A pet peeve, and what Im going to do

[aya16]

Almost every time I come into MDR through that narrow 200 foot channel, I encounter a very large boat or two just flat moving as if they are in an open ocean. I could never understand how someone can make a decision about their speed and the wake they cause, and the danger they impose to all the small boats that share that channel. If the mac is under power going in to or out of that channel and you dont take evasive action, your boat will get laid down almost on its side, (under sail its fine). I have had to learn to take steps to avoid getting laid down from the time I bought my mac, when that happens. The farthest my mac has been over is when a large power boat just missed me, and the wake knocked us over, Never, sailing in the strongest wind have we been so far over.

Like most I thought it was just arrogance, or absolute disregard for others, I now believe its just lack of skill. The first one you cant do a whole lot about, but the second one you can. Embarrassment is a powerful tool against unskilled unsafe behavior. No one wants to be singled out in front of anyone as a hazard, especially if they dont think they are.

Im buying a PA system for the mac, I see a boat coming up on us that could cause a problem for us, Im not going to hesitate to warn that (wanna be skipper off) Im going to do it professionally and to the point.
I will say " Skipper you need to slow down, your wake is a potential danger to the smaller boaters around you" Then Im going to talk him through the channel as if he never had a clue, He slows down I will say "thats it, thats fine, try and bring her around that buoy nice and easy, and so on", I will do this to his embarrassment till he clears all the small boats and gets into the controlled speed area. I will talk him through the channel as if the guy has never been on a boat before, calmly, helpful, and professionally, Ill do that with 10 or so boats around us to listen to this. If he doesnt slow down Im going to report him on channel 16 to the harbor police as a potential threat to all the small boats he has passed. The harbor police should respond and pull that guy over inside the harbor in front of all the other boaters, should be enough embarrassment to stop that behavior, at least for that boat. The key to getting this done is a controlled unemotional call, be very professional and to the point, have the boat name his position and what he did, dont ever yell and scream at another boater no matter what he does, Treat them like they are very new to boating, and be helpful, if they are in a million dollar boat, believe me thats the worst you can do to that guy in front of people. Better yet If they get pulled over and talked too, what do you think the odds are the skipper has had a few drinks?????????

Being a boat monitor isnt what I call fun, I have no desire to take on the responsibility of the police, but I have had it, and some guys are going to be told off (nicely)from me now. There is absolutly no reason for anyone to come into a narrow channel as if they are the only boat around, last week was the last straw for me, 3, not one, 3 large 50 foot class boats one right after the other passed me in that channel, two boats were the same make and they were so close to each other I assumed they were all together. I was fine, I was under sail, but the 22 foot Catalina motoring in didnt fair so well, he got knocked over, and righted but it wasnt right. If you own a large boat and you come into MDR as I described, your going to get a free boating lesson, want one or not. can Any one recommend a 12 volt PA system I can buy? It has to be nice and loud and clear. Another mac Mod, this time for safety....What say you guys, any suggestions?
mike

[J.Teixeira]

I was caught in similar situations here...

lowering the mast to pass under a bridge...

[aya16]

It is almost our duty, as much as I hate it, to take some control over others unsafe boating behavior. Its one thing if a guy has the skill and doesnt exercise it, and another, a guy has a large powerful boat and doesnt have a clue. A monkey flying the space shuttle type thing. I think the most dangerous guy out there is the one that has the skill and doesnt practice it, more so then a brand new person in their brand new boat, next would be the rental boats.

It can get out of hand for sure, as people reporting dumb stuff, against other boaters, after all we are out there to relax, not be hassled, or hassle people. But this particular thing is getting way out of hand when I see it almost every time I go out in this one particular spot. Even the very large commercial boats exercise cautious behavior when entering or leaving MDR, I have no problem going out with a 100 foot Catalina flyer leaving at the same time, its those private boats that are the problem, and its a real problem. Some of those guys, as soon as they leave the harbor its pedal to the metal, even if there is a couple kayaks they have to pass first. They cant wait to opener her up for a hundred feet. Thats lack of skill more than anything else, because no one that has the skill, would ever put some other boat in danger willingly. Thats why I think embarrassment is the key to get some of them to stop the practice.

I think its a good discussion any one want to jump in....
Mike

[Mrs_Skipper]

Our favorite trip on Lake Tahoe is a sail across to Emerald Bay, a lovely quiet bay with a state boat campground that has mooring buoys for each campsite. We enjoy motoring or sailing over, clipping to the buoy, and spending the whole weekend there relaxing. In fact, here's a picture we found on the Internet showing the bay on July 3 and you can see our boat -- the closest one in the buoy field on the left. It's kid of small but you get the idea of how much room there is in the bay.

This being a very popular site, there are boats coming in and out sightseeing all day long. Why is it that so many have to zoom by the mooring field at top speed? It's really irritating and there's no need. There's absolutely no consideration for all the people who are trying to eat their lunch or whatever who have to gather up everything and hold on for dear life until the wake clears. I kind of like your PA idea, but agree that many of these folks are likkered up and probably will just get mad and go faster. We have coast guard patrols on Lake Tahoe but they only go after the most aggregious offenders.

[pokerrick1]

I have aquaintances in the Sheriff's Office on the water at MDR, and they tell me almost all Harbor Patrols will go after and try to talk to offenders when they get radio complaints with good location information.

While tacking out of MDR one day, Johnny Carson's former Yacht (Serengeti) (Huge) whizzed by me and darn near knocked me over - - - Captain probably didn't see me.

Later that day, out in the Santa Monica Bay, he did a U Turn around me and almost knocked me down again I think that guy needs glasses

Rick

PS What happens I think is that they are so busy looking at their instruments (one of which shouls be local radar), that they are not looking around them to "see" what's around them.

[aya16]

Ms skipper I believe its just skill level, more than anything else, sure there are people out there that want to get attention and do things on purpose but really any one that has a clue of what they are doing in a boat will be very courteous to other boaters. Like you said theres no reason some one would buzz a boat at a mooring to disrupt them, on purpose. Like the jet ski's getting the bad rap they have, its mostly from young people that never or hardly ever drove a water craft before and just dont know the disruption they cause other boaters at times.

dumb things I have done...
I was once driving on a lake, using a friends jet boat that had a switch on the dash that would lift the jet nozzle out of the water and toss a 70 foot rooster tail high in the air. as I was doing about 40mph, with the nozzle turned down, a jet ski came into my wake, he was so close to the back of the boat, that if I would have lost power or slowed down he would have been in the boat. Now I know it wasnt the most sensible thing to do, but I knocked him off the ski by raising the jet. I did go back and see if he was ok, but when I got back to him, he was pleading with me to do it again......Go figure. Not the safest thing to have done and Ill be the first to admit it was stupid on my part. But it did feel good, and I lectured him about riding so close to the boat he could have been killed if I stopped. I could have made a fortune from the jet skiers that day just knocking them off the ski's, just so they could get a trill. Too bad the macs dont have jets on them, you can just spray the perpetrators

Rick I figured that, that the harbor police would stop a boat that someone complained about, just to explain to them about the complaint. The MDR harbor patrol are johnny on the spot if you ever need them, I have had them respond to a call I made to them about a capsized catamaran, that I couldnt help the guy right, with my boat, He asked me to call for help, we were outside the harbor about 1/4 mile and they responded in a few minutes. I think if you explained to the harbor police about the six or so small craft that almost got capsized as the big boat came in the harbor at 12 knots would get their attention.
Mike

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

So to answer the question you posed, you can find many "Loud Hailer" systems for boats at West Marine and other boating stores.

You can also buy fixed VHF radios that have a "Loud Hailer" function, all you have to do is add the horn/speaker.

[aya16]

hey duane thanks. I went to search for them on line and found what I think I want, its a megaphone that has a seperate mic. It also has a fog horn funtion, so Im not just buying it to yell at people.....
Mike

[Nautek]

Mike
I sympathise with you but the only solution as I see it is to put in a call on VHF 16 to the controlling authority and complain.

If they get enough of these complaints then hopefully they will react and revise the speed limit in the channel.

Using the loud hailer will either get the other guy agro if he can hear you or he will laugh it off and ignore you

Best go through the right channels for action and when you explain that it is a SAFETY issue you will hopefully get some positive action and just keepit up until you do.

If you can get others to call in also with a complaint then eventually you will get some action.

Good luck

Allan

[aya16]

nautic totally agree with you. I just dont want to cause more and more signs going up telling us all what we should already know. Yes I think some guys would ignore the hailing, and then the call to the harbor patrol would be the next thing. Especially if I told the harbor patrol I hailed the guy and asked him to slow down because of the danger, and he blew it off. That would tell the harbor patrol that you tried to fix the problem with out getting them involved. That I would think would make it more of a concern to them as some one asked to slow down to prevent possible damage to other boats and the guys response was the middle finger.

I have in the past given someone the slow down sign, (hand flat and giving the motion slow down) and they have complied the times I did it, with a shrug of apology from them too, so I think most boaters will be mindful if you are courteous about the request. upon rereading my first post I realized I was being a little emotional about the post, and now would just ask them to slow down and explain why, if they complied I will leave it at that. If they dont, Ill call the harbor patrol.

Yelling out at someone on PA, calling them names and being colorful in our choice of words would cause more problems than it would solve, it would have to be very professional thats for sure. Having to brave a literal tidal wave made by man is not part of the experience people should have to expect to go through in boating, Now if someone ventures out in a wild sea, they have no complaints. I think asking someone to slow down is well within the rights of every boater who may feel his boat or crew will be put in danger if the guy doesnt slow down. Im not talking about the guy who has the bigger boat that feels if others dont like what he does, then they should get out of the way or get a bigger boat and leave him alone, That one is for the harbor patrol.
Mike

[SkiDeep2001]

upon rereading my first post I realized I was being a little emotional about the post,
Mike

Mike, I may be guilty of that occaissionaly, I think most of us understand. AOOGA,AOOGA Rob

[Rick Westlake]

After coming from another "big-toy sport," aviation, where your inattention is likeliest to get yourself killed ...

Too bad the "inattention" of Cap'n Crunch-ya isn't so likely to get himself killed, rather than the innocent bystanders!

The loud-hailer won't do much good, if it's drowned out by his thumpin' stereo system.

Calling the harbor patrol gets my vote: "Harbor patrol, this is sloop "Mac & Cheese" (or whatever) ... Big cabin cruiser, named "Mojito Mojo" (or whatever) out of (painted on his stern), just swamped three sailboats with his wake coming into the Marina Del Rey channel. He's turned (direction) and appears to be headed to (guess) ..."

Big Loud Voice may cut it, or may not.
Big Blue Lights will be better, especially if he does "have on his mojo" as specified in the name in my example.

Oh, yeah, there's a saying in aviation about the three most dangerous people you might encounter:
A crack-head with a gun;
a heroin junkie with a knife;
and a doctor with a Beech Bonanza!

[Kelly Hanson East]

I would skip the PA, Mike. Try hailing the Captain on VHF 16 a couple times, then get a nice cool voice on the VHF and call it in as a securite....

Securite, Securite, Securite...this is Sailing vessel Mac-n-cheese calling all vessels in MDR channel. Be aware vessel 'Party Boat' a 50 foot Cabin cruiser with blue hull is proceeding up the channel at approximately 15 knots. Captain is not responding to hails. Please brace for large wake. Mac-n-cheese out.

[puggsy]

Her in West OZ it is an offence to pass any other vessel at more than 8 knots, even if it is a section where there is no speed limit.
And I really object to large motor cruisers being termed " motor yachts".
I too have been knocked about by these million dollar monsters passing too fast. Maybe the answer is to video them with a reference point in the background, then submit the tape to the relevent authorities...Their speed can be calculated.
It is plain bad manners...fines are not much good, because they usually have so much money that fines mean nothing...what would work is to lose their " Recreational\skippers ticket" [ a recent government initiative to make some more money.] ..for 12 months or more...no ticket=no boating.

[TAM]

This is a constant battle for us in the Upper Chesapeake Bay. Lots of Donzis and Scarabs that can apparently only go in straight lines. We get passed by them going at least 20kts, sometimes within 15 feet. Had one yahoo cut between 2 of us sailboats and we were probably already too close to each other. There probably isn't anything that upsets me more. Of course it seems the police are starting to crack down a little. (Man their boats can move)