My PET PEEVES!!!!!!

[kfechner]

Just thought I would share a little story about this weekend. Number 1...Some dumb lady driving a deck boat (she was even wearing a life jacket while driving), totally not even paying attention to anyone around her, almost wipped her tube into the front of my boat. They missed us by maybe 5ft. We were in a narrow cove, typically reserved for wakeboarders because this is the calmest part of the lake. Everyone in my boat started screaming at her and she stops and yells back us..."It was an accident...geez!" Well lady, accidents are typically what they are called when people DIE!!!! Number 2...stupid jet skiiers come through the calm water when there are boarders around and spin up all the good water and make it hard for the surfers and boarders. Number 3....POWER TURNS!!! Come on people, when your skiier falls, you don't need to waste all your gas and make this huge power turn and churn up some huge wake just to go 40 feet to get your skiier. Just stop and make a nice turn in gear and you might even realize you get there in a very reasonable and safe amount of time. KEEP THE WATERS CALM!

[dtlaine]

I was pulling a wakeboarder yesterday evening. There was someone pulling their kids tubing, and we traded turns, which is just fine. Then some dumb ass in a Boston Whaler comes out, and starts to pull a skier about 50' to my right. It's a small private lake, and everyone has to sign a doc saying that they understand the rules before they're let through the gates. One of the rules is one skier at a time. I don't even try to go out between noon and 5 PM on a Sunday because it's a zoo, and there's just no point, but it's usually ok after 5. We stopped, let this idiot run laps around the lake, and then he put his boat on a lift without evening noticing that he created a problem. I just don't get some people.

[cptmoomba]

Sorry Man. If she whipped her tube with in 5ft of you and she had a 75 ft rope. Then your distance from her was less than 100 feet. I usually pack it up find an inlet, throw an anchor and pop some beers when the lake gets like this.

As for the power turns, if I have a rider and they fall and there are boats underway within 300 ft of my rider, sorry for your calm water, but I will take whatever actions necessary to protect my rider.

[skiyaker]

As for the power turns, if I have a rider and they fall and there are boats underway within 300 ft of my rider, sorry for your calm water, but I will take whatever actions necessary to protect my rider.

I hear you there Jay; I won't hessitate to put my moomba between the nearest tuber and my rider.

[Razzman]

OK i'll weigh in on this only because it's an issue that's been around forever and will only get worse as more & more use the water.

There will always be stupid boaters, period. It's just something you gotta live with and watch for. Not saying she wasn't wrong, just watch it. Carry an air horn and blast 'em if you thing they're too close.

Everyone has to share the water. No one group has rights to any part of it. You said "a cove normally reserved for wakeboarders". No such thing. I hear this all the time but from wakeboarders more than any group and all it does is reinforce the thought of wakeboarders as snobs. I see this all the time to the point of some wakeboarders causing trouble on the water. What i don't see is the skiers, surfers, fishermen or tubers doing this. Now i'm sure it's happened but nowhere near the instances of wakeboarders. All these other sports were around way before wakeboarding so why the 'tude? It's just something you have to live with, respectfully i might add.

Jetskiers will also always be a problem as any idiot can buy or rent one without any education on them. I know it sucks but until the laws change then unsafe, inconsiderate & stupid people will be on them.

Some people will always powerturn as well. Why? mostly because they're not wakeboarders and just don't understand the importance of keeping the water calm. But then again it comes back to sharing the water. Hell my brother-in-law does it and no matter how many times i try and educate him he still does it. He thinks it's fun. I only do it if traffic is near enough that there might be a conflict, but even then it's not a full blown powerturn.

I try and give as much respect as possible when on the water. I'm always watching for the idiots as well. I've been known to nicely educate a few people when given the chance to help them better understand the consequences of their actions. I used to get upset but all that did was ruin my day, it's not worth it. I know it's frustrating, maybe try and get your sets in early or late if needed then spend the rest of the day having fun. Life is way to short to stress out.

My two cents ...

[kfechner]

Oh yeah...I don't get upset at the people who chop up the water for boarders and surfers because the truth is...the weekends are really family time and I have no problem with that. If I really want calm water and to ride with no issues, then I will go out on a Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon. really.

To answer Ed G....I was not moving....I was just relaxing for a little bit with the engine OFF!!!

To answer Razzman...I hear everything you say and I totally agree...to explain a little on the cove reserved....the buoys entering the cove have been signed and flagged by the Arizona Wakeboard Association saying NO TUBING!! But no one pays attention and the county rangers can't officially bust them because they did not put the signs up themselves...it is just an "unwritten" law of the lake where we go.

As for the power turns, I did not want to write so much about it, but absolutely if there are a lot of boats around, I will go after my skiier fast, but 90% of what I see, this is not the case, they do it because it is fun, just like razzman says.

I have an airhorn....great idea I have never used it before!!!

[Razzman]

kfechner, sounds like we're of the same mind on these issues. I know it's annoying buy whaddaya gonna do?

What lake you ride? It would be nice i must say if a lake was big enough that it had partitions or no this or that zones. I actually know of one that does, Castaic in SoCal that prohibits jetskis to a certain area and a ski only zone.

I've had similar instances while parked and floating in a cove. Had a guy once do 270 around my boat while parked and sent a huge wave right over the bow. He saw what he did and hightailed it, didn't see him the rest of the day!

[sandm]

wakeboarders and arrogance. 2 that go hand in hand more than not. I think(and again, just my .02), most of the wakeboarders on our lake are mid-20somethings, and with that age go a certain lack of respect for others. I see more issues with them than other "groups" out on the lake we frequent. seems that through the construction boom here, there are a lot of the high $$ wake machines that were paid for by construction $$. they are the ones that have no respect for others on the lake and it kind of feels like they paid a ton of cash for their boats, you are in a 20y.o. tri-hull, so get out of my way mentality. not to stereotype, but we have 5-6 x-stars on the lake, all are owned by mid-late 20's, and all have had run-ins with people I know, either on the ramp or on the lake..

ok, off soapbox now..

[skiyaker]

oh those crowded waters... well tonight I pulled up to the ramp as the "supra dudes" (I feel cool now that they'll talk to me) were getting out. had to wait out a brief storm but then had the lake all to myself. Didn't have to worry about power turns, tubers... filled the gravity III and even got a little air- at least 1 cm beautiful sunset... life is good

[tazz3069]

Everyone has to share the water. No one group has rights to any part of it.

Some people will always powerturn as well. Why? mostly because they're not wakeboarders and just don't understand the importance of keeping the water calm. But then again it comes back to sharing the water.

I try and give as much respect as possible when on the water. I'm always watching for the idiots as well. I've been known to nicely educate a few people when given the chance to help them better understand the consequences of their actions. I used to get upset but all that did was ruin my day, it's not worth it. I know it's frustrating, maybe try and get your sets in early or late if needed then spend the rest of the day having fun. Life is way to short to stress out.

Well said. I agree. I wish that they would give test to people, who drive boats, just like thay give for people who drive vehicles. I have seen several times and I mean several times, people on the water that do not no how to either navigate, watch out for, and take care of other in or out of the boat. I have seen several accident on the water and a few off the water of some a@$ wipe that has no business being behind the wheel of a boat. I do agree with the comment on the age group. Usually those kids are the spoiled rotten kid who's parent will go out and buy another boat if this one gets ruined. I have been to several lakes and see the youngsters disrespecting the waters and other boaters. I will give you a good example. One year, we were at Don Pedro. My dad and I witnessed a girl being pulled off a boat very blue in color. She had a massive cut to her body. Now before anybody feels bad for her. Now the accident. She was on a jet ski and her friends were on a boat. They were playing chicken. The boat won in this case. She was airlifted to the nearest hospital. Do not know the results. Second incident. Again, a jet ski and a boat. Now I am also guilty of doing this. The only difference is that I always keep my eyes open. The jet skier was jumping the wake of the boat. Jet skier did not see the skier behind the boat. The Nylon ski rope sliced through his neck like a hot knife through butter. I hate to be so graphic with detail but if people were educated, then accidents will not happen. Also, people who think thaey know what they are doing, really do not. They are the most dangerous.
My .02 cents.,