Paddle boarder struck by pontoon boat

[fatlazyless]

From the U.S. Coast Guard, the Coast Guard considers a stand up paddle board to be a vessel which I suppose means something like it is a boat somewhat similar to a sit-on-top kayak and not just a water toy or water float. So an 11'6" x 32" sup that weighs 35-lbs and is paddled can share the waters with motor boats ..... lots-o-luck ....

What is still not known is the capability of the boat driver. Was it a rental pontoon. Is she an experienced motor boater or just a first time driver?

The same questions apply to the paddle boarder as well?

Paddle boards and motor boats sharing the same waters is obviously somewhat of a crazy situation and most paddle boarders know to stay away from the motor boat traffic. Is like a no-brainer and very obvious as to where NOT to go on a paddle board. Paddle boards tend to stay close to the shore just like kayaks unless they have a death wish or don't know what's what with motor boats. You paddle in water spaces where the motor boats don't go due to shallow water, rocks, and lake geography.

Is a sup a vessel or is it just a water toy? Well ...... the U.S.C.G. says that a sup is a vessel so good luck with sups and motor boats sharing the same water spaces.

Here in New Hampshire, the Fish and Game boat launch ramps all across the state are off-limits to swimmers and for bathing. A sup with a paddler is considered to be a vessel by the U.S. Coast Guard so paddle boarders may use the Fish and Game boat launches to access the water and then, after paddling away from the launch ramp, is ok to use the paddle board like a swim raft for swimming and bathing. So, how does this all work in the real world of NH boat launch areas?

"You know that you can be right, but you can also be dead right" is a saying that applies to running a yellow light at a stop light while driving a car, and it also applies to paddling a stand up paddleboard in an area of a NH lake that has a lot of motorboat traffic. Slow moving stand up paddle boards and motorboats going faster than no-wake speed are not a very good combination. The two should pretty much be exclusive of one another and kept a safe distance apart to avoid a collision between the two.

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

From the U.S. Coast Guard, the Coast Guard considers a stand up paddle board to be a vessel which I suppose means something like it is a boat somewhat similar to a sit-on-top kayak and not just a water toy or water float. So an 11'6" x 32" sup that weighs 35-lbs and is paddled can share the waters with motor boats ..... lots-o-luck ....

What is still not known is the capability of the boat driver. Was it a rental pontoon. Is she an experienced motor boater or just a first time driver?

The same questions apply to the paddle boarder as well?

Paddle boards and motor boats sharing the same waters is obviously somewhat of a crazy situation and most paddle boarders know to stay away from the motor boat traffic. Is like a no-brainer and very obvious as to where NOT to go on a paddle board. Paddle boards tend to stay close to the shore just like kayaks unless they have a death wish or don't know what's what with motor boats. You paddle in water spaces where the motor boats don't go due to shallow water, rocks, and lake geography.

Thats not helping in the least, I had hoped a reasonable person would at a minimum have advocated for the paddle boarders to wear a safety noodle belt, or possible for all boaters to keep a noodle belt onboard so that in the event of an accident the belt could be tossed to anyone in the water.

Given your years of experience and number of noodle posts, I had hoped to possibly see something creative, like paddle boarders should ways carry a noodle to help them measure out a safe distance from the docks. 3 - 4 noodle lengths seems like a good minimum buffer.

Maybe something else,,,

Well its no fun at all if I have to come up with all the noodle inserts AND have to generate all the standards of the duel.

I might just as well get a lawn chair and sit at the Meredith launch and just watch all the boaters practicing their backing into U-shaped docks and such. At least that would be entertaining,,, NOT.