Did I screw up, I don't think so??

[skargo]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

I think slowing down would have made the wake worse. No reason to slow down below planing speed unless you plan on crawling by the guy.

This^
When my boat is trimmed out, running 40+mph it's wake is negligible at 150'

And you can pass port or starboard when overtaking, not sure where the must pass on port came from.

*edit* I now realize he was facing you guys, damn public school education...

 

[dlngr]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

150 feet 300 feet.... Someone please tell me how this is measured in the water at speed. there must be some type of equipment to measure this?
I'd be really unsure I could pace off 150 feet on the street in front of my house.Maybe I'll try and measure it..... Not that I'd understand the guy bobbing in the middle of the channel though,unless he was broke down.
If I anchor and fish here in the Illinois river,I'd be crazy to expect every boat that goes by to slow down,or pass at no wake speed.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

Everyone keeps talking about "overtaking," but my understanding of the post is that the boat in the middle, was not underway. I would have slowed down to a no wake/small wake speed, until I passed him. The two or three minutes or so, that you lose in time by slowing down, isn't worth the potential consequences of throwing a big wake at a boat that isn't moving.



???

 

[rbh]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

Everyone keeps talking about "overtaking," but my understanding of the post is that the boat in the middle, was not underway. I would have slowed down to a no wake/small wake speed, until I passed him. The two or three minutes or so, that you lose in time by slowing down, isn't worth the potential consequences of throwing a big wake at a boat that isn't moving.



???

Jay it is 2.30 oclock in the morning your time, WHAT THE HECK YOU DOING UP.
Thing is, yes this a 1.5 mile wide arm of the lake, but this time of year for anyone to sit in the middle of the lake, is like you sitting and having a BBQ in the fast lane of the interstate.
tourists????

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

You were holding course for ten miles and you still needed to pass close to the stopped boat on a lake 1 1/2 miles wide--- Crap man! You had a couple of miles to decide to give him more berth and 3/4 mile on each side. Its not like you were in a channel and locked into a course. No laws broken but bad manners if you ask me.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

I'm not familiar with the lake set up, but I have this scenario play out on our river all the time. The river is narrow and boats like to enjoy it. I have no problem with the boats who do, thats what it's there for. What I can't stand are the pleasureboaters and fishermen who feel fishing or hanging out in the channel is the best place to be. I do all I can to be a nice guy and slow to a no wake speed when it's applicable, but if I had to, or chose to slow for every smaller boat / fisherman / kayak / pontoon etc... I would spend more or less 90% of the trip at idle.

In a scenario where I have a lot of room to move, I would give the boat as much room as possible. For the guys in the channel or close by, who aren't in distress, I find myself slowing down, although I think they are the ones causing more issues than the guys who are on plane coming through as they should.

I concure that this is really nothing out of the day to drop off plane, slow to an idle speed, pass someone, and come back on plane. I just feel courtesy could be extended by all parties.

I even find myself from time to time slowing down for private boats moored off the channel in non no wake areas. I slow for smaller sailboats, sometimes for boats beached way off the channel etc... I have slowed for skiiers in the water, tubers, fisherman etc... If I did so for everyone in a smaller boat that could potentially have issues with my wake, I wouldn't have a need for a planing hull.

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

You were holding course for ten miles and you still needed to pass close to the stopped boat on a lake 1 1/2 miles wide--- Crap man! You had a couple of miles to decide to give him more berth and 3/4 mile on each side. Its not like you were in a channel and locked into a course. No laws broken but bad manners if you ask me.

This is the answer.

The OP didn't break any laws, but the drifting (or trolling/idling) oncoming boat was NOT in the middle of the channel. He was in the middle of the lake, probably fishing deep waters. The OP is bearing down on him for 10 miles, probably can see him for at least 1 mile, and yet chose to alter at the last moment and give him only 150' of berth on a 1/2 mile wide lake. Sorry, but you'd be getting the 1 finger salute from me as well.

This is unfortunately a normal occurrence in the oceans where I normally boat and fish, but the waves are usually already bigger than any wake a 20-30' boat can throw so it's not a big deal in that regard. What bothers me about it is alot of times you sit there wondering if the driver is paying attention as they're bearing straight down on you.

 

[lonesouth]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

I dunno why anyone would come off plane to pass, unless you expect to idle by. I'd rather you fly by at a safe distance than slow down and throw a bigger wake. Not to mention that you're gone sooner.

 

[tschmidty]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

Agree with most that you should have given more room as a courtesy, a 30' boat throws a hell of a wake at any speed usually.

And port to port is not a requirement but a recommendation. And to be clear (someone posted incorrectly) we do know port to port means passing on the right just like in a car, right? It's port side of boat facing port side of oncoming boat. So if there was room, pass with good room to the right.

 

[sasto]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

150 feet 300 feet.... Someone please tell me how this is measured in the water at speed. there must be some type of equipment to measure this?.

150 feet is a half sand wedge and 300 feet is a 9 iron.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

I dunno why anyone would come off plane to pass, unless you expect to idle by. I'd rather you fly by at a safe distance than slow down and throw a bigger wake. Not to mention that you're gone sooner.

When I refer to slowing down, I mean to idle / steerage speed throwing little to no wake, not plowing water.

Only one time I can recall plowing water for any time and it was for some jet skiiers the other night. They followed me for a while as I trawled along tossing a large wake, thanked me and were on their way.

If I'm being curteous to another boater, I'm at idle or slightly above throwing a ripple, otherwise I'm being more of a problem.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

Jay it is 2.30 oclock in the morning your time, WHAT THE HECK YOU DOING UP.
Thing is, yes this a 1.5 mile wide arm of the lake, but this time of year for anyone to sit in the middle of the lake, is like you sitting and having a BBQ in the fast lane of the interstate.
tourists????

Yup, up at 2:30 am - I keep strange hours, compared to most people.

I don't disagree that the guy could have chosen a better place to hang out and I might even buy the theory that morons don't deserve the courtesy that they are sometimes afforded. I'm just offering a non-judgemental opinion that the potential consequences of a big wake, are something that might have made slowing down anyway, a prudent choice.



???

 

[themaniam1]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

My 2 cents worth,

In my state the law says 150' which is half a football field, any closer and it is wakeless. No law broken if both were that distance or further.

Said boat has the right to float (underway but not making way) anywhere unless stated by regulations. On coming boats are the give way boat (the boat sitting not making way has the right of way) and so the on coming boats must alter course which they did.

Courtesy would have had the on coming boats deviate course a half mile or so from boat and give ample room and just cruise on by if boat traffic / congestion would allow. The lead boat should have seen this and altered course so both boats could pass courteously.

Large boats are not that fun to come off and on plane. You have to mess with the trim tabs and make all the adjustments for cruising over again so I would not want to come off plane unless I need to.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

Thing is, yes this a 1.5 mile wide arm of the lake, but this time of year for anyone to sit in the middle of the lake, is like you sitting and having a BBQ in the fast lane of the interstate.
tourists????

I often boat in the upper Niagara River. It's probably 1/4 mile wide in most places, and maybe 14 miles long. It's the main thouroughfare to get to several beaches and restaurants, plus the only way to get to Lake Erie. People love to tube near shore, or just float on the boat in the middle. When you get close to the Falls, you fire up the engine and go back upstream.

On any given Sunday you might see 30 boats drifting and 50 tubers floating. The tubers usually have a cooller floating with them, and the boaters are often eating aboard.

When the Lake is rough, you see more on the river. When its calm, less because they float in the Lake.

What's wrong with that? When we can't do whatever wew want in the middle of a 1.5 mile stretch of open water, it's time to sell the boat.

 

[rbh]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

I've done it, you have done it, everyone has done it, but the issue I guess is that it does become a bit of an obsticle course when there is lots of people out on the lake,
thats all.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

Yup, up at 2:30 am - I keep strange hours, compared to most people.

I don't disagree that the guy could have chosen a better place to hang out and I might even buy the theory that morons don't deserve the courtesy that they are sometimes afforded. I'm just offering a non-judgemental opinion that the potential consequences of a big wake, are something that might have made slowing down anyway, a prudent choice.



???

Why do we assume the guy was a moron? And if being there was not against any regulations, then what's the difference where he was.

Maybe he saw fish on his depthfiner and he stopped to try to catch one. Maybe the wife felt the need and he stopped to open the porta potty? Maybe they thought it was a beautify spot to have lunch.

The other thing is why was he angered? Was it the wake, or did he perceive the accosters were too close for comfort? Or, some other reason? Since there was no contact, nobody will ever know!

When I do something wrong and I suspect I did, I keep my mouth shut because I already know the answer. If I truly believe that I'm being yelled at for no good cause, I ask the other person why he's so upset.

The best fishing where I live is right in the middle of the channel. That's where I go and I dare "anybody" to tell me to fish on shore. There's plenty of room for all of us if we're couteous to each other.

 

[JetBote]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

You were holding course for ten miles and you still needed to pass close to the stopped boat on a lake 1 1/2 miles wide--- Crap man! You had a couple of miles to decide to give him more berth and 3/4 mile on each side. Its not like you were in a channel and locked into a course. No laws broken but bad manners if you ask me.

I'm siding with this one so far. All this time, at 38 mph, and you weren't paying attention until the last second, only giving a stationary boat 150'? Bad boater ettiquite in my opinion.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

Why do we assume the guy was a moron? And if being there was not against any regulations, then what's the difference where he was.

Maybe he saw fish on his depthfiner and he stopped to try to catch one. Maybe the wife felt the need and he stopped to open the porta potty? Maybe they thought it was a beautify spot to have lunch.

The other thing is why was he angered? Was it the wake, or did he perceive the accosters were too close for comfort? Or, some other reason? Since there was no contact, nobody will ever know!

When I do something wrong and I suspect I did, I keep my mouth shut because I already know the answer. If I truly believe that I'm being yelled at for no good cause, I ask the other person why he's so upset.

The best fishing where I live is right in the middle of the channel. That's where I go and I dare "anybody" to tell me to fish on shore. There's plenty of room for all of us if we're couteous to each other.

I only have problems when people are fishing/eating in the channel in a narrow stretch and "expect" me to come off plane and go by at idle. The problem is, if I have to pass within 100', due to the other boater sticking himself in the channel, by law I have to slow down. I wouldn't call that being courteous to other boaters, basically creating your own no wake zone along the river. More than once I have slowed and gone by at idle, usually when it's a small boat, or kids are involved.

 

[BoatinFool]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

The best fishing where I live is right in the middle of the channel. That's where I go and I dare "anybody" to tell me to fish on shore.

I personally enjoy it when people fish in the channel. I use them for a slalom course, keeping it all legal and at least 150' away at all times. Best time I ever had was once when we buzzed through them to the lake, then realized we had left the cell phone in the truck. Had to go back and get it so we could contact the friend we were meeting somewhere on the lake.

You should have seen them rocking and hooting and hollering after we went back through them for the third time!

 

[skargo]

Re: Did I screw up, I don't think so??

Maybe I'm wrong, but fishing, or skiing, or tubing in the middle of a channel seems very discourteous to other boaters.

I am so glad and thankful we have the Chesapeake bay to enjoy, not many of these issues there.