Scary situation

Pricestavern · 07-20-2009, 01:06 PM

Saturday I was coming across the Broads from Wolfboro and just happened to be explaining what a "Captain Bonehead" was to one of my guests. We had our eye on a med-sized boat that was coming towards us from the port quarter and not slowing down or making moves to avoid.

Figuring we had a prime example of Cap'n Bonehead on our hands, I cut back throttle to let the joker pass. To our amazement, this tarter-head stops his boat directly in front of us, no more than 100 foot away and starts rooting around for something down in his cabin. After a few seconds, he reappars, guns the engine and takes off up the Broads. I don't think he ever realized that we were there.

Never assume anyone knows what they're doing.

bigRazor · 07-20-2009, 04:47 PM

Yesterday I passed someone pulling their kid on a tube through the Weirs channel. He was at no wake at least.

rander7823 · 07-20-2009, 04:59 PM

We took the trip to Wolfeboro on Friday on the Mount and I couldn't believe how many boats were cutting across the bow and really close. One went acrsss the stern and could have been more than 50 feet away.

SAMIAM · 07-21-2009, 09:46 AM

Just for your info.....it is illegal to tow a tube in a channel. I've seen the MP stop people for it.
Also have a "bonehead" story.........Skier in the water waiting for power. Along comes a rental pontoon boat with 6-8 Asian men, all in long sleeved white shirts and long black slacks. All standing and all with a drink in hand. The captain was weaving deliberately, just fooling around and all were laughing and having a good time. Only problem was, they were heading right for my skier.......fortunately, I had time to quickly circle to protect her and they passed within 30' at about 20mph which was about WOT for a 50HP. Still shaking my head over that one even though it was several years ago. Don't know if they were a religious group, conventioners or what. Makes me wary of rental boats.

Woodsy · 07-21-2009, 10:15 AM

Samiam...

Can you point to a specific RSA that indicates towing a tube through a channel (with a person on it) or some similar device is illegal? I looked and could not find anything. I would guess that the MP stop you witnessed was to :advise: the boat operator that towing a tube through a channel was'nt exactly "wise".

I too have seen the family bonehead out for a tube with the little ones with absolutely no regard for the safety of the child(ren) or other boaters...

Bonehead #1 - Tows child on tube through Weirs Channel (Inbound to Paugus Bay) 4th of July weekend 3 years ago... fast current and LOTS of boats!

Bonehead #2 - Tows 2 kids on Banana Boat (very easy to fall off) through the slot between Eagle Is & Governors Is...

Bonehead #3 - Thinks that tubing off Marker #1 in the Weirs is a good idea on a busy saturday afternoon in August!

So many small coves and bays and these morons need to risk thier kids safety to tube through busy areas!

Woodsy

SAMIAM · 07-21-2009, 12:35 PM

Think you're right, Woodsy......I couldn't find anything either. As I remember, they used that stop to do a safety check, as well.

VtSteve · 07-22-2009, 12:12 PM

It's good to see all is calm and quiet on the lake this year

Funny how not much has changed, including the MP's propensity to seemingly never be in the right spot at the right time.

I'm sure those that have been shadowed by the MP, or have seen their tricks first hand, are delighted to hear these stories

skprbob · 07-23-2009, 10:11 AM

The towing rules for people - as the RSAs read - that's RSA 270:d-3

1. Without a special permit, one may tow a maximum of two people, regardless of the number of objects. For example, two tubes, with two riders on each tube, is illegal (4 people).

2. You need an appropriate observer for each person. For example, one tube, with two riders, requires two observers.

So - it's always the number of people that count! The one I love most is the inflatable "torpedo" with six kids on it, wearing only old ski belts, and one 10 year old observer. Argh.

3. There is no rule against towing someone through a channel as long as other navigation rules are observed. For example, if you tow through the Graveyard and you are the only boat there, have at it. You're good unless you meet another boat and have to slow down to comply with the safe passage rule. The Weirs Channel is a posted "no wake" area, so you would have to tow at headway speed (if you were dumb enough to try it). If I were still an MP officer, I'd likely not worry too much about the Graveyard guy. In the crowded Weirs Channel, I could easily construe such a maneuver as creating a hazard to navigation and take enforcement action that way.

Either way though, towing anywhere but open water is one of the hallmarks of Capt Bonehead!

4Fun · 07-23-2009, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skprbob

The towing rules for people - as the RSAs read - that's RSA 270:d-3

1. Without a special permit, one may tow a maximum of two people, regardless of the number of objects. For example, two tubes, with two riders on each tube, is illegal (4 people).

2. You need an appropriate observer for each person. For example, one tube, with two riders, requires two observers.

So - it's always the number of people that count! The one I love most is the inflatable "torpedo" with six kids on it, wearing only old ski belts, and one 10 year old observer. Argh.

3. There is no rule against towing someone through a channel as long as other navigation rules are observed. For example, if you tow through the Graveyard and you are the only boat there, have at it. You're good unless you meet another boat and have to slow down to comply with the safe passage rule. The Weirs Channel is a posted "no wake" area, so you would have to tow at headway speed (if you were dumb enough to try it). If I were still an MP officer, I'd likely not worry too much about the Graveyard guy. In the crowded Weirs Channel, I could easily construe such a maneuver as creating a hazard to navigation and take enforcement action that way.

Either way though, towing anywhere but open water is one of the hallmarks of Capt Bonehead!

I thought of this rule yesterday when I was reading my local newspaper and they had a picture of 3 kids having fun on a tube on Cobbets Pond in Windham. Those 3 kids would be in Juvenile detention if they tried that on Winni

20 years ago I used to tow a person on a tube using 1 person stand up JetSki. Didn't need a spotter, when they fell off you picked up 10MPH speed instantly

07-21-2009, 10:15 AM	#5
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,968 Thanks: 80 Thanked 980 Times in 440 Posts	Samiam... Can you point to a specific RSA that indicates towing a tube through a channel (with a person on it) or some similar device is illegal? I looked and could not find anything. I would guess that the MP stop you witnessed was to :advise: the boat operator that towing a tube through a channel was'nt exactly "wise". I too have seen the family bonehead out for a tube with the little ones with absolutely no regard for the safety of the child(ren) or other boaters... Bonehead #1 - Tows child on tube through Weirs Channel (Inbound to Paugus Bay) 4th of July weekend 3 years ago... fast current and LOTS of boats! Bonehead #2 - Tows 2 kids on Banana Boat (very easy to fall off) through the slot between Eagle Is & Governors Is... Bonehead #3 - Thinks that tubing off Marker #1 in the Weirs is a good idea on a busy saturday afternoon in August! So many small coves and bays and these morons need to risk thier kids safety to tube through busy areas! Woodsy __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid.

07-23-2009, 10:11 AM	#8
skprbob Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 19 Mile Bay Posts: 147 Thanks: 0 Thanked 90 Times in 29 Posts	Skip's almost right The towing rules for people - as the RSAs read - that's RSA 270:d-3 1. Without a special permit, one may tow a maximum of two people, regardless of the number of objects. For example, two tubes, with two riders on each tube, is illegal (4 people). 2. You need an appropriate observer for each person. For example, one tube, with two riders, requires two observers. So - it's always the number of people that count! The one I love most is the inflatable "torpedo" with six kids on it, wearing only old ski belts, and one 10 year old observer. Argh. 3. There is no rule against towing someone through a channel as long as other navigation rules are observed. For example, if you tow through the Graveyard and you are the only boat there, have at it. You're good unless you meet another boat and have to slow down to comply with the safe passage rule. The Weirs Channel is a posted "no wake" area, so you would have to tow at headway speed (if you were dumb enough to try it). If I were still an MP officer, I'd likely not worry too much about the Graveyard guy. In the crowded Weirs Channel, I could easily construe such a maneuver as creating a hazard to navigation and take enforcement action that way. Either way though, towing anywhere but open water is one of the hallmarks of Capt Bonehead! Last edited by skprbob; 07-23-2009 at 01:36 PM. Reason: adding the RSA

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07-20-2009, 01:06 PM	#1
Pricestavern Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Valencia, Spain (formerly Rattlesnake Isle) Posts: 389 Thanks: 135 Thanked 142 Times in 82 Posts	Cap'n Boneheads Everywhere Saturday I was coming across the Broads from Wolfboro and just happened to be explaining what a "Captain Bonehead" was to one of my guests. We had our eye on a med-sized boat that was coming towards us from the port quarter and not slowing down or making moves to avoid. Figuring we had a prime example of Cap'n Bonehead on our hands, I cut back throttle to let the joker pass. To our amazement, this tarter-head stops his boat directly in front of us, no more than 100 foot away and starts rooting around for something down in his cabin. After a few seconds, he reappars, guns the engine and takes off up the Broads. I don't think he ever realized that we were there. Never assume anyone knows what they're doing.

07-20-2009, 04:47 PM	#2
bigRazor Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pelham, NH Posts: 19 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Yesterday I passed someone pulling their kid on a tube through the Weirs channel. He was at no wake at least.

07-20-2009, 04:59 PM	#3
rander7823 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 303 Thanks: 550 Thanked 40 Times in 24 Posts	Cap'n Boneheads We took the trip to Wolfeboro on Friday on the Mount and I couldn't believe how many boats were cutting across the bow and really close. One went acrsss the stern and could have been more than 50 feet away.

07-21-2009, 09:46 AM	#4
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,918 Thanks: 341 Thanked 1,692 Times in 594 Posts	Just for your info.....it is illegal to tow a tube in a channel. I've seen the MP stop people for it. Also have a "bonehead" story.........Skier in the water waiting for power. Along comes a rental pontoon boat with 6-8 Asian men, all in long sleeved white shirts and long black slacks. All standing and all with a drink in hand. The captain was weaving deliberately, just fooling around and all were laughing and having a good time. Only problem was, they were heading right for my skier.......fortunately, I had time to quickly circle to protect her and they passed within 30' at about 20mph which was about WOT for a 50HP. Still shaking my head over that one even though it was several years ago. Don't know if they were a religious group, conventioners or what. Makes me wary of rental boats.

07-21-2009, 12:35 PM	#6
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,918 Thanks: 341 Thanked 1,692 Times in 594 Posts	Think you're right, Woodsy......I couldn't find anything either. As I remember, they used that stop to do a safety check, as well.

07-22-2009, 12:12 PM	#7
VtSteve Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,320 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 230 Thanked 361 Times in 169 Posts	It's good to see all is calm and quiet on the lake this year Funny how not much has changed, including the MP's propensity to seemingly never be in the right spot at the right time. I'm sure those that have been shadowed by the MP, or have seen their tricks first hand, are delighted to hear these stories