The most dangerous boating in 15 years

[melvinbayboater]

I have seen a lot of crazy things in my 15 years of boating on Winnipesaukee, but what happened on Saturday beats them all. We were anchored in 20 Mile Bay near the swimming area. There was a boat off our bow about 100 feet away with some small kids getting ready to tube. The kids in the tube were about 80 feet from our boat. Along comes a boat full of people towing a skier. They go right between us and the little kids on the tube . It wasn't like they didn't have any place else to go, the bay was wide open. They could have hit my anchor line, or worse, the tube could have been attached to my boat. If the person driving that boat reads this, please, go take a boating course before you kill someone.

[Dave R]

I was slowly motoring out of Braun Bay at roughly 3PM this past Sunday. A decent sized Four Winns bowrider passed me on plane and on my port side with inches to spare. There was at least 600 feet between me and the shore to port so he had plenty of room to go around me legally. It was lightly raining so perhaps the guy did not see me though visibility was at least 2-3 miles as I could see the shore in Gilford. Freaked me and my passengers out just a bit as none of us were looking aft at the time. The boat just appeared beside us and was gone in an instant. No one on the other boat made any attempt to acknowlege us. If had done something like this by accident, I would have stopped and apologized.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Yikes! What are people thinking? I think some people leave their common sense at home when they go out on the lake. Glad no one was hurt.
Friday night we had to flag the Marine Patrol at the top of Alton Bay. A little girl was dangling her legs over the bow while the boat was moving. Sunday afternoon we had to call MP for a boat towing four children in a tube without a single spotter. They were not going fast, but it was still plenty dangerous.

[PROPELLER]

I saw three boats sunday with people sitting on the bow while under way & they all were going more than 15 mph, not even headway speed.

[samcracker]

I never realized how much unsafe activity actually goes on. I think that taking the safety class helped me be more aware of what others do that is unsafe. My cousin and I saw a big cruiser this weekend flying passed us on our right with two small kids holding on to the railing and sitting on the part where the anchor sticks out the front (can't remember the term). You could see their legs pressed against the front from the wind - in between bouncing with each wave. We were going to turn around and try to stop them. I don't know why we didn't - afraid to run them over perhaps.

[Jonnyross]

Sunday afternoon I was heading along Governor's toward the Eagle channel and as I got within 500 yards of the channel a 60 foot or so cigarette boat came out of the channel and intentionally turned right to pass my bow from left to right about 30 feet in front while I was slamming on the brakes and he was doing 60 mph or so. The two guys were looking right at us possibly looking for a reaction. Didn't give em one, what good would it do? Road rage? Don't need that. Several minutes later I get to the channel and here comes the Doris or Sophie. I am at headway speed and, as I am passing the tourist boat between the markers another boat (not a cigarette) comes up behind her about 30 feet aft of her on plane and as I go by, he darts left over her wake and passes her within 30 feet or so. Unbelievable! I know the lake is crowded but this is outright stupidity. Just remember, I read from another thread that the drunk guy in Florida who split a 31 foot cabin cruiser in half and killed 6 people is a multi millionaire doing 85 years in florida prison.

[Just Sold]

It happens all the time and it did again today while leaving Wolfeboro about a 1/4 mile from the docks.

A V hulled party boat, similar to a pontoon boat, was heading into the bay, weaving to either side of my bow, and I was trying to determine where he was going when he changed course and came right at me. I could not see the person driving so I assume he could not see me. I had to change course and hit the gas and speed up from about 15 mph in order to avoid him. As I passed he was oblivious to me and gave no recognition that I was even there or that anything was wrong. We are a 22.5' with 8' beam cuddy so we are very visible.

This situation happens too many times on the lake and eventually someone will get hurt.

I must say the MP was out and visible today but was not in Wolfeboro when this happened.

[silverton2001]

Jonnyross, a similar thing happend to us, but the other driver gave US the one finger salute.

[donnamatrix]

During the weekend, we spent time at our beach on Paugus Bay. We saw a 26 or 28 foot bowrider going back and forth towing a person on a tube. Unfortunately, there was a person sitting on the back end of the boat .. not quite on the swim platform, but close. We were stunned. It would only take one big wake from another boat to knock this person into the water and the prop. Egad. What are they thinking??