I agree that everyone has the right to use the lake, but twice in two weeks now I've had my day ruined by the damn things.

Last week, I was anchored in the back of a cove fishing. Well off the main channel, in a place it's rare to even see another boat. Some jackass on a jet ski decides to buzz past us at WOT and then do donuts in the water about a hundred yards away.

Today, I've got the little boat I've been fixing up out on the lake. Had some fuel pump issues and couldn't go far, so we idled over to the bank. It's a nice little beach, plenty big enough for several boats and people swimming. We're in the water behind our boat and two jackasses come flying in on top of us, then set up camp 25 feet away. (Only one other boat on a 300 yard beach)
Then the kids started doing donuts and flying back and forth up and down the length of the beach about 100 feet or so off the beach.
They were within 20-30 feet of us several times, all at full speed. I packed our stuff up and left before I ended up losing my shit on the dad, who was just sitting and laughing at their antics.

I wished the game warden had been close by. They deserved a reckless boating ticket.

8/0 treble hook and a 2 oz. bell sinker?

Sounds like the problem is assholes, not jet skis.

I do not have a jet ski, but I think that you do not like Jackasses, not jet skis.

Just like it is not a guns fault for violence, it is not the Jet ski that is at fault.
When I had a boat, I felt the same way.

They do not think of others.

No, the jetski is totally at fault. Otherwise seemingly normal people turn into complete assclowns ass soon as they get on one of those confounded pieces of shit.

I had words with some asshole last year. I was going 60 on the water in a 20 foot, 3500# boat. He crossed perpendicular to me about 100 yards in front of me. Had he fallen off, he would have been dead. When I found him later on the beach, he nearly was.

I hit a kid on a jet ski in 1998.
He took off from an island, overtook my 18' bow rider, and slammed my bow then rolled under my boat.
I had time to yank the lever into neutral and hunt for the kid.
He surface just behind my boat unharmed.
The jetski busted my hull by the side bumper.
The father was screaming at me for not watching after I hauled his kid aboard and brought him to land.
The marine patrol unit informed him his son was at fault. Ticketed him for unsafe boating and the father for not being on board the jet ski while his 14 year old operated it.
Then it was my turn. I demanded he pay for my boat right there.
But I got asked to calm down and was given information to contact them as it was a civil matter.
And of course all his information was out of date and I couldn't find him to seek restitution.
White trash with a jet ski.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
Sounds like the problem is assholes, not jet skis.

yeah.

I bet it sucked, regardless.

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:
No, the jetski is totally at fault. Otherwise seemingly normal people turn into complete assclowns ass soon as they get on one of those confounded pieces of shit.

I had words with some asshole last year. I was going 60 on the water in a 20 foot, 3500# boat. He crossed perpendicular to me about 100 yards in front of me. Had he fallen off, he would have been dead. When I found him later on the beach, he nearly was.

Been hit by a jet skier. Ran right into the back of our boat.

I have ridden jet skis a number of times. I am (was) a very safe boat captain who gets annoyed by their antics. I will tell you this I have found myself unaware of my surroundings and not paying attention to things while riding one.

It is the damn jetskis they are fun because of their tight turning radius, quick acceleration, and high speed. These things all lead to even experienced boaters losing track of surroundings and forgetting there are others on the water. Throw some idiot on there and the problem is 8,000 times worse. They should not be allowed within 200 yards of boats and should be ticketed for violating no wake zones.

Try looking out for them when landing a float plane. You scan the area and then they pop up out of nowhere. Keeps life interesting.

We call them "lake lice". Never ceases to amaze me that they have no concept of what it's going to feel like being run over by a 10-25,000 pound sailboat.

I have a 2016 BMW S 1000 XR. The Beast of Bavaria. And have ridden all my life. Snowmobiles too, sometimes.
I rode a jet ski. Once. Just once. Scared the crap out of me.

They regularly follow me when I'm towing daughters on a tube. They like to jump the wake and such.

More than once I've had to stop the boat and wait for them to get a clue and leave. I'm afraid if the girl(s) fall off the tube, they'll get run over by the jet ski...

To those that say it's jackasses I have a problem with, you're correct. I've just seen regular people turn into complete idiots when they get on a jet ski. Or even worse, turn a kid loose that has no business on one and let them ruin the day for anyone nearby.

It just seems like every time I'm on the water, the same thing happens. I go to the lake to relax, not be aggravated and irritated by a couple of people who don't give a crap about anyone else.

Yeah, I get it that it's fun, but move it off the beach a little ways. When the wake is causing boats to bang together or pull loose from mooring lines, something's wrong.

Last year, the island we usually go to had several boats damaged because of the wake of a jet ski doing donuts right off the beach. I thought the kid was going to get an ass whipping, but he didn't come back to the island. He had about 5 very pissed off boat owners waiting on him.

Back when they were only stand ups the lake I grew up on banned them due to the amount of complaints and issues sane people trying to enjoy the lake had with them. They originally tried giving them a desecrated area however that didn't last long.

No different in the ocean. I will go out free diving early in the morning, nice an quiet. Then the PWC's show up. I've avoided being run over more than once!

All they do is go up and down the coast, WOT.

Worse, the fuck sticks will jump wakes in the inlets, I have had to come to a complete stop a few times to avoid running the fucks over. There they sit, looking up at you without a clue of what the proper navigation rules are!

This whole thread is how I feel about motorcycles. Loud obnoxious machines weaving in and out of traffic and going by my house all the time at 100+mph doing wheelies.

I was an attorney for an insurance company that insured jet ski rental places in florida. The level of stupidity that can go on with one of those things is terrifying. Had a guy get T boned by his friend and had his leg almost cut in half.

Good times. At least the depositions were all in nice beach side hotels.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
I have a 2016 BMW S 1000 XR. The Beast of Bavaria. And have ridden all my life. Snowmobiles too, sometimes.
I rode a jet ski. Once. Just once. Scared the crap out of me.

That's funny - my wife distracted me from wanting to get a bike years ago with a PWC.

"Hey babe - look over here - that looks fun and is FAST!!! And I ride with you in a little bathing suit. And the lake isn't THAT busy everywhere...."

Probably a good plan in the end, as no matter how many times we got thrown the only damage was pride and a couple pair of shades.

Ever seen a depressed person on a jetski?

Me neither.

this what you do with a jet ski and pump , it's the new rage in new Zealand.
I'm going to build one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtE2ESpIAp8