Bonehead captains are BAAAK

[donnamatrix]

Good grief. Out in our kayaks on Monday night-Moultonboro bay. This complete bonehead, has about a 23-ft older cuddy cabin boat. He is pulling on an inflated raft device not 1, not 2, not 3 but FOUR children (This is near teh Suissevale Beach area). NH Law dictates no more than two individuals can be towed at one time. In addition to this idocy, the bonehead has two kids sitting on the prow of his boat, legs dangling over the side. Little or nothing to save them from being tossed into air and going under the boat should they encounter a wave of any sort. I don't think the kids on the front of the boat were wearing PFDs either, which is the law for kids those age. Can anyone explain to me why a person would be so bloody stupid? I was going to point out to him the error of his ways, but my husband suggested that this guy clearly, really didn't give a rat's behind to hear anything I said. AARRGGHH!

[RailroadJoe]

You could have notified the MP.

[tis]

We saw MP stop someone last week for having 3 kids riding on a raft being towed. (We assumed that was what it was for.)

[CrownRay]

Alcohol maybe?

[Belmont Resident]

Tourist season. They are in boats, cars, bikes, trucks you name it and you will see it from Memorial day till Labor day.
Nope not all of them are tourists but most of em R.

[overlook]

We should feel safe, we have a speed limit. Boneheads should only hurt themselves.

[NoBozo]

CAPTAIN.. is a Title that is Earned over time through consistent demonstration of Proficiency. It is a professional rank.

So WHY are there people on this board who continue to refer to ignorant jerks as CAPTAIN...???? NB

[NoRegrets]

I did not see the deployment of emergency response equipment. No police, fire, marine patrol, or ambulance. Maybe the "children" were trained performers. They may have been practicing for a new stunt in a show.

This is a perceived "crime" based on man made nanny state laws. We did these exact horrible stunts in the sixties and learned a great deal of respect for the skills it takes to advance physical abilities. We now have a society looking for infractions and are judgemental of an apparently poorly informed family having fun.

I do not disagree with the laws but..........what price of freedom are we paying?

[BroadHopper]

You won't find any deployment of any kind. SL supporters convinced the State House that the lake is peaceful with no problems. So there is a cutback.

That is why the boneheads are out in full force.

There is a proposal on the legislature to prevent bullying in the State House. If that goes through, O'Brien, Winnfabs pet, can no longer twist everyones arm to go his way!

[Belmont Resident]

I recently did some work for a strong proponent for the speed limit.
Now that it’s in the past we had quite a few laughs. But one thing even he admitted to me, that the winfabs people definitely had issues. I believe fanatic would be an understatement. He supported the cause but not them.

[NH_boater]

I was anchored off of a corner of sandy point, swimming in the water with my daughter when a elderly lady on a PWC, and a person on the back came right at us. They were both looking sideways (almost behind them) and the driver was pointing at sandy point. They were on plane headed right at my anchored boat and us in the water. Luckily I have a very loud whistle and I blasted out a loud one. They both looked forward and quickly realized they were about to run us over. They turned maybe 20 feet from our bow.

I threw my arms up like "What are you doing?" and she shot me a look like I was wrong and said something to here passenger, and they want on, joining another PWC with 2 passengers. I hope she was embarrassed for being so reckless. I have NO doubt that they would have collided with our boat and maybe us swimmers. Clueless, with a thousand pound 150HP weapon.

I see PWC's following the law all the time, but the majority of flagrant violations are often from folks (kids and adults) on PWC's. The others are often cruisers that come off plane and plow by you at maximum wake speed, maybe 50 feet away. Thanks for slowing down for us........

[MAXUM]

No matter how many MPs are on the lake and how many laws there are written there is simply no way to outlaw or control ignorance and all out bad judgement. To throw a broad based net over everyone and try to curb the masses in the effort to control the few idiots out there is even more ignorant than those perpetrating irresponsible behavior out there on the water.

That's just my take....

[BroadHopper]

I was navigating through the Governor's Island bridge tonight after the fireworks at the Weirs. Big pontoon boat coming the opposite direction with his dock lights on. The lights were blinding and many of us sound our horns and curse the driver. He merely ignored us and drove on. I saw only one lone MP boat tonight and that was at the Weirs during the fireworks.

[Seaplane Pilot]

I've been watching boat traffic intensely this summer. Just last night I counted at least 6-8 light violations after sunset. Some with no bow lights, some with no stern lights and some with no lights at all. I will never understand how these people don't kill themselves or others. The amazing thing is that these people think if they go slow, then it's ok to not have proper lights displayed. How about the clowns that were wakeboarding well after sunset last night? How about the million safe passage violations I've seen so far this season.

The only thing that WINNFABS accomplished was to reduce the amount of qualified boaters that navigate the lake. Laugh all you want, but I believe wholeheartedly that owners of performance boats are among the best captains on the lake. Case in point: I'd like to analyze the total quantity of violations issued by Marine Patrol over a 3-5 year period, then break down the violations by vessel type; runabout, PWC, pontoon boat and performance boats. Might even toss in violations to operators with bona fide Boater Education Certificates as compared to operators with temporary certificates. Then I'd like to compare which catagory of boat had the most violations on average per category. I'll bet dollars to donuts that performance boats had less violations on average per category, then most (if not all) other categories of watercraft.

I hope WINNFABS is happy with their self-serving results. It accomplished nothing and in my opinion has made the lake less safe for all.

[Mink Islander]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

I was navigating through the Governor's Island bridge tonight after the fireworks at the Weirs. Big pontoon boat coming the opposite direction with his dock lights on. The lights were blinding and many of us sound our horns and curse the driver. He merely ignored us and drove on. I saw only one lone MP boat tonight and that was at the Weirs during the fireworks.

We were heading to Mink from Shep's after dinner at Camp after driving up. Was Just past dusk and getting dark fast. Out of the Cattle Landing dock comes Captain Pontoon with no lights on. As we passed him, we saw he did have his "headlights" on however! LOL. Was heading your way. My money was on it being a rental.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot

Case in point: I'd like to analyze the total quantity of violations issued by Marine Patrol over a 3-5 year period, then break down the violations by vessel type; runabout, PWC, pontoon boat and performance boats. Might even toss in violations to operators with bona fide Boater Education Certificates as compared to operators with temporary certificates. Then I'd like to compare which catagory of boat had the most violations on average per category. I'll bet dollars to donuts that performance boats had less violations on average per category, then most (if not all) other categories of watercraft.

Please publish this information when you are done. I'd like to see it even if it does not prove anything one way or the other.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

I was navigating through the Governor's Island bridge tonight after the fireworks at the Weirs. Big pontoon boat coming the opposite direction with his dock lights on. The lights were blinding and many of us sound our horns and curse the driver. He merely ignored us and drove on. I saw only one lone MP boat tonight and that was at the Weirs during the fireworks.

We were at anchor for a fireworks show one time and a pontoon (also at anchor) was blinding us with his docking lights. They ignored our requests to turn off the lights, so I got out my spot light and aimed it at them until it got their attention. When they finally heard my request to turn off the docking lights, they said they could not do it easily because the "headlights" were wired to the navigation light switch and they had to have their navigation lights on while anchored. They reluctantly disconnected the wires to the docking lights for the show. That same evening, many people yelled to me that my bow lights were off and seemed perplexed when I said I was anchored. After the fireworks, half the boats that left had docking lights on the whole way back. There's a lot of folks out there who have no business operating at night.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot

It accomplished nothing and in my opinion has made the lake less safe for all.

In the two fatality-free years since the Legislature's overwhelmingly official embracing of this rule, what is so terrible?

Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot

The only thing that WINNFABS accomplished was to reduce the amount of qualified boaters that navigate the lake. Laugh all you want, but I believe wholeheartedly that owners of performance boats are among the best captains on the lake.

Yup—Just ask them.

[NHBUOY]

Has any one else observed what my son and I have termed "willful, planned interference" by the sail and paddle crowd.?. While out sailing our 25' Catalina last week, we were just tacking around off Glendale with some other blow-boaters and witnessed this behavior towards powerboats.. We watched 2 sailboats that would "short-tack"/change course and speed to willfully interfere with any powerboat that had the audacity to try to hold a steady and direct course through "their" area..I have observed this with the kayakers too.. Funny how the other sailors would wave to us, but when we went back out later in the family Wellcraft, they didn't wave at us and "tried" to do the interference thing to us......

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

In the two fatality-free years since the Legislature's overwhelmingly official embracing of this rule, what is so terrible?

fatality-free? There was a fatility at the beginning of the year! What's you beef?

What if Captain Pontoon with the dock lights on is a WinFabs member? What say you?

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

fatality-free? There was a fatility at the beginning of the year! What's you beef?

What if Captain Pontoon with the dock lights on is a WinFabs member? What say you?

Not long ago, a head on collision. But that was different, they were boats APS does not "go after". Thankfully, nobody died in that one.

A tremendous number of the WINfibs group don't even boat, much less use docking lights. They could care less about small time violations like NWZ's, 150' limit, wrong lights on, or no lights at all. They only care about who's near their lakeshore, rafters, people having fun, or those big bad boats. APS won't usually post anything about another boater unless it's a GFBL.

I hate to group them, because there are a lot of responsible boaters in every group. But as a whole, I've never witnessed the things I've seen pontoon boat drivers do in other craft.

[Seaplane Pilot]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

In the two fatality-free years since the Legislature's overwhelmingly official embracing of this rule, what is so terrible?


Yup—Just ask them.

I don't want to ask them or you for that matter. I want the factual data - then there's no question or subjectivity involved.
Just like the line from the movie Officer & a Gentlemen: "You can't handle the truth".

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot

I don't want to ask them or you for that matter. I want the factual data - then there's no question or subjectivity involved.
Just like the line from the movie Officer & a Gentlemen: "You can't handle the truth".

Wasn't that "A Few Good Men"?

[Seaplane Pilot]

Originally Posted by codeman671

Wasn't that "A Few Good Men"?

I stand corrected - thank you.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

What if Captain Pontoon with the dock lights on is a WinFabs member? What say you?

I'm delighted he doesn't have a thousand horsepower, and can't legally go over 45-MPH on Lake Winnipesaukee.

Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot

I don't want to ask them or you for that matter. I want the factual data - then there's no question or subjectivity involved.

Just like the line from the movie Officer & a Gentlemen: "You can't handle the truth".

1) Your line is from a movie—based on fiction—where the character is caught in his own lies.

2) If anything, even experienced GFBL-Captains can't handle the "Hull Truth"—in ocean waters—from two days ago:

http://www.thehulltruth.com/northeas...sad-story.html

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by NHBUOY

Has any one else observed what my son and I have termed "willful, planned interference" by the sail and paddle crowd.?. While out sailing our 25' Catalina last week, we were just tacking around off Glendale with some other blow-boaters and witnessed this behavior towards powerboats.. We watched 2 sailboats that would "short-tack"/change course and speed to willfully interfere with any powerboat that had the audacity to try to hold a steady and direct course through "their" area..I have observed this with the kayakers too.. Funny how the other sailors would wave to us, but when we went back out later in the family Wellcraft, they didn't wave at us and "tried" to do the interference thing to us......

I have not seen that kind of behavior very often. That said, when there's room, I pick a heading that sailboats and kayaks could never cross ahead of me no matter what they do anyway. I've also never had any issues with power boaters when I'm sailing, rowing or paddling, but I'm courteous.

[BroadHopper]

I witness a sailboat diverting the Sophie C off of Governors Island last week. Within minutes, the MP was there and pulled the sialboat over. I have no idea what that was about. As APS says, a sailboat can get in front of a commercial boat, the sailor has the right of way.

[Seaplane Pilot]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

I'm delighted he doesn't have a thousand horsepower, and can't legally go over 45-MPH on Lake Winnipesaukee.


1) Your line is from a movie—based on fiction—where the character is caught in his own lies.

2) If anything, even experienced GFBL-Captains can't handle the "Hull Truth"—in ocean waters—from two days ago:

http://www.thehulltruth.com/northeas...sad-story.html

I could care less about the movie - or the story line, actors, plot, truth, lies, whatever. All I care about are the 5 important words: "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH". Period!

[jrc]

Originally Posted by NHBUOY

Has any one else observed what my son and I have termed "willful, planned interference" by the sail and paddle crowd.?...

Sunday I saw a lot of sail and kayak traffic in and around Gendale, I was in my power boat. Two kayaks we just sitting in the narrow spot between FL 53 and Pig Island. I thought for a minute that they were trying to stop or slow traffic, but my guess is they were just out having fun on a beautiful day.

I'm trying hard to give people the benefit of the doubt in situations like this. It's easier to believe that people are unaware that they are impeding me then to believe they are being malicious. I always have to work around someone in Smith Cove or Glendale, it's a crossroads.

If a coordianated effort to disrupt traffic was uncovered, that would be messy. The rules of the road do not allow boats to intentionally impede another vessel. This may be the lesson that Broadhopper's sailor learned.

NH RSA 270-D:2
...
IX. Canoes, kayaks, rowboats, sailboats, and swimmers shall be given the right-of-way. This requirement shall not be construed to allow deliberate impediment of motorboats by canoes, kayaks, rowboats, sailboats, and swimmers.
...

[gtagrip]

[QUOTE=Acres per Second;163480]I'm delighted he doesn't have a thousand horsepower, and can't legally go over 45-MPH on Lake Winnipesaukee.

But, it is O.K. to blind an oncoming boat with docking lights at night? Are you trying to say that this is not dangerous and that some type of fatality could not occur? Oh, that's right, you are O.K. with blinding other boates using your CD sun reflection technique! Geez! What a hypocrite!

[BroadHopper]

I think APS will be a perfect candidate for the Canterbury selectman position. He should move to Canterbury if he wants to do the region a favor.
He can join the fight to shut down NHMS and put a permanent road block on 106. The sign on 106 says it all 'Canterbury selectmen can kiss my a$$'

[AB_Monterey]

I passed a pontoon heading to Alton Bay, just past Little Mark, today about 6:30pm. As I passed him, I realized that he had 2 passengers sitting out in front while on plane with no life jackets.

I came upon marine patrol with a customer at the gazebo in AB and was hoping that the bonehead in the pontoon was heading in for the Saturday concert and that he'd catch him.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by AB_Monterey

I passed a pontoon heading to Alton Bay, just past Little Mark, today about 6:30pm. As I passed him, I realized that he had 2 passengers sitting out in front while on plane with no life jackets.

I came upon marine patrol with a customer at the gazebo in AB and was hoping that the bonehead in the pontoon was heading in for the Saturday concert and that he'd catch him.

Sitting outside the playpen or just in front seats?

I was in the area at that time on a pontoon but my passengers were inside and properly equipped. Mp was hiding behind the pavilion with binoculars spotting boats as they came around sandy point.

[AB_Monterey]

They were sitting outside the playpen (tried to say that but couldn't remember what to call it) and had no life jackets.

Even my passenger, who knows nothing about boating, looked at me in shock.

The MP had a PWC when I got there.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by gtagrip

Oh, that's right, you are O.K. with blinding other boaters using your CD sun reflection technique! Geez! What a hypocrite!

From MY point of view—barely moving, even being the stand-on boat—you don't see this skipper as someone to be concerned about?

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

From MY point of view—barely moving, even being the stand-on boat—you don't see this skipper as someone to be concerned about?

No

[Two dobys]

I don't see a reason to be worried

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

From MY point of view—barely moving, even being the stand-on boat—you don't see this skipper as someone to be concerned about?

If you're worried about that boat, you have no business being on the lake!

Dan

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by gtagrip

Oh, that's right, you are O.K. with blinding other boates using your CD sun reflection technique! Geez! What a hypocrite!

While shopping in Wolfeboro the other day I bumped into this guy. He said that he had spent most of the day on Lake looking for GFBL boats.

[ApS]

So now, I'm the bonehead captain?

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

So now, I'm the bonehead captain?

No, I would say that you are likely a good skipper. I think you are a bit paranoid, and overly sensitive to the transgressions by performance boats. I am comfortable boating on the Lake with you.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by gtagrip

But, it is O.K. to blind an oncoming boat with docking lights at night? Are you trying to say that this is not dangerous and that some type of fatality could not occur?

Blinding people with docking lights AT NIGHT indicates to me, that some skippers have ruined their own night vision with their own GPS—then proceed the night vision of other boaters.

Where are the "Safe Boaters" with a vision-test requirement—especially for the 2% of boaters born with nyctalopia?

Originally Posted by gtagrip

Oh, that's right, you are O.K. with blinding other boates using your CD sun reflection technique! Geez! What a hypocrite!

Oh NO! This picture shows I'm attempting to blind daytime boaters—reflecting The Sun!



NO, WAIT! I took the picture!

----------------------

Welcome back, Rusty.

I'd missed your latest contribution when I'd posted my previous message.

You haven't seen my Powerboat Excluder Device—Mk. II. It is just as effective as the Mk. I, but uses a mini-disk!

...but I hardly ever need to use it today—nearly every boater's been trained!

[codeman671]

From that distance, you can't tell what type of boat it is, how fast it is going, or anything about it other than its general direction. Probably a Thurston's or Anchor rental!

They were out this weekend... When we were pulling in on Saturday to the island we were passed by a boat pulling 2 tubes, each with 2 kids on it, and 1spotter in the boat!

Top that off with the excellent captain in the blue and white Formula (looked like a 310SS or 310BR with a metal arch) that just about ran my mooring (90 feet from shore) over at probably 60mph on Saturday trying to cut the corner inside a few family boats doing 15mph.

Not to be brand critical, but the WORST drivers I have seen lately have ALL been driving Formula's, and not Fastechs!

[VtSteve]

Good way to put it Vita.

APS, you have a wealth of information to offer, when you decide to provide it in a factual, thoughtful way. As Vita stated, I myself would expect you do be a very knowledgeable boater, and probably one of the most courteous as well. But your over the top condemnations center on such a small niche of the boating world, your selectivity makes it readily apparent you spin everything you sow.

There are aholes in every type of craft, and always will be. I probably agree with you in regards to certain "types" you describe, and have done so myself. But my deliveries are unbiased and nobody's in my pocket. You and I could probably have had a great time shaking our heads at what I witnessed from my anchored boat yesterday. Four completely different craft operated by some very vintage, stereotypical boneheads. All were breaking long-standing laws, all were completely apathetic to their surroundings and other boaters. I took some video to add to my collection.

Unlike some in the group that you many times align yourself with, I'm not going to lie to make a point. If they feel they must lie, perhaps they need to reassess their characters and motives, or simple get elected to Washington. It was precisely these types of actions that failed to address real problems early last decade that needed to be brought to the surface. Instead of dealing with real issues, you selfishly sought out a remedy that would make you guys feel better. Personally, I feel better when I'm around people that don't lie, but maybe that's just me.

You only go on this trip we call life once, theoretically anyway Why do it inside your own bubble?

[ApS]

Originally Posted by jrc

If a coordianated effort to disrupt traffic was uncovered, that would be messy. The rules of the road do not allow boats to intentionally impede another vessel. This may be the lesson that Broadhopper's sailor learned.

NH RSA 270-D:2
...
IX. Canoes, kayaks, rowboats, sailboats, and swimmers shall be given the right-of-way. This requirement shall not be construed to allow deliberate impediment of motorboats by canoes, kayaks, rowboats, sailboats, and swimmers.
...

1) We never discovered why Broadhopper's sailor was stopped: I suspect a neglect to register his sailboat—unless his sailboat doesn't require registration or numbers—as some "sailboats" are exempted by NH law. Sometimes, a "closer look" is necessary—followed by a warning.

In my case, it took a letter with documentation mailed to the NHMP Director, where my "sailboat" was exonerated from NH registration.

2) Perhaps nobody involved had learned sailing on "protected inland lakes"—where winds are typically flukey—and a crash-jibe had never been experienced by Broadhopper or the Marine Patrol officer!

Originally Posted by codeman671

From that distance, you can't tell what type of boat it is, how fast it is going, or anything about it other than its general direction.

1) All very true—a sketch would have been equally instructive—but look at what was just inferred

"I think you are a bit paranoid, and overly sensitive to the transgressions by performance boats.

2) Nobody commented that it's "general direction" is on a collision course to an occupied sailboat!

Originally Posted by VtSteve

APS, you have a wealth of information to offer, when you decide to provide it in a factual, thoughtful way.

I'm not very good at sketching—a photograph will have to do.

You're not registered at the "friendly" Wolfeboro forum, where several such photos appeared—I'm collecting those photos every day—and not just on weekends.

Originally Posted by VtSteve

But your over the top condemnations center on such a small niche of the boating world, your selectivity makes it readily apparent you spin everything you sow.

What appears invisible is my total support for small boats on protected inland waters: Except that the photo is of a powerboat, there is no telling what kind of boat is in the photo!

Originally Posted by VtSteve

There are aholes in every type of craft, and always will be. I probably agree with you in regards to certain "types" you describe, and have done so myself...You and I could probably have had a great time shaking our heads at what I witnessed from my anchored boat yesterday. Four completely different craft operated by some very vintage, stereotypical boneheads. All were breaking long-standing laws, all were completely apathetic to their surroundings and other boaters.

1) Do a search here, with the word "empathy", to find the many times I've described the boating trangressions you speak of.

If you begin your boating with a powerboat, you'll never develop empathy with the small boats that are everywhere on Lake Winnipesaukee—some are paddled by "tots".

2) When small boats or sailboats aren't being run-over by oversized boats, they're taking a beating from their wakes!

3) Sometime, look behind you: If your wake "crests" 100 yards behind you—particularly on the inside of a turn—you're a moving hazard to small boats, while you think you're operating "normally".

Originally Posted by VtSteve

You only go on this trip we call life once...Why do it inside your own bubble?

This particular "bubble" is particularly fragile.

[jrc]

Originally Posted by VitaBene

No, I would say that you are likely a good skipper. I think you are a bit paranoid, and overly sensitive to the transgressions by performance boats. I am comfortable boating on the Lake with you.

Are you so sure, he doesn't seem to understand that powerboats have steering. Any time a boat is pointed at him, he feels he is in danger, and feels he has the right to intentionally blind the boater. If any of his stories are true, he is a menace. Personally, I think he just likes to write weird stuff on the internet.

[BroadHopper]

I would assume you can sail you sailboat anywhere you want in the shipping lane North of FT Lauderdale. I'm sure that 1000 ton shipping tanker is going to vear off course to avoid you. You must be God.