Rude Behavior

S

Sarge

New member
Colobear's recent message about almost losing his boat because he left it in reverse when docking because of the rude behavior of other boaters who wouldn't make room for him makes me think of a few incidents that happened to me within the past month.

Let me start off with this....I've only had my boat for a month...what will the future hold for me?

Incident # 1 - maybe it's me, but recently I tried to enter my home marina, the Port of Edmonds, but couldn't because some @#$%^ was fishing in the entry of the marina. Motor off, boat floating length-wise between the rocks, low tide and him casting across the remaining bit of the opening. I got nothing against fishing, but c'mon. There have to be other places.

Incident # 2 - again, returning to port when I hear the Kingston-Edmonds ferry blast its horn 5 short times. For those of you not familiar with ferrys, that basically means "Get the %^&*! out of the way!" I look at the ferry dock and there are 2 fishing boats basically floating IN the ferry dock and the ferry is 500 yards away coming fast. Finally the boats start to move and get up to about 30 mph as they cut in front of me, within 20 feet of my bow, zooming south to get away from ferry. I was hoping the Coast Guard was around.

Incident # 3 - once again returning to port yesterday during a big Rotary waterfront festival in Edmonds in which they have some absolutely beautiful, floating pieces of art wooden boats and an assortment of visiting cigarette boats. The wooden boats remain docked and just sit around looking pretty, while the cigarette boats zoom around the sound, making tons of noise and doing stupid things...such as...I'm coming back from Kingston with some family friends after having ice cream and am approx 50 yards from the opening to the marina when one of these cigarette boats comes from my right at about 45 mph and cuts in front of me to enter the marina before me. The driver of it sees a much smaller cigarette boat (the one that passed me was approx 40') approaching the marina from my left and he decides to scare him so he lets his boat get within about 10 feet of the smaller boat before he throws it in reverse. The wake from his boat is so large it almost swamps the smaller boat and it darn near jars my teeth lose since I'm going very slow to fender up when I get passed. All this from a 'guest' at my marina!

I don't know...is it just me? Am I overly sensitive?

-Carl
 
Not really. I try to ignore it so as to still be able to enjoy boating. Unless
there is something I can do in a specific instance :-)

But, that is rare and generally not worth the trouble or risk.

Mike
 
Ooh...this thread is going to grow and grow and grow, betcha for sure! I think a lot of incidents are going to involve express cruisers and PWC. Here is our most "rude behavior" incident - and it was just rude behavior by not extending a little help that any of us would have.

Last year coming in to Shilshole from a weekend outing, due to other boats being where we would have preferred to be, we had to come in on the down-wind side of the dock. Had to go around a PWC tied up while its owner was on the dock calmly putting on his dry suit. I thought this was pretty rude itself, to tie up a busy dock while putting on a dry suit, but that was just the beginning. I got nicely nosed in, kicked the stern over - and the wind immediately blew the whole boat three or four feet off. Patty could not leap, I did the best I could maneuvering, but it was futile - at one point, I got completely cross-wise in the area between the docks. I FINALLY got to a point where Patty could make a longer-than-safe leap to the dock, she had a tough time pulling the boat over against the wind as it was. The whole time this moron was sitting on the dock watching...never once even stood up or walked over to take a line. He just sat there. PWC, you got to love them and their owners...
 
Same here Pat. In our narrow creek (~400ft wide), there is a no wake zone from the mouth in past where we are. Those idiots pay no attention, zooming up and down, creating big waves. Usn's with our boats moored at the dock really take a beating. I'd like to get my potato gun out and see if I could reach that far, or better still a 12 gauge with blanks and scare the s... out of them. Best sighting so far was when one misjudged the sand bar and ran agound at about 40 knots, throwing him over the handlebars. Took him two hours to get it off and all the sand cleaned out of the jet pump!! :twisted:


Charlie
 
Dont worry about the fishing guys , ling cod season is almost done and thats what they are after.( and yes we have to fish were the fish are) As for the cigar boats. I would complain to your marina about that but it will do any good. People with that kind of money know more about boating then we do and have a right to use there boat any way they want, just ask them they will tell you all aobut it. as for jet skis, paint ball gun. Not as rewarding as piano wire but easier to explain.
 
I use to think we were somekind of a dirt bag magnet up here. What with paying some of the highest Welfare rates and allowing just about anything to fly regarding drug and alcohol issues.
I'm not so sure anymore, I think American's as a whole have lost a lot of the respectfulness that once existed in our country. The problem is sure not limited to Alaska.
We do have harsh winters that seem to weed some of them eventually but most settle in like mushrooms and propagate more mushrooms!
I share your frustrations and have no solution legal to post on this thread, I would however ask that you prevent the spread by doing all you can to keep them home! :lol: Your help in controlling this plague would be greatly appreciated. :smiled
Mike
 
Carl,

Since a lot of your problems seem to be taking place at your home port, I would suggest getting to know the Port official/Harbormaster or one of their team. Then copy down the boat numbers or name and description next time and let that person know.

As I oversee a dock that gets a lot of use, the Harbormaster and I speak at least once a week and any issues get brought to my attention. I in turn deal with the boat owners and their guests. The N.O.A.A. group as well as Fish and Game also keep in touch with me, which has saved at least one boat owner from a major "baiting" fine for baiting Sea Lions. In most ports, there are more boat owners seeking moorage than moorage available. So a quick reminder to play nice or else goes a long way.

As to rude Jet Ski jockeys, I have found that a good quality sling shot is easy to operate and rarely an issue when you are being inspected by the Coasties.
 
Doesn't the use of paintball guns and slingshots against PWC users invite retaliation and escalation? I am sure Carl has seen his share of this kind of situation. Would you use paintball guns, etc., Carl?

Warren
 
PWC's--toothpicks. We have seen it work at least once--a PWC was continously violating the "no wake, idle speed only" in a congested area with swimmers. So a goodly amount of toothpicks was spread in his path.
Yep, a few got sucked into the impellor (narrow tollerance)--probably would not harm the impeller, but this fellow came back paddling--to a alot of cheers--he got the message.

As for close approach PWC's. I just stop the boat. I often keep a video camera on the boat--and photograph very gross violations of rules of the road and courtesy. Unfortunately the various water police can do nothing unless they see a specific illegal or dangerous act--but they can be aware of the boats which are committing these acts. Make friends with the head of the marine police in your area, and share what you have seen.

Again, in dangerous situations, I stop, back off and try and let the situation resolve by boating defensively.
 
The abuses of common sense and courtesy are most likely to be encountered on summer holiday weekends. Any warm summer day will entice a few waterborne currs to fire up their twin Crusaders but the masses of them untie their dock queens and make their entrance into the fairways on warm, clear, holiday weekends. They bludgeon their way through crowded anchorages with broad bows pointing skyward and stern rails two feet below sea level. They wallow their way from marina to waterside comfort stations to feed, water, and bellow, then wallow back and again put the "Queens" into their slips. These should henceforth be known as "WASers" a handy anachronism for those who practice the Wallow And Swallow ritual.
Avoiding them means no holiday weekend boating. Summer weekend boating is reserved for unpopular or unpopulated areas. Spring and fall are the best boating seasons as WASers move their bludgeoning and feasting to venues deep into the comforts of terra firma.
Mike 'Levity'
 
Sarge,
My way of avoiding the rude, 'guest' boater is to stay home during the busy times- festivals, holidays, etc. Not so hard to do when your an introvert like me anyway.

As far as the boats finishing in front of the Edmonds ferry, apparently there is some structure located at that spot and I suspect some of the huge lingcod from the adjacent underwater park are migrating over. It's been common for the past month to see several boats wait for long periods of time and then dash in for the 10 minutes or so between ferrys.

I got to check your boat out from a distance last Saturday while I was working on mine in dry storage. I tried to stop by and say hello but you were pulling out with your son. Nice boat. Looks like I no longer have the newest blue CD25 at Edmonds. I'm sure our paths will cross soon.
 
Sadly, common courtesy isn't so common anymore. We also try to avoid areas where stupid people congregate. If that isn't always possible, we do as Dr. Bob and step back as much as possible to let the stupid people vacate. If someone is fishing/anchored in a marked waterway, that is in violation of the regs and a call to the Coast Guard should be made - they do not have the right to impede safe navigation regardless of how good the fishing is.

Really want to make some points? Call your nearest Coast Guard station and invite someone along for a ride in our small boats... not as a "you should see all the s**t that goes on out here", but as an ambassador to a day in the life of the typical pleasure boater. AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) used to have a "Fly a Controller" program where they encouraged pilots to invite someone from the local air-traffic control station to go up with them; it gave the controller a totally new perspective. You will likely make an ally.

Expecting someone to do the polite thing on the water will bring you disappointment. Ask any sailor... I used to think powerboaters enjoyed making wake. 8) Heck, now I know it's just a by-product of what we do... but I still try to be considerate of others on the water.

I'm sure the paintball comments were in jest (unless you are willing to face assault charges). Of course, you could always mount a cannon on the bow and change the name of your boat to Crazy MoFo... but then you'd be assuming the stupid people can read.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

Please note that "stupid" is a direct replacement for "rude"... most of these folks don't even realize they are inconveniencing anyone, much less putting them in jeopardy. Anyone who has spent more than a couple hours on the water has been subjected to all of the above... no different from driving your car in most big cities. Sigh.
 
Here is the Delta we have levees that have breaks where boaters can enter and exit sloughs. On July 4th weekend several years ago we were out with friends on a houseboat tied to our favorite spot. I took the dingy to go to the store about a mile away. I had to enter a slough through a break and I had to be careful of boats coming from behind the levee to exit. The trip in was fine - no boats.

On the way out I was about 30 yards from the levee opening and cigarette boat about 30 yards behind me opened it up. I knew I was going to catch the wake. Two seconds after he passed me and he was entering the levee opening a smaller open ski boat came in from the other direction. The cigarette boat ran completely over the smaller boat and I could see the 2 people ducking down as the boat went over them.

Fortunately the people were not hurt but the cigarette boat had damaged its props and rudder. I hope that expense taught him a lesson.

Steve
 
We used to have a water balloon launcher mounted on our sailbot - you know the kind - surgical tubing & a funnel. Came in handy now & again =)
 
Often times there are ADULT BEVERAGES stoking the rudness.

Here's an idea :idea How about a blue rotating beacon in the center window? I get lots of folks thinking my CD is a patrol boat - probably due to there being so few CD's here on the Cape.

Phil
 
Coming back from fishing off from Carpinteria, we were passing Ventura Harbor entrance (about 2 miles out). There was a boat cruising on my starboard and cut within 10 feet in front of me so he could head for Ventura on our port side. I had to swerve to keep from ramming the SOB. I got on the radio and let everyone know what a prick this guy was- yes, he had the name of his boat in plain view.

Fishing where the fish are, eh. I am a fisherman also, but fishing in the harbor entrance and in the way of the ferry dock is total BS.

We have a hoist where I launch the boat and several times some idiot is loading, unloading or preping their boat at the hoist dock. The last Landing Manager that we had retired last year-- they did not allow this. The new manager lets them tie up there- aggravating.
 
To comment on the comments...

My way of dealing with rude people is basically to vent on a site like this. I've dealt with a lot of fools in my life and a fool is a fool. It's not like you're going to have a conversation with them and something inside them is going to fall in place and all of a sudden they become rational. More likely they'll snap and get worse. Yes, I do believe alcohol adds to their selfish behavior.

Legally, and I'd say morally, it is hard to justify hurting someone to prevent property damage. I will add that you always have the right to defend yourself (or your family) if in imminent danger.

I also believe a lot of these sling shot, paint ball gun, etc. comments are people doing as I do...venting and releasing the stress and anger that comes with dealing with selfish, non-thinking buffoons.

The comment about holidays being dangerous is the God's honest truth. Closest I ever came to being killed on a boat was during the Labor Day weekend in the Sacramento River Delta in California. The delta is a series of sloughs, some only 100-150 wide. I had a 21' open bow boat at the time and was almost swamped by six 40' cruiser doing 30+ mph down one of these narrow waterways that I had the misfortune of traveling down. Without going into painful detail, their wakes came so fast and furious I was turned broadside and taking water and almost broached. The area was so small and tight I couldn't run from the waves. It was really scarey. Thank God I was the only person on my boat. They couldn't care less about me.

Thanks for letting me vent. I encourage you to do so here also so that we may face these inconsiderate people with a calm, clear head. Something they don't know the definition of.

-Carl
 
We cruised from Olympia to Gig Harbor and back today. The trip was great until we were coming back into Swantown in Olympia when a go fast cruiser passed a string of us doing about 30mph in the no wake zone, He must have been in a hurry to beat everyone back to the launch.
It was really nice to see the Olympia harbor patrol whip out and nail this jerk!
Sometimes they get what they deserve.
 
Life lesson 101 from my Grandfather

My Grandfather taught me a lesson when I was young. First he thought I should know how to defend myself if necessary then, told me something that I will always remember.
He said "young man, it's your job to make sure you don't step in it. When you do, you smell like it. It's better to recognize it and walk around or over it. It's always easy to spot."
With that in mind I seem to get pleasure when the site of what my grandfather described (in much more vivid terms than said above) is in front of me. I just can't help but see them looking and smelling like what he said. Then, I'm glad to go around or wait. I don't want that on my shoes. :smiled
 
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