Thor - I know that you are a little slow and it takes several responses before your lightbulb illuminates.
Actually I was just a little bored today (not impaired) and decided to pull someones chain.
You bit, it has been fun and I'm not bored anymore. Thanks.
Its your excuse, tell it however you like. On a serious note though, sell your boat.
Its your excuse, tell it however you like. On a serious note though, sell your boat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by THOR
If you have one beer and operate, does that mean you are operating illegally, or just operating while under the influence. I have never been told what the difference was. Lets say you were pulled over and blew a .02. What does this mean?
If you don't know the answer to this. You should sell your boat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by THOR
If you have one beer and operate, does that mean you are operating illegally, or just operating while under the influence. I have never been told what the difference was. Lets say you were pulled over and blew a .02. What does this mean?
If you don't know the answer to this. You should sell your boat.
I guess as a whole, society just can't handle the sauce as well as you!
Tommy
Years ago, maybe, but I make no claims to be any different from society at large. Moderation is the key, be it beers or big macs.......I agree it is the only system we have......right or wrong, and I strive to be on the legal side of the numbers game....MP
We're camped on the beach in Parker right now. About 30 ft from the water, boat at anchor.
This morning, we were woke with a knock at the door.
I answered it and it was a couple standing there, the guy put his hand out to shake mine.
I stepped outta the trailer, and the guy proceeded to apologize.
Our boat is a standout, easy to find us.
Yesterday, I was queing up the boat to pull one of the kids skiing, I was correct in my direction (rotation) on the water. I looked 360 degrees all clear,, I then took off full throttle looking into the rear mirror until my skier hits plane,, then I look ahead & back off the throttle and hit the speed set.
Wife with the flag up looking at on-coming (rear) correct rotation traffic.
A wrong way Sea Doo with one rider shot off the beach against traffic & was pulling a raft with three little girls on it.
He was doing approx 40 MPH, wrong way into our blindside, head on, and he was looking backwards the witnesses all say.
I barely saw his image through the reflections of my Starboard windshield and slammed the ZF transmission into full reverse.
Yeah, you can put a ZF into reverse at speed.
It save his and his kids lives.
My passengers were all sitting backwards facing the skier. Most our seats are reverse facing, so all was well aboard our boat in it's panic stop.
We heard screams on the beach, and we just missed the guy on the Sea Doo by inches.
Had I been drinking, our 5000 Lb boat would have creamed them at a total combined speed of perhaps 55 MPH.
The guy reaching out to shake my hand was the wrong-way Sea Doo driver.
His group had been drinking margaritas & snorting cocaine all day on the beach, and he was shit faced during the on-the-water encounter.
We know this because they offered us a drink and a snort.
He and his wife apologized sinceerly.
It was life changing for them I hope.
Word here can't describe this incident,, they really can't.
It's changed on the water. Something is different than in the past.
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We had an in-the-water-incident a day earlier with a blue and white deckboat.
We saw the boat at Road Runner the next day, and I stopped by to chat with the driver.
We thought it was two guys, but in fact, the guys wife had a short haircut and looked like a guy.
I asked them if they were on the water headed to the dam the day before at about 4:00 PM.
Yep it was them.
They weren't drinking as we talked this visit, because just before their trip to the dam the day of our incident, they downed 2 Road Rapers, and were still in pain being tweekers and all. So it was just lunch this meal.
We talked furthur and they had no recall of our encounter.
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I agree with RiverDaves take too.
Of all the people I've met in my life, RD has to be at the top of my 10 list as the most decent, and one of the most influential I've ever met.
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I quit drinking behind the wheel a few years back.
I've been boating and drifting down the river since 1959 and have seen some big changes in that time.
My change came when a British family in a Natique pulled up close to me and politely mentioned I may not be in a condition to operate a boat.
They were right.
I was going through hell with my ex, I took an Ativan, and had a beer before I launched the boat.
I had my son take the helm, and I've never been impared behind the wheel since.
Later we met the family at Fox's and they told me I was pulling in front of people oblivious to the world.
Does this make me a hyppocryte to comment on drunk boaters today? Damfino, but I know I'm no longer one of them, and that's what matters.
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Other changes I've observed boating and floating down the river and on Havasu are the big over 27 foot boats.
They rarely slow down for anyone. I never see it.
Some how they feel they have a special permit to go full throttle down the river not slowing for swimming children, groups of party boaters, PWC's they slow for no one or nothing.
It's not Sunset Harbor to Avalon across the wide open San Pedro Channel, its a narrow river full of other boaters they're threading a needle through.
We see them get shitfaced at the floating bars then take off full throttle through groups of boats.
Anyone that denys that can say it walkin'.
People swimming in the river, and water skiers have always been here along the river since WW2.
It's always been an ocean since before wakeboard boats or PWC's.
And we've always had drunk boaters too.
But now, we also have the powder users.
Lots of Crystal and Dust & Ice users on the water and on the HB board.
We've met a few. It's usually those on the board that troll the threads and start shit with others.
Powder abuse is way, way bigger than anyone wants to admit.
We meet them in person, it all comes out.
Their wife confides to mine they want treatment, or they're trying to kick it,, or it's obvious.
I'm a 60's flower child & been through the drug infested ranks of the USMC and worked with meth and dust users and I know a tweeker when I'm talking to one.
Powder coupled with alcohol on the water, we're at their mercy when behind the wheel of their boats.
Fantastic post, Ross.
There are perspectives being shared that I would never have been able to imagine, had I not seen them through other's eyes.
People swimming in the river, and water skiers have always been here along the river since WW2.
It's always been an ocean since before wakeboard boats or PWC's.
And we've always had drunk boaters too.
One of the things that's changed since WW2 is that now any 20' family boat with a small block stern drive will do 60 mph. There are PWCs that will do 60 mph. Put more watercraft, going much faster, in the same space and something has to give.
Does this make me a hyppocryte to comment on drunk boaters today? Damfino, but I know I'm no longer one of them, and that's what matters.
---------------------------------
Other changes I've observed boating and floating down the river and on Havasu are the big over 27 foot boats.
They rarely slow down for anyone. I never see it.
Some how they feel they have a special permit to go full throttle down the river not slowing for swimming children, groups of party boaters, PWC's they slow for no one or nothing.
Yes, you're a hypocrit. But you recognize it, so I guess that's OK...Ever thought about running for public office?
Yes, a great post Ross.
And thanks for your service.
Fantastic post, Ross.
One of the things that's changed since WW2 is that now any 20' family boat with a small block stern drive will do 60 mph. There are PWCs that will do 60 mph. Put more watercraft, going much faster, in the same space and something has to give.
...and cars have gotten much faster and there are many more of then... but the number of deaths per mile driven have decreasing lately.
Here's an except from a NTSB speech this year:
Alabama unlike other States has a full operator license with a testing requirement. Boat operators could test out and receive a license, However, many applicants failed the test and have had to take a boating education course. Most boaters in Alabama opted to take a boating safety course. The results of Alabamas education and license initiative have seen fatalities reduced by 40 percent over the past 5 years. The program includes all recreational boat operators. Alabama officials report that boating education which 95 percent of Alabamas boaters complete to take the test has made a difference in their fatality numbers.
I'm never for more regulation unless it prevents even more restrictive regulation. In this case I recommend the license deal...anybody who's been around boat for a while can pass the test after skimming the rule book first...and it discourages the total newbies on jetski as they either don't ride or operate more cautiously to avoid Popo attention.
One thing that really surprises me is that we were the first state to implement it. We're usually a clusterf uck when it comes to laws... I think our constitution is like 700 amendments long or something like that.
BTW - most boating deaths in our state involve drowned fishermen.
TPC, I think that is the most brutally honest observation yet.
I know this will stir a confrontation, but does it seem that the younger crowd is better able to afford newer, nicer, bigger boats than say 15 years ago?
Please don't read this wrong, I am not calling young people addicts! That has no age requirement or limits.
What I mean is that the number of boats with young fun-loving thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies seems to be a lot higher these days.
When I was in my 20's I could not even dream of owning a real performance boat of any kind, let alone a 50K plus barnstormer.
Now it seems to be the norm. In general I see less experience and faster bigger boats. Or am I wrong?
Tommy
PS- Old people like me still like to party, we are just too tired most of the time!!
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