I can't see any excuse for doing what was described. There's always a chance that someone is in tow. While you can see skiiers for quite a distance, tubers and the like are often hidden.

Jetskis have the same rules we all do. If they break them in a dangerous way, I have the lake patrol's number on my cell phone, and I'll use it at once.

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: close call

Here in NJ it is a law that a flag must be displayed while skiing or tubing. Not sure about other states but I know if I see a flag to slow down, especially if you cannot see the rider. Just sounds like an all around good idea to let other people know there is someone in the water.

As far as the jet skiers maybe its just me, but as long as they dont get me wet or cross in front of me its kind of fun to watch 'em act like a bunch of nuts back there.

 

[RCSConstruction]

Re: close call

This weekend my kid fell off the tube, there was a jetski behind her, I whipped around and he flew past me and missed me by 5 feet. He came back around did a circle around my boat and my daughter and began to shoot a roost into my boat and scaring the hell outa my daughter. I grab my daughters arm and ripped her in the boat and took off after that SOB. (tube stringing along and all) I was ready to kill the focker, my wife was screaming at me to stop being an idiot and about the time I caught him the harbor police came rushing in lights blaring and all. Got on his speaker and told me to keep moving, pulled over the jetski and about 20 mins later I saw the police towing his ski and him in handcuffs. Later that day I stopped to talk to them and he said the guy blew a 1.5 on the Breathalyzer.
These guys just don't get it and I am tired of it. I bought a big *** water cannon and can't wait to use it..
I really try and ignore them but enough is enough. I have had it.

 

[RCSConstruction]

Re: close call

Here in NJ it is a law that a flag must be displayed while skiing or tubing. Not sure about other states but I know if I see a flag to slow down, especially if you cannot see the rider. Just sounds like an all around good idea to let other people know there is someone in the water.

As far as the jet skiers maybe its just me, but as long as they dont get me wet or cross in front of me its kind of fun to watch 'em act like a bunch of nuts back there.

I got pulled over for having the flag displayed while moving. This was at Big Bear lake in California.

 

[WaterWitch2]

Re: close call

I don't have to deal with jet skis where I usually boat and fish in Long Beach CA. I do have idiots in boats to deal with. I usually anchor 30-40 feet off the Long Beach breakwall and have the fools fly past me between me and the rocks.

 

[fire831]

Re: close call

In Indiana it is against the law to jump the wake of another watercraft.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: close call

I generally appears that most jet-ski riders have more teeth than brain cells !!!!!
Although there are some responsible ones out there.

 

[Bigjohn1]

Re: close call

This weekend my kid fell off the tube, there was a jetski behind her, I whipped around and he flew past me and missed me by 5 feet. He came back around did a circle around my boat and my daughter and began to shoot a roost into my boat and scaring the hell outa my daughter. I grab my daughters arm and ripped her in the boat and took off after that SOB. (tube stringing along and all) I was ready to kill the focker, my wife was screaming at me to stop being an idiot and about the time I caught him the harbor police came rushing in lights blaring and all. Got on his speaker and told me to keep moving, pulled over the jetski and about 20 mins later I saw the police towing his ski and him in handcuffs. Later that day I stopped to talk to them and he said the guy blew a 1.5 on the Breathalyzer.
These guys just don't get it and I am tired of it. I bought a big *** water cannon and can't wait to use it..
I really try and ignore them but enough is enough. I have had it.

Exactly what I would have done, nobody messes with family and gets away with it!!

 

[dhath]

Re: close call

I finally bought a handheld VHF radio and use it if need be. I don't want a ticket on the lake because of something stupoid someone else did. I know if I get in a rage I can do very stupid things faster than I can think. When I explode I blow a huge gasket!!

We were tubing one day and my daughter fell off, we use the orange flag on our lake, even though it is not a law. A cigarette boat was heading straight for her at full throttle. I finally pulled my boat out in front of his and he turned his heading, I called the lake patrol on the radio and he got pulled over. Don't know if he got ticketed but it got his attention.

My daughter has a Jet ski but she will stay around a cove or part of the lake that won't bother anyone. She makes her own wakes to play on.....

 

[Ripfence]

Re: close call

Sorry that happened, (and I'm not fan of jet skis either) but perhaps he saw your tow and knew what he was doing. If it had been longer, he probably would have adjusted for it. Perhaps not, but sometimes we assume the worst when someone does something that looks dangerous or we perceive danger to those we love.

Its like that guy that ranted about the guy at the dock leaving his daughter in the boat while he put the boat in while holding the bow line. And then dropping the bow line to walk around to the dock to grab the boat. To the guy watching, it appeared dangerous, but to the guy doing it he knew exactly what he was doing.

Just my $0.015

Personally, I would think that if a vehicle was bearing down on my son at 35 knots then deadly force would be justified.

 

[jeff750kawasaki]

Re: close call

Sorry that happened, (and I'm not fan of jet skis either) but perhaps he saw your tow and knew what he was doing. If it had been longer, he probably would have adjusted for it. Perhaps not, but sometimes we assume the worst when someone does something that looks dangerous or we perceive danger to those we love.

Its like that guy that ranted about the guy at the dock leaving his daughter in the boat while he put the boat in while holding the bow line. And then dropping the bow line to walk around to the dock to grab the boat. To the guy watching, it appeared dangerous, but to the guy doing it he knew exactly what he was doing.

Just my $0.015

Let me just say I did not mean to lump all pwc owners together.Just a little pissed last nite. Every group has their good and bad. I'm petty sure he did'nt see my son because he had to turn slow down to miss him. But on the other hand If I started chasing boats to jump their wakes in my boat I'd get kicked off the lake and prob. lose my license. No, I'm not perfect And I've made mistakes on the water and the road but not intentionaly endangering some ones life. And if you ask me,doing that with a j-ski and a boat you don't know is pretty dumb.
thanks, I feel better.
jeff

 

[freddyray21]

Re: close call

I got pulled over for having the flag displayed while moving. This was at Big Bear lake in California.

Here in Missouri you put the flag up when they are in the water and pull it down once they are up. Seems to me it would make sense to leave it up all the time to let approaching boats know you have someone behind you. Doesn't really matter law says you should not cut that close behind my boat, but people do it all the time.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: close call

I like RCS a lot more for having read this!

This weekend my kid fell off the tube, there was a jetski behind her, I whipped around and he flew past me and missed me by 5 feet. He came back around did a circle around my boat and my daughter and began to shoot a roost into my boat and scaring the hell outa my daughter. I grab my daughters arm and ripped her in the boat and took off after that SOB. (tube stringing along and all) I was ready to kill the focker, my wife was screaming at me to stop being an idiot and about the time I caught him the harbor police came rushing in lights blaring and all. Got on his speaker and told me to keep moving, pulled over the jetski and about 20 mins later I saw the police towing his ski and him in handcuffs. Later that day I stopped to talk to them and he said the guy blew a 1.5 on the Breathalyzer.
These guys just don't get it and I am tired of it. I bought a big *** water cannon and can't wait to use it..
I really try and ignore them but enough is enough. I have had it.