Labor day craziness

[jmarty10]

Another Labor Day come and gone, but it didn't pass without the pure stupidity of boaters who think holiday boating is the one day where they can do anything stupid. My top 3

1. Cruising buy a home and see a guy unloading his boat down a homemade sand ramp in his backyard. Drove in t0o deep and SUV was submerged to the point of the back wheels in water along with bubbling water from exhaust

2. Police Boat is cruising south down river on my port side and as I look at him a boat full of twenty somethings passes him buy going north. Driver waives to police officer with full beer in hand! 3 seconds later police lights flash on and he pulls boater over

3. The wakeboarder who skis around 1 pm on a narrow part of the river about 400 feet in width jumping wakes with boats behind him and in front of him. My kids had to cover their ears from all the obscenities thrown at this guy from the surrounding boats.

Three best days not to go boating: Memorial, 4th of July and Labor days!

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Labor day craziness

Another Labor Day come and gone, but it didn't pass without the pure stupidity of boaters who think holiday boating is the one day where they can do anything stupid. My top 3

1. Cruising buy a home and see a guy unloading his boat down a homemade sand ramp in his backyard. Drove in t0o deep and SUV was submerged to the point of the back wheels in water along with bubbling water from exhaust

2. Police Boat is cruising south down river on my port side and as I look at him a boat full of twenty somethings passes him buy going north. Driver waives to police officer with full beer in hand! 3 seconds later police lights flash on and he pulls boater over

3. The wakeboarder who skis around 1 pm on a narrow part of the river about 400 feet in width jumping wakes with boats behind him and in front of him. My kids had to cover their ears from all the obscenities thrown at this guy from the surrounding boats.

Three best days not to go boating: Memorial, 4th of July and Labor days!

I never go out on those weekends/days. Call those "rookie" weekends......

 

[The Famous Grouse]

Re: Labor day craziness

You definitely need to choose your boating waters more carefully on the big holidays. To me, the usual boating hotspots are the top of the "Avoid at All Costs" list on holiday weekends.

Usually, I head where I know the amateurs and weekend warriors won't or can't go. Either I head to a section of the river that is difficult to run or I head for the Great Lakes where the rookies won't go.

We had a good run, on the weekend, but had to change plans because when we got to the planned departure point the wind had come up and the 1-3 foot waves were crashing on the ramp.

I pulled off to the side and watched some weekend rambo clowns try to launch and get thier boats and trailers beat to hell, then I took off for the plan B desination. A calm, narrow section of the river. Had a nice drive and then anchored off in a quiet backwater section that's only 3 feet deep and so it keeps all other traffic out. Nice spot for cocktails.


Grouse

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Labor day craziness

When I changed jobs a couple of years back and had to work the weekends I wasn't impressed. Now, I have Tues and Weds. at the lake pretty much all by myself.

 

[hunter0527]

Re: Labor day craziness

I dont necessarily avoid those days but no tubing/skiing goes on behind my boat for sure! Just go find a nice calm spot up river and hang out. Only idiots I run into are at the launch, I steer clear of them everywhere else. Usually too many other plans going on to go out but if I do make it out, I avoid all boat traffic!

 

[security6]

Re: Labor day craziness

The weather seemed to keep most of them off the lake yesterday. I went out from about 2 to 5, and the lake was fairly empty. Dark clouds threatening rain tend to keep people at home.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Labor day craziness

Man, we got it good. Big lakes, clean water, no crowded boating, and for the most part, no obnoxious boaters. I only hear about situations like yours. I have yet to see them.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Labor day craziness

We had good weather here in CT, although very windy. Me and some friends went out on Sunday. I know, I know, I can be called one of those "holiday boaters", but then again my friends and I work all week and don't have the time to use the boat other than weekends.

With that said we had a great day on the water. Only one sailboat who cut me off (No lie, I went from a 23 mph cruise to stopped, to actually slamming it in reverse to avoid this particular sailboat, all because the woman decided a direct left hand turn in front of me was a good idea. Then after I avoided killing them, I got the evil eye until we were out past their vantage point.) and a scary police story that we drove by without realizing it.

http://www.courant.com/community/gl...ury-marina-body-0907-20100906,0,7774453.story

I guess not having to deal with busy boat ramps makes it less stressful on holidays.

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: Labor day craziness

Made it out to a Lake never been before. Went cat fishing that night. Got to the ramp about 11PM and idled to a mooring bouy to camp for the night threw out some lines.

Woke up to may flies on my face and a cat on a line. Cleaned the boat up, switched over from fishing/camping to water sports and hit the glass water at 8am. Had a good day until steering broke on my buddies boat but he got it fixed and we had a good day after that. Got off the water around 2 when it started to pick up from the wind and bigger boats.

 

[convergent]

Re: Labor day craziness

We had an absolutely fabulous time on the lake her in NC this Labor Day... all weekend in fact. The weather was in the mid 80s and sunny all weekend. We usually go to a small lake only about 2 miles long that is 5 minutes from my house and there was only a slight increase in the number of boats there, and the extras seemed to be mostly fishing so off in the coves and such. We did some wakeboarding, tubing, and skiing. We even got my son and daughter up on slalom skis at the same time and they had so much fun... even met in the middle and did a high five. I'm so glad I brought my good camera and we got loads of great pics. It was the best day we've ever had on the lake.

 

[avenger79]

Re: Labor day craziness

actually our little puddle had no boats on it at all on labor day, well except for the Police boat which showed up to nab all would be violators. LOL I thought it was pretty funny actually.

 

[AndrewsArk]

Re: Labor day craziness

The weather here prevented us from going out. However, I love going Mondays - Wednesdays because of the lack of boaters. It's usually nice and calm those nights.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Labor day craziness

Hard to imagine being in a place where I would be afraid to go out on holidays or weekends like some of you guys. Plenty of water around here for everyone to do what they like. Nice free ramps with no waiting and plenty of parking. Keep hoping to see some of the ramp antics I see described here, but no luck so far!

We had beautiful weather all weekend. Sunny in the low 90's with a nice breeze to keep things comfortable. 10-12 boats anchored out off the swimming beach, grand-daughter had a great time with all the other kids. Had a couple of pontoons set up with grills and some great barbeque. Had another boater lend us some jet-skis to go play out in the bay. Towed tubes, wakeboarded and kneeboarded in the rivers and bayous where the water was a lot smoother.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Labor day craziness

beautiful weather and lots of boaters out; no morons in sight.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Labor day craziness

Went out Saturday and again on Monday. Two great days with just a few Idiots at the Launch. Best free entertainment money can buy is watching some people launch and retrieve and the holiday weekends seem to bring them out more. So, we avoided the closest lake / idiot gathering and splashed her in the ocean. Less weekend warriors so not quite as entertaining but better for my blood pressure.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Labor day craziness

Almost sounds like the OP is boating on the chain o' morons I mean chain o lakes.

I dont see anything with back wheels touching water or truck exhaust motor boating but I do agree with the sentiment of not boating where there are loads of morons in cramped quarters with mickey mouse boat launches that require waiting. Thats all rubbish. Glad I got the "third ? coast" 2 minutes from my back door.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Labor day craziness

We're in the club of "wouldn't even think about going out on this weekend".

However, we DID go out today, Tuesday, and had the lake to ourselves. Saw six other boats. The way it used to be. Sigh.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Labor day craziness

I went the other way with it. We have an island near us that gets crazy populated on weekends and holidays. I went out (early in the morning, though) to get a good spot and watch the hilarity ensue. Took 14 people on the boat and spent the time on the float and grilling and being sociable.

Smart money says to stay off of the water when weekend warriors are buzzing around like flies. To the island early and leave just before dark.

 

[The Hammer]

Re: Labor day craziness

I stay home on long weekends, everybody else leaves and is very quiet at home except for my gang. Besides even the fish go into hiding on long weekends! Besides that it rained and stormed and very cold this weekend around here, had to get winter jacket out Saturday night.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Labor day craziness

We visit my Dad and go on the Lake Butler Chain of Lakes. If you dont know where that is, it is located right in the middle of the Isleworth neigborhood, made famous recently by Tiger Woods. Yep its busy, but there is only one public ramp that I am aware of and there are 2 sherriff patrol boats and most of the people there have boat docks worth more than everything I own. So its not so bad. We had a blast. We stopped by the local hotspot, Bird Island, and hung out for a while, then we went skiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding and tubing for hours.

I am glad we have this option on holidays because the local waters that we normally frequent get pretty roudy and we would rather not be out there with all the amateur boaters, especially when half of them are drunk.

Hoping to get a few more weekends of watersports in before the water gets too cold to jump in, but we boat all year round. I am looking forward to a New Years eve boat trip this year.