Amateur day.

[ROLAND]

Too many people who bought boats and PWC's over the winter/spring, in too big a hurry to try out their new toy, and most without the SLIGHTEST knowledge of boating,
Tim

You are absolutely right... and I'm not proud to say about 4 or 5 years ago I was one of those people.. Never owned a boat in my life and there I was unloading my boat at Caddo Lake on a busy saturday... Luckily for me I was already in my mid 50's, so even though I didnt have any boat knowledge, I did have some common sense... which saved our butt's more than once... working this monday so no boating for me... but I'm planning on retiring in one year and me and momma plan to do a lot of fishing during the week when we'll be a lot more likely to have the lake to ourselves..

[Cowracer]

I'm working... But, I'll head out Tuesday if the weather holds up.
BobG... I know what you mean, about roping off your slip. We had the "DockFockers" borrowing ours down at LotO, until we roped it closed. Idiots! Got to the point where people were sinking chains 10" down in the center of their slips when gone. Once a "DockFocker" hits that, they won't be back... If they get the boat out of the slip, that is. Like a mouse in a trap, once that chain goes between the transom and lower unit!

I think I would just untie their shit, and give it a firm push. Then park my boat in my dock.

That would solve the problem, no?

Tim

[chill'nthemost]

I can put up with the "newbe's" who are just learning how to launch and load. We we're all "that guy" once, if even just a little bit. But....anymore the world seems to be full of a holes, rude, a-holes. I'm sick of the people who load the gas, food, etc AFTER they back down the ramp or block the dock while parking the tow vehicle or....Like most, we can launch and load in 5 mins and, stupid me, it bothers me if I'm holding up the flow. Years back I had to yell at a moron to move because he parked in the MIDDLE of the service road out of the launch to dry off his boat. He had people backing up trying to maneuver around him. Sometimes it's too easy to forget we came out to relax

[sunedog]

I'm working... But, I'll head out Tuesday if the weather holds up.
BobG... I know what you mean, about roping off your slip. We had the "DockFockers" borrowing ours down at LotO, until we roped it closed. Idiots! Got to the point where people were sinking chains 10" down in the center of their slips when gone. Once a "DockFocker" hits that, they won't be back... If they get the boat out of the slip, that is. Like a mouse in a trap, once that chain goes between the transom and lower unit!

I think I would just untie their shit, and give it a firm push. Then park my boat in my dock.

That would solve the problem, no?

Tim

Terrible idea. Yes, I'd be really torqued if someone parked in my slip. But what if the boat you set adrift damages someone else's boat nearby? You'd have taken a situation that annoyed you but didn't damage your stuff and made it into a much bigger issue for some third party. I'm not sure, but you may even be technically liable for the damage you caused.

[BobG]

Terrible idea. Yes, I'd be really torqued if someone parked in my slip. But what if the boat you set adrift damages someone else's boat nearby? You'd have taken a situation that annoyed you but didn't damage your stuff and made it into a much bigger issue for some third party. I'm not sure, but you may even be technically liable for the damage you caused.

Yeah, if I had a poacher in my slip, I would probably untie them, and retie them to the breakwater - then they can pay the marina $50 for a ride out to their boat, so they can collect it, and see how much the National Park Service is going to fine them for tieing up to the breakwater.

[OK Toon]

Our dock is the first one next to the boat ramp so it's always a great place to watch the newbies come out for the first time. But that won't be happening this year. The ramp and landing area are under 4' of water so there won't be anybody trying to launch at that ramp this weekend (or for the next few weeks for that matter). More rain expected over the next 10 days. Maybe I should trade the pontoon in on an Ark!

[Bryden24shp]

Sounds like you are getting hammered, Steve! Hope it lets off and you can go have some fun!

[OK Toon]

Sounds like you are getting hammered, Steve!

Yes, and we are getting a lot of rain too

[Bryden24shp]

Excellent!

[woolznaz]

This should be the "GET OFF MY LAWN" thread.

I guess we are the strange ones. We actually love the holiday weekends and enjoy seeing lots of activity on the water. From the sounds of this thread, though, we'll be the only ones out there enjoying it. That's too bad..... I like seeing lots of boats and people on the water. It makes boating more fun if you ask me.

[kryptonite]

I can put up with the "newbe's" who are just learning how to launch and load. We we're all "that guy" once, if even just a little bit. But....anymore the world seems to be full of a holes, rude, a-holes. I'm sick of the people who load the gas, food, etc AFTER they back down the ramp or block the dock while parking the tow vehicle

I encountered this yesterday. We have 3 ramps. I pulled up to take the boat out. 2 ramps are blocked, one guy is working on his motor, the other is loading coolers. I was parked close to the ramps and barely got out of my parking spot, but I maneuver around both of them, load my boat and gone before either one moved.

I sternly but nicely said that you should do that before you get here, and the guy kinda agreed. He didn't get pissed. I think some people just don't know any better and others just don't give a shit.

[Coldbrew]

This should be the "GET OFF MY LAWN" thread.

I guess we are the strange ones. We actually love the holiday weekends and enjoy seeing lots of activity on the water. From the sounds of this thread, though, we'll be the only ones out there enjoying it. That's too bad..... I like seeing lots of boats and people on the water. It makes boating more fun if you ask me.

Ditto! Luckily we have a mooring so we don't have to launch, but I love when there's more activity. I don't get much time off from work so If I couldn't use my boat during holiday weekends, I probably wouldn't have one.

This has been a strange weekend though. Temp topped out in the 50's on Saturday and yesterday was VERY windy on our lake. Coupled with the fact that Memorial Day is early this year things have been pretty quiet.

[teecro]

This should be the "GET OFF MY LAWN" thread.

I guess we are the strange ones. We actually love the holiday weekends and enjoy seeing lots of activity on the water. From the sounds of this thread, though, we'll be the only ones out there enjoying it. That's too bad..... I like seeing lots of boats and people on the water. It makes boating more fun if you ask me.

Ditto! Luckily we have a mooring so we don't have to launch, but I love when there's more activity. I don't get much time off from work so If I couldn't use my boat during holiday weekends, I probably wouldn't have one.

This has been a strange weekend though. Temp topped out in the 50's on Saturday and yesterday was VERY windy on our lake. Coupled with the fact that Memorial Day is early this year things have been pretty quiet.

I cast another DITTO here... If I was not at work we'd be out on the lake enjoying every bit of it; this would be an excellent time to explore further out on our lake and check out the marina restaurants for food & beer... Nothing better than the wife, the dog, some spicy crispy wings, and a bucket full of Blue Moon whilst we watch people come and go.....

[Strake]

........Too many people who bought boats and PWC's over the winter/spring, in too big a hurry to try out their new toy, and most without the SLIGHTEST knowledge of boating, or even proper equipment. The "big 3" holidays (Mem. Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day) are always crazy at my lake. I tend to just sit on the beach and watch the show.

Tim

I don't ever go out on holiday weekends.
I'm much more comfortable on the dock and safer.
We live in a condo on the lake. There are 18 units in our bldg. with 3 units of full timers.
On holiday weekends there will be about 15 units in use. There are about 7 condos that are ONLY used on holidays.
So I agree, the amateurs ruin things for us regular folks.

Sounds like you're at Gangplank Condos..... We're right around the corner from you at R25..... South Pointe Condos..... We went out Thursday and it was fine, but we stayed on the dock or on the boat hanging in the boat house since then. Will go again tomorrow ( Tues)... WAY too many idiots out and especially a ton of Jet Skies all weekend. Much more entertaining sitting safe on the dock.

[woolznaz]

We were out yesterday and while hanging around the ramp and dock I saw a lot of newbies and lots of mistakes were made. As people had trouble loading, unloading, getting their boat to fire up, etc. it would create a bit of a cluster for a while around the ramp and/or the dock as things were so busy. These seemed to be mostly people with new boats, new to boating, and it really showed. It was a little windy, too, adding to the difficulty. What should have taken 5 minutes might have taken 20 with silly mistakes; and it was all preventable with a little planning, knowledge, or experience. However, these were families new to boating and they just didn't have that to rely on.

Here is what was cool. I saw a LOT of people helping other people. I saw experienced boaters wading in the water helping others get their boats on the trailer. I saw a guy helping another guy back his trailer in. I saw people helping other people having trouble getting their boat to fire up. I saw a lot of help around the dock helping people drop others off or get their boat tied up.

You know what else was cool? I didn't see/hear people yelling or fighting or making the newbies who were struggling feel like crap. I'm sure there was some of it, but I didn't see it. I just saw a bunch of boaters helping other boaters. It was really a nice thing to watch and restored a little faith humanity. This was at Bartlett Lake, which is northeast of Phoenix, AZ. It was really nice to see.

Now watch, after this post I'll go out today and be the long time boater who looks like a newbie, making some silly mistake, and somebody will probably start screaming at me rather then helping.