PWC counseling needed......

[capt sam]

Re: PWC counseling needed......

PWC's can be more irritating than dangerous as a general rule, my biggest issue is with people who buy too big a boat with too little experience and rely heavily on the biggest boat rules. Those morons are everywhere.....

 

[Splat]

Re: PWC counseling needed......

This thread like all the other ones on this topic is turning into nothing but a pi$$ing contest.

If everyone would just take some self accountability, and a little bit of respect for their fellow man(or boater) we could all get along just fine and have some fun doing it.

Bill

 

[dingbat]

Re: PWC counseling needed......

I'm seriously amazed that the anti-pwc attitude is allowed on this board. I'm starting to think it is only grumpy old fisherman that inhabit this forum.

Why do so many people despise them? The statics speak for themselves.

Jet skis make up only 6.5% of all boating vessels owned in the U.S. but are involved in 55% of all boat collisions. The U.S. Coast Guard found in 2002 that a personal watercraft operator is seven times more likely to get hurt than a motor boat operator and 30 times more likely than a canoer or kayaker.

Collisions with docks, larger boats and other personal watercraft account for more than 65% of all reported injuries.

The way I look at it, a PWC is a far greater risk to inflect bodily harm upon myself and or my family than a fellow boater. I have no problems with PWC riders going out and killing themselves. More power to them. But no way am I going to just sit back and accept the fact that my families life is being put at risk because of stupid and inconsiderate acts of others.

I'm lucky, they don't care for the heavy chop or being out 4-5 miles from shore so I rarely ever see one. I feel sorry for those that can't escape.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: PWC counseling needed......

I don't hate Jetskis at all. In fact I may buy one in the future to tow out with us. I just think that the riders should be required to take some kind of safety course before cutting them loose. Same goes for boaters. As stated before I think it is just the ratio of idiot boaters to idiot PWC operators that causes stereotyping. If they would stop playing in Nowake zones and stay away from my boat I could care less what they do.

Last year I had a Deckboat pulling a tube off plane pass the bow of my toon at about 20' away and I had kids in the water!!!! I hate him too... I took his entire wake across the deck of my pontoon and luckily had the video camera going. Called DNR and showed the officer the video, pointed to the boat and off they went.

 

[SeanMcl]

Re: PWC counseling needed......

In my experience, (most) PWC drivers will respond to a simple wave off if they are too close. I can only think of one who repeatedly crossed my wake at about the same distance I tow a skier at, roughly 75', even after I slowed down and waved him off.

One of the nice things is that PWCs seem to have ADD, so after crossing the wake a few times they usually shoot off to do something else.

The only really bad experience I've ever had was a houseboat that was launching waterballons. He hit me with the first shot, but was so appologetic that it took my anger down to managable levels. I don't think he ever thought he would hit anything, and I'm sure he couldn't do it again if he tried 100 times.

No harm was done (lucky) and he threw the contraption overboard when I asked him to. It sank in 100' of water, and that was that.

 

[Hitech]

Re: PWC counseling needed......

The problem I've had with PWC has typically come from inexperienced riders. When they "get in trouble" they tend to shut down the throttle and turn. And, as everyone here well knows, they continue in a straight line. I had a husband/wife each ridding one come over to "help" my downed skier. There was no reason for them too as I turned immediately when they went down. Well, the wife is headed straight at the skier, shuts down the throttle and turns. I point the boat between her and my skier and apply "some" throttle. I also scream at her to avoid my skier (with a few colorful metaphors thrown in). Hubby isn't too happy with my actions and words. However, after I "explained" it to him he either decides I'm right or not worth it.

The worst part was that I was afraid that I might have to hit the PWC rider to keep them from hitting my skier. It would have made for a very bad day for everyone involved. You really need to learn how to handle any vehicle before you operate one, esp. among others.

 

[aborgman]

Re: PWC counseling needed......

Who gets to define "too close and too aggresively", boaters or jet skiers???

Neither.

The legislature, judiciary, and enforcement officers.

--
Aaron