Bonehead Camp Councilors

[Grandpa Redneck]

On the 4th Grandma n I put in on Lake Tarleton early to wait for our Daughter and 2 Grandkids to spend a nice day on the lake with us.
The Camp across the road (Camp Walt Witman) had their 2 boats there wake boarding and knee boarding.
We went out a onto the lake and anchored off to the side about 120 feet from the shore to drown a few worms while waiting for the family to arrive.

We could see the camp boats and I commented to Grandma that they were driving like morons out on the lake, they eventually headed in to swap the kids for a fresh load. Both boats came in at WAY OVER headway speed, with one of the morons running between us and the shore, throwing huge wakes and if we had not reeled in our lines in a hurry they would have run over them (on second thought might have been better if we hadn't).

Here is a shot of them at the ramp.

picture removed

After getting loaded they turned around and they both opened them up again throwing huge wakes not 20 feet off the ramp, also churned up the bottom a ****, and one went to each side of us as they headed out,

Here is a shot of the one that went between us and the shore.

picture removed

I then left the and returned home and called the Marine patrol and reported the jerks.

I went back up and when the family arrived we went over and anchored in a quiet little spot on the back side, to enjoy our day, but never did see the Marine patrol and haven't heard from them either. The camp clowns pulled out a little after 1.

When we pulled out around 5 Grandma spoke to the lake host about the camp clowns and she said a lot of the boaters had complained to her about the actions of the camp boats, but she could do nothing about it.

And before anyone thinks I was anchored in the way I was not, the area we were anchored in is well over 500 feet wide, we had about 120 feet to shore on the port side, and 400 plus feet to the starboard, also the spot we were anchored in was only 4-5 feet deep and only got shallower between us and shore, the deeper water was to the starboard side.

I am also not opposed to people having fun, we tube and ski behind our boat
and so do a lot of others on the lake , with a little common sense and courtesy it is never a problem.

[fatlazyless]

Oopsie-doopsie....my bad....that should read GEORGE CARLIN....sorry about that!

Hey wasn't it Camp Walt Whitman on beautifull Lake Tarlton, which borders the White Mountain National Forest way up in Orford or somewhere remote, that had a young George Carlin the comedian for a young camper who got his start in dramatics as a camper on the Camp Walt Whitman stage!

If Camp Walt Whitman alumni George Carlin(1937 - 2008) were still alive and able to respond to your post, what would he say? Something like: Yeah, when I was a kid, my parents shipped me off to Camp Walt Whitman way up in the New Hampshire mountains and it was a terrific camp.....very safe....very secure...very out in the woods...and a big change from living down here in New York City. The only thing we had to watch out for, was getting out on the camp lake....because you know....the locals....and how they felt that they owned the little lake just because they had all been there all their lives.

Here's something that I noticed though.....one dead give-a-way that someone was a local from the area was that they were missing all their front teeth!!

What's another George Carlism for this scenario here.......anyone?

[Grandpa Redneck]

FLL, not sure what to think of ya, are ya a wise azz, or a useless rusty tool?
Us locals don't think we own the lake, in fact we love being able to share it with people, we have met some very nice folks from lots of places on the lake or out on the ATV trails, in fact it will be a great time next weekend with ATVers from all around New England, showing up for Warren Old Home Days and ATV poker run weekend.

I have no problem with them skiing, tubing, wake boarding, etc but they need to act responsibly.

Stop up sometime I would be more than happy to show ya the beauty of the area.

[BroadHopper]

The Camp Lawrence yacht (Big green boat) violated the 150' rule as far back as when it became a rule. I even seen it cut off the mail boat! Call the marine patrol and they are no where to be found. I guess camp boats can do no wrong.

[Grandpa Redneck]

Originally Posted by Grandpa Redneck

FLL, I have no problem with them skiing, tubing, wake boarding, etc but they need to act responsibly.

But if my grandkids had been on the boat when they blasted by and rocked the boat so violently, and if my 2 year old grand daughter or my grandson had fallen and been injured by these asses, then I would have a serious problem with them. and the proverbial ____ would have hit the fan I am a pretty easy going guy untill someone messes with my family.

[Grandpa Redneck]

FLL, just for the record Camp Walt Whitman is on Lake Armington not Tarleton, yet for some reason they choose haul their boats across to Tarleton, maybe because there are more homes/camps on Armington to witness /complain about their reckless conduct? perhaps they figure any complaints will be directed at Kingswood Camp which is actually on Tarleton?

And I am very sure that if Carlin did indead go to Walt Whitman back then they would have stayed on Armington and if doing any power boating most likely would have obeyed the rules and COMMON SENSE / personal responsibility.

[VtSteve]

On many lakes, camps are very poorly thought of due to just such behavior. I used to laugh out loud in my little aluminum boat as the Camp Lawrence boat as it terrorized us small boaters. The rudeness, arrogance, the enormous wakes. I was just a kid, and I was scared of those terrorists.

You will rarely, if ever, witness courtesy on the lake by camp boats. It's always all about them, always. Follow the discussions, it's never enough to please them, or their supporters.

[fatlazyless]

Oopsie -doopsie, apologies for my ungracious comments earlier, but I was just trying to immitate a George Carlin comedy line so don't blame me, it was all George Carlin's fault!

By the way, you got a very happy & good look'n grand daughter so's good for her!

[Mink Islander]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

The Camp Lawrence yacht (Big green boat) violated the 150' rule as far back as when it became a rule. I even seen it cut off the mail boat! Call the marine patrol and they are no where to be found. I guess camp boats can do no wrong.

If you consider a lobster boat a "yacht" LOL. No question the camp boat throws an mean wake, but personally I've never seen reckless behavior from the pilot - and I see their dock from my porch and they pass around the SE tip of Bear multiple times daily. I see a lot of truly reckless behavior by water skiers in that general area, however, (right of way violations, 150 ft rule violations, failure to maintain a safe watch with the pilot staring back at the skier while executing a turn into oncoming traffic, etc.).

If I had a dollar for every boat of every type that has passed within 150 ft of me in violation of that rule, I'd be retired already. The truth is, way too many boaters don't think the rules apply to them. I hardly think this is a "camp" issue but that's not my agenda.

[Yankee]

Originally Posted by VtSteve

It's always all about them, always. Follow the discussions, it's never enough to please them, or their supporters.

Gee, sounds just like a former camp lawrence counselor and current part time resident of Bear Island that we know...

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by Mink Islander

If you consider a lobster boat a "yacht" LOL. No question the camp boat throws an mean wake, but personally I've never seen reckless behavior from the pilot - and I see their dock from my porch and they pass around the SE tip of Bear multiple times daily. I see a lot of truly reckless behavior by water skiers in that general area, however, (right of way violations, 150 ft rule violations, failure to maintain a safe watch with the pilot staring back at the skier while executing a turn into oncoming traffic, etc.).

If I had a dollar for every boat of every type that has passed within 150 ft of me in violation of that rule, I'd be retired already. The truth is, way too many boaters don't think the rules apply to them. I hardly think this is a "camp" issue but that's not my agenda.

It isn't a "camp" issue. Someone was just bringing up an incident or two, and a few happened to be "camp" boats. You wouldn't have commented otherwise right? You have you own agenda, this isn't one of them MI.

Fact is, there are many issues left unaddressed on the water, probably about 98% of them. Yes, the camp boats are routinely a PITA. The CL boat always ran from shore to shore like it was a cruise ship, with a wake to match. Imagine the erosion it has caused over the years.

So now MI, you "see a lot of truly reckless behavior", by "water skiers" no less. So have all of us, many, many times. Glad you could catch up and join in on the discussion.

[ApS]

Recriminations? Isn't the lake "for everybody"?

This "cuts" both ways: a Winnipesaukee camp counselor once wrote:

"I do remember one incident during one of my boat training courses where somebody in a powerboat who was living in or leasing a house almost directly across from the camp accosted one of our sailing craft on the way back to his house, almost as if he wanted to sink it with his wake.

It was either harrassment or incompetence on his part. So I got in the camp boat and went over to make sure our boys were uninjured and ask them about what occurred, and then went over to the house where the boat docked.

I stopped our boat within hailing-distance of their place, and some men were still out near their boat, and I said, "Excuse me, but we need you to not come so close to our boats." I wasn't obnoxious about it. I just related that these were kids in the boats who were not experienced boaters and might not know how to react when confronted with a large wake.

Well, the guy who responded with an offhanded, "Just keep your boats on your side of the lake".

I said that it was not in my experience that our laws observed an "our side" and a "your side" of the lake, and if there were further instances, we'd have to involve the Marine Patrol.

He had no answer to that, and I left. I told Waterfront Director about it when I got back, and he did a glance in their general direction. The two of us briefed the Camp Director about it at supper, who was surprized to hear it and took it very seriously.

The Camp Director came down to the waterfront with us later, just to see which house it was, and I think he may have known who owned the residence at one time, but had not known him well. Whether he made calls or not, I don't know, but there were no further problems.

It was my impression, just from the tone in the powerboater's voice, that this guy resented the camp being where it was."

While speaking of "Headway Speed"...

See anything wrong with Lakefront-Maintenance Personnel preparing a Jet-Ski for their client's use?

Yes, he just left that dock in the photo!

Those danged Lakefront-Maintenance Personnel!

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

See anything wrong with Lakefront-Maintenance Personnel preparing a Jet-Ski for their client's use?

Yes, he just left that dock in the photo!

Those danged Lakefront-Maintenance Personnel!

This photo cannot be from this year.....or last, or the year before, right???

"boating on Winnipesaukee is as balanced and civil as we have seen for more than 20 years."

[VtSteve]

Yes APS, the lake is "for everybody". There's certainly no shortage of boneheads, or arrogant people, whether they are camp boaters or non-camp boaters. You're usually pretty biased, so I'm sure the camp counselor story was for balance, something that may have shocked you into posting. The PWC driver looks to be a cowboy

I can't think of a vessel type I've not seen a bonehead in. I encountered two kayaks this past weekend, both a dark, rusty brown color, out paddling in a very busy channel, about 4 miles from land. This is at about 3:00 PM. I should have taken a video of this particular instance. There were four fairly large (30' to 38') sailboats heading fast racing back to port. Since there were cruisers heading the other direction, the sailboats kept course moving at a pretty good clip. At that point, the kayakers had little choice but to keep paddling in between two of these massive vessels. A shot of the kayakers looking up as the sailboats passed them would have been priceless. There probably wasn't more than 25 yards between the sailboats.

I also encountered a small Hobie Cat (again), that almost hot me broadside. (I was at anchor) Again!

They say it takes all kinds, but I still don't buy it.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Ryan

This photo cannot be from this year.....or last, or the year before, right???

While looking for "in-water" observation of boat-renters, why not require the same for Maintenance Personnel?

The photo was taken Tuesday of this week.

Originally Posted by VtSteve

Yes APS, the lake is "for everybody". There's certainly no shortage of boneheads, or arrogant people, whether they are camp boaters or non-camp boaters.

That's pretty much my point, while everyone's busy reviling the summer camper.

Originally Posted by VtSteve

I also encountered a small Hobie Cat (again), that almost got me broadside. (I was at anchor) Again!

When a sailboat is "working to windward", it needs all the space it can get. Those with inadequate training in all boats, get all-panicky.

Sailboats also come uncomfortably close to shorelines, in order to "make passage".

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

When a sailboat is "working to windward", it needs all the space it can get. Those with inadequate training in all boats, get all-panicky.

Sailboats also come uncomfortably close to shorelines, in order to "make passage".

So what your saying a sailboat can actually change the course of Mt Washington, Sophie C and Doris E.

Sorry, I don't buy it!

[ApS]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

So what your saying a sailboat can actually change the course of Mt Washington, Sophie C and Doris E.

Sorry, I don't buy it!

It's safe to say that the Mt Washington, Sophie C and Doris E have all changed course for a sailboat—but that's not what I'm saying.

Of which I repeat:

When a sailboat is "working to windward", it needs all the space it can get. Those with inadequate training in all boats, get all-panicky.

Sailboats also come uncomfortably close to shorelines, in order to "make passage".

In sailboat racing, it takes especially-great skills when inches count:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtPG3...layer_embedded

[Barney Bear]

Early in the season, Camp Lawrence may have new pilots on the 50 foot Bear II. These pilots must obtain commercial licenses to operate the camp boats. Over the years, we've observed that new pilots would tend to pass fairly close [several hundred yards] to our point on East Bear Island and bouce our "navy" with its huge wake. A phone call to the camp requesting that the Bear II stay far off shore before making its swing toward the Camp Nokomis dock has always resolved this matter. Frequently, our young guests will hop into the water to ride the waves.