The river on a busy weekend...

[BarryMac]

I'm just curious, who doesn't go to the river on a busy holiday weekend and why do you avoid it???
Inquiring minds want to know.

[OGShocker]

We DO NOT go. Because I don't like the jackass rookies that seem to converge on the "hot spots" on big weekends. Safety first...

[twistedpair]

Originally posted by gottajetboat
I'm just curious, who doesn't go to the river on a busy holiday weekend and why do you avoid it???
Inquiring minds want to know.
I always let the 'JV' play on the big weekends. Seems like that is the time when Billy-Bob, who uses his POS once a year, want to come out and play. I go boating to relax.

[OutCole'd]

I don't like the launch ramp lines.:mad:

[Debbolas]

Too many people, too crowded, two jet skis following our boat at an unsafe distance while I am tubing my kids.....:mad:
This year, is the first time we have plans to go to the river on weekends, (we have a few planned)
(Our weekend in April at Cottonwood, wasn't crowded)
Best time to go IMO is Sun - Thursday....
:D

[Powerquestboy]

I'm usually too hung over to get up at 5am to get the boat in the water.

[KACHINA KEN]

I did labor day and 1 spring break day last year and it wasn't much fun, no probs with the boat owners, just the folks they brought with them, if you bring jackasses with you, your boat will be associated with jackasses so don't bring jackasses.
On a financial note , I like the Nauti-Inn but I am not going to pay 300 a night for it I dont spend enough time in my room to justify it, so when you go on a reg weekend the rates are better and to be honest the people are better, i love all the Havasu locals, I'm going to be one in the fall when I buy a home there.
Kenny

[jbtrailerjim]

When I was younger & single I use to love going on the big holiday weekend's. I quit going on big weekend's about four years ago because.....Too many people, too many rookie boaters that don't know how to drive, long ass wait's at the launch ramps, & to few places to park & relax. I was tempted to go this Memorial day but I then thought about how much I don't enjoy the crowd's on the big holiday's.

[slink]

Thanks, but no thanks......... I think JB said it best

[jas0502]

We never go on holiday weekends. Too many unexperienced people, plus I refuse to get up at 5 am to get in line to launch my boat. Its not what a day boating is all about.

[repo man]

Originally posted by HUFFPOWER
i wouldn't go on 4th, memorial, labor day weekends if you payed me too, in the old days it was friends and family fun at crazy horse and a few other spots, now it's to ghetto/punk/wannabe-ish, the channel is to packed and god knows whats gonna be at or show up at the sandbar, sandbar used to be a blast with alot of cool people, now you get a porn show, people dealing drugs and just alot of trouble, copper canyon is a lost cause and now the wannabes have started to screw up steamboat cove, the hardcores can have the big weekends and all that goes with it, those weekends also seem to drive the jet skis out in droves, no thanks:yuk: :yuk: :yuk: :yuk:
who doesn't love drugs and a porn show? that's what makes life worth living.:D

[91nordic29]

NEVER!
we dont even go to our local lakes on holiday weekends. really sucks when us "normals" cant take advantage of our three day weekends.:mad:

[1stepcloser]

Same as most here, I did all three major weekends up until two years ago.
I havent been back since and likely wont return.
It used to be a great time, hanging out in the channel, partying with the new found "neighbors" watching the seemingly endless parade of boats go by.
Now its almost impossible to even find a spot in the channel, then dealing with some A hole next to you, all the music seems to be of the gansta rap variety, and it seems like everyone on the water has forgotten how to drive a boat.
I wont mention the PWC.
No, I dont go to Havasu on the major weekends anymore.

[Kachina26]

Nope, that's when all the peeps that only go once a year come out. They can have it.

[goneboatin]

When I was young and had warped morals, the big weekend were a blast.
Now I've got my own boat and kids. The kids are too young for porn, and the big weekends bring out the SeaDon'ts and all the idiots that that don't know how to ride or boat.
Boating is a time to relax with the family and have fun, not almost getting run over by junior and all his drunken friends in his dad's 32 foot Eliminator or swatting away all the shit heads on the seadon'ts who think boats have brakes. I don't need it.

[CAHotRodBoy]

I like to leave my big boat at home and rent lake lice for the big weekends. Then I wake jump behind boats, squirt disabled or docked boats with my rooster tail, make quick turns in front of fast moving boats, and let every drunken idiot around take them out for rides. I hear the boaters really like to have this kind of fun with the lake lice!
DISCLAIMER:
For those of you with overly sensitive 12 year old maturity levels:
This is a joke!
:D :D :D

[moonridge]

No one has really mentioned the drive home after a major holiday weekend. If you feel like driving home with every drunk & hungover asshole for an extra extra long drive then go for it.

[Lightning]

I'm not a big fan of the holiday weekends, but I will usually do 1 out of the 3. Last year I did all three weekends and it was fun, but it's also stressful at times with all the idiots. I go to the river to relax and get away from stress.

[spectratoad]

Don't get to the river much but if I did see the "Why do I have to leave" thread.
Our lakes around here are pretty mellow so it isn't too big of an issue. We get the occassional, "I got big beer muscle" idiots and such but that is typical on any weekend.

[BOBALOO]

I have to agree with most that the lake/river can be a zoo on holiday weekends, but if I dont go when I have a 3 or 4 day weekend I will get alot less use from my boat. It is stressful at times but now that we know alot more people from the boards, when we are there we can usually keep an eye on each others stuff if need be.
I think having kids makes parents more aware of what is going on around them so they CHOOSE to shield their kids from the things that go on in SOME areas of our recreation areas. If I want to go to Havasu and do not want to subject my passengers (family/friends) to sandbar style activities there is the whole lake and river to spend time on and even on holidays you can enjoy the lake without seeing boobs or things deemed inappropriate. I bet I could go to Havasu and spend all Memorial weekend all over the lake and up to needles and not see anything inappropriate if I wasn't looking for it.
Long lines are a way of life here, go to an amusement park or a ball game ,would you stay home because of lines.Everyone does what works for themselves,if big holidays dont work for you but they do for me ,who is right? BOTH of us.
MY OPINION only. whatever you choose be safe and have a good time doing it, c-ya out there (maybe not during the big three wk/e)
I wish that I could afford to go to the lake mid-week but for those of you that can I say go for it .

[Rvr2Bch]

We take advantage of living at the beach and not having to go anywhere during the big weekends. We just buy enough food and booze to last through the weekend and then don't move our cars so we don't lose our parking spots out front, and we are fine. I would much rather be here than out at the river during the big 3 weekends. All the rookies seem to be out there and it isn't very fun. My favorite is to go the week after the big weekends, hardly anyone out on the water!
-Rvr2Bch :D

[riverbound]

I stay away on big weekends too, I am not a big fan of the crowds and the idiots. I go to relax and whenever we go on big weekends I spend more time worrying than it is worth.

[JAM]

Reasons not to go: All of the above!
I work Fri-Sun, so we get that "novice boater-free" water Mon-Thur. all summer long. Tough to beat that!

[Krazy K]

I grew up going to the river and it started to get pretty bad in the mid-90's. I can only imagine what it is like now. We usually did spring break time because of it being split up so much. The last Memorial Weekend I was out there, in 1995, it was an absolute zoo!! If I was still down there, I wouldn't even do Spring Break. I would do weekends in March/April and September/October and during the week in Summer. I got a pic of Sundance during Mem. Wkd 1995 and the dock was almost under water.

[coolchange]

Boat crashed, boat sank , boat almost on fire, run over by boat, boat run aground. That was just our group! We call that " THE LAST HOLIDAY WEEKEND" I'll spend the money on a new BBQ instead.

[77charger]

About 12 years ago i started going on big weekends.I use to take my old jet boat and could enjoy the water and the party was mellow.(there was copper canyon where boobs were flashed thats about it)Then evey year after it got worse the boats got bigger,etc.But finding parking in the bridge was no problem even at 10 am.I continued to til around 97 couldnt take any more long launch ramps couldnt drive my jet boat anymore way to rough,seems like more people wanted to fight,etc..To me i think it went downhill sfter MTV showed up.
I remember we use to be able to go towards the sandbar before the crowds and it was always smooth water til the world found out about it(Do you remember how many boats hit the shallow water trying to go there :D )
Now i have a slightly bigger boat and am going this mem weekend but staying north of needles.I might journey down to havasu but avoiding the bridge,(i know the SB is closed),mainly just drive this weekend and see what i HAVENT MISSED.

[Slider]

I have been going to the river since 1968 and i has always been wild.We stayed a Bluewater marina and the place would just go off every big holiday.Its always been crazy at the river and thats what brings the kooks out.Seems that most of the crazy s hit has moved north to havasu.

[DryHeatOnly]

Originally posted by 77charger
Now i have a slightly bigger boat and am going this mem weekend but staying north of needles.I might journey down to havasu but avoiding the bridge,(i know the SB is closed),mainly just drive this weekend and see what i HAVENT MISSED.
77Charger, tell 'em you're kidding! North of Needles is a horrible place to be on a holiday weekend. It's a madhouse up there! Boats and lice so thick you can barely get through!! I'm suprised they haven't shut down the rockbar yet! ;)
I'll be on a beach somewhere between Needles and Moabi. If you see us, pull up and have a cold one!

[77charger]

Originally posted by DryHeatOnly
77Charger, tell 'em you're kidding! North of Needles is a horrible place to be on a holiday weekend. It's a madhouse up there! Boats and lice so thick you can barely get through!! I'm suprised they haven't shut down the rockbar yet! ;)
I'll be on a beach somewhere between Needles and Moabi. If you see us, pull up and have a cold one! Ya i heard it does suck waters cold,shallow spots,etc.But i hear parker rules.If i see you i'll stop i'll be in that area sat afternoon i'll have this boat blue/white eliminator w/pnk purple stripes
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/398HPIM0488.JPG