Got Boats?

Since you've never been here, how can you possibly understand the issues being debated here (often ad nauseum!) Owning a big fast boat on the West Coast hardly makes you an expert on boating issues in the Lakes Region of NH or the buying habits and experience levels of their operators for that matter. Instead of venting about things you know little about, please just stay home -- we really won't miss you!

Mink Islander - you have GOT to be kidding with that attitude! It is comments like that that give those of us good folks on the lake a bad name! I have been on this lake for 35 years, (since I was 10 mo. old.) and I have seen LOTS of changes! Changes in people, places and boats, some for the better and some for the less-than-better. But I have to agree with my fellow "sport boat / Cigarette boat" owners on this board. The overwhelming MAJORITY of the owners of these boats know what they are doing and are VERY respectful, don't lump the few clowns that don't in with the rest of us. It takes lots of seat time to develop the skill and knowledge of how to operate a large boat properly, anyone can jump in and drive away in a 20' bow-rider, just look at all the renters on the weekends up on the lake! Lofty's point is a general point about the operation of these boats, and I will put my money on the "performance" boater ALL DAY LONG when it comes to day-to-day boating skills, ALL DAY LONG!! Crusing around in a six inch ripple in a 20' boat can be done by a child of 10. Now, try getting out in 3, 4 or even 5 foot confused water and run, then see how you do. Try docking a 38' boat at the town docks in Wolfeboro some Saturday, and see how you do... Boating is for EVERYONE, and just because one guy (or gal, and there are plenty of those too...) chooses to buy a "big - fast" boat, and someone else chooses to buy a nice little Sea Ray doesn't make either of them right or wrong, just different people with different interests. Don't perpetuate the "stuffy, stuck-up, if they are not with me they are against me" wrap... it is not making you, or the rest of your fellow lakers look very good! Respect the water, respect the land and respect your fellow boater, regardless of the boat they drive and they will respect you back!

Ughhh did you even read the post I responded to? Why no "attitude" comments for Lofty --- oh, I forgot, you AGREE with him, so it's ok? LOL!

My message was HARDLY on a par with the flamethrowing so many of you revel in!

You mean this one!?:

Since you've never been here, how can you possibly understand the issues being debated here (often ad nauseum!) Owning a big fast boat on the West Coast hardly makes you an expert on boating issues in the Lakes Region of NH or the buying habits and experience levels of their operators for that matter. Instead of venting about things you know little about, please just stay home -- we really won't miss you!

Yeah, I read it, seemed pretty clear to me what you were trying to say... Did I miss something!? Must be that clean island living that makes you interpret things differently!? Oh, wait I have a house on an island up there as well, but ours has a bridge to it, so it must be the bridge vs. no bridge scenario... Face it, your comments are unfounded and I honestly think you just like to stir it up.

It's just that attitude that will keep me and my money away from YOUR lake. What makes you think I've never been there? As a matter of fact I lived just outside Keene NH for many years. I owned a thriving manufacturing company and employed many NH natives. I understand the issues all too well. And as to my boating experience I must laugh. Who do you think you're talking to? Do you know what my boating experience is? I didn't think so. While living in NH I owned many boats large and small. I spent my time on the many lakes of the region and in the coastal waters. In my late teens I crewed on a Crab Boat in Alaska. I spent 20+ years in the US Navy. I have sailed from Italy to San Francisco. I have sailed the Trans Pac 5 times. I have rounded the Horn and am here to tell you about it. I have Kayaked on rivers, lakes and the ocean waters. I LOVE boating, it is my life. You may have, along with many others, far more experience than I. However, I feel that my knowledge of boating affords me some latitude and to speak with authority. "Offshore" boats can be safely operated on waterways both vast and small.

Lofty,
You are just the kind of boater we like. Responsible. It is very likely that you have more support than you know, but the quiet ones do not want to put a target on themselves.
Your loss if you avoid Winni.
Rattlesnake Gal

From what Lofty has said - it sounds like it could be our loss too! Bet he's an interesting guy!

Oh good grief. In your original posts you went out of your way to sound like a west coast guy who "happened" to be considering a vacation in NH --and then proceeded to trash anyone who had a negative view on performance boats. Now your a displaced NHite? LOL. How deceptive of you!

Doesn't matter. I stand by my prior post. Your Navy experience isn't relevant. You don't boat here. You are in no position to lecture any of us on the skills/knowledge of power boat owners in this area. I've seen plenty of bad behavior in all types of boats -- including those sacred performance boats. There's a lot of $$ on the lake these days and I really wouldn't assume that just because it costs a lot of money, the performance boat pilot is competent. Or the captain of that big cruiser bearing down on you for that matter. Look at the guy who flipped a brand new performance boat only last year horsing around as an example. Doesn't mean they're all idiots, but some are and they're the ones everyone notices!

And by the way, they do indeed ban performance boats on some lakes in other states. And even limit horsepower on some lakes in NH so don't believe for a minute that you have absolute rights to the waterways....

Ice out in three weeks (or less?) and the fish are waiting.....

Man, you're a real piece of work aren't you? There was nothing "deceptive" about my original post, you're just spinning it to your taste. You said "and then proceeded to trash anyone who had a negative view on performance boats. Now your a displaced NHite?" Could you please, I have a hard time reading my own writing, show me where I trashed people with an opposing view? As far as me being displaced? I still own a house in Keene, I own property in different states, I own a business that keeps me on the move. You? My Navy experience isn't relevant?!?!?! I must inform the State Department, they got ripped off in that case. You state "You are in no position to lecture any of us
on the skills/knowledge of power boat owners in this area"; Does one require a DIFFERENT skill set in that region? It must have something to do with magnetic deviation. I'm shocked by that statement and it tells me that YOU have little or NO skill with regards to boating and navigation. I would imagine few if any of your fellows would agree with you on that point but I would certainly enjoy hearing your dissertation on this subject. It seems that you feel YOU are in a position to lecture me and others on what peculiar skill are required to navigate in YOUR waters. Sir, you are but a fool. Tap tap tap, I'm waiting.

"I've seen plenty of bad behavior in all types of boats -- including those sacred performance boats. There's a lot of $$ on the lake these days and I really wouldn't assume that just because it costs a lot of money, the performance boat pilot is competent. Or the captain of that big cruiser bearing down on you for that matter. Look at the guy who flipped a brand new performance boat only last year horsing around as an example. Doesn't mean they're all idiots, but some are and they're the ones everyone notices!"

MI,
First let me say that in responding to your post I'm not trying to argue (in the bad sense) against you. Rather I believe from past history that you're pretty reasonable wrt this oft occuring "debate". I post here because I think you've hit on a good point above. First I agree in that I've seen "bad behavior" in all types of boats. I see no trend to brand any type of boat as "guilty". Then there's no good reason to assume the performance boat pilot has the credentials to be "competent". AND BY the same reasoning, there's no reason to ASSUME he/she is incompetent. This latter point seems to get lost in this debate. There's no correlation btw good sense and $$$. My OPINION is that, on the lake, there's probably, at worst, as many Cap't B's, per capita, behind the helm of performance boats as behind the helm of other boats. Just because the public doesn't NOTICE when other "non-performance" boaters screw-up doesn't mean they shouldn't (and accord scorn appropriately). That's why I find it interesting (to paraphrase Mr Spock) to see people so worried about performance boats. Not that the concern is baseless, but rather mis-ranked. I'd be more concerned about Capt'n B behind the helm of the much more numerous average boats ramming me than Capt'n B doing the same at the helm of the relatively rare performance boat.

FWIW - I don't think any deception was intended. Simply "full disclosure" was not warranted, at least until "qualifications" as a good boater came into the discussion. Frankly I can only hope that stereotypes may be tempered by the Biggus & Lofty etal posts.

PPS - Again I really don't have a dog in this fight. Our measly 24' mini-cruiser certinly isn't fast, nor large by todays standards.

While I may agree with some of your points, the tone of your post is hostile & I don't blame Lofty for the impressions he is getting about people who boat on Winni with posts like that. You could have been a little more tackful. I hope that attitude is not reflected in your boating.