What is your personal opinion the best way to determine the 150' rule? I was thinking of getting a range finder used in golf.

150 foot
 

I saw several areas that have a bouy 150' from a dock so you can get an idea of what 150' looks like. There is a bouy just off of the Alton Bay docks if you are down that way. I figure twice the length of a ski rope and add a bit more distance just to be safe.

Besides the expense, I don't think you would find it to be user friendly except to determine how far off shore you are as you get ready to drop anchor, or if you are far enough off shore to get on the throttle.

I use one golfing, and it is fairly easy to use on the course, but you don't have a boat moving, rocking back and forth, and trying to maintain a vigilant outlook around you.

There have been many suggestions in another thread that you may find helpful. Certainly GTX's suggestion about the ski rope, if you tow waterskiers. From my golfing, I feel I have a good visual sense of 50 yards. Basically, find something that you can relate to , and use it to determine you distance. Above all, if you are to err at all, err to the side of caution. Be 300 feet off shore before getting on the throttle, for example. In a phrase...whatever works!!:)

How far is 150'
 

The new buoys are there so you can get it fixed into your brain what 150' really looks like. Go to a town dock and fixate on one ;) On the water, and as time passes, it may be hard to remember what you saw so you can use some algebra* (yes, there is a real life use for that stuff :coolsm: ) to refresh your estimation. Recall that distance = speed x time (didn't hurt did it). A fairly average speed for me is 30 - 35 mph. Let's say it's 34 mph which is the same as 50'/second. So in 3 secs I'll have gone 150'. If you can find something (some debris) relatively fixed in the water you can time your approach to it and thus get refreshed as to what 150' looks like. Get to it before counting 1001, 1002, 1003 and it was closer than 150'. After 1003, it was further away. Using an approaching wake builds in some extra margin because it's moving towards you. Just don't get so fixated doing this when on the boat that you forget to maintain a proper watch :eek: Of course you can adjust your time/count for speeds different from my blundering pace. I'd forget about using a laser range finder or other visual device for just the reasons UTS points out.

ps - Anyone know why they put the new buoys out from the town docks and not out from the launch ramps ?

pps - * Of course we all know the "2 second rule".

I go with the golfing idea too - I just think to myself, could I easily hit a lob wedge to the nearby object? If so, it is less than 200 feet away, and I need to be careful. If I can easily sink a putt at the distance it's away, then I know I am in trouble :laugh:.

We were told by a marine patrol officer that if you couldn't read the numbers on the boat, you were ok. I assume that is meant for 20/20 vision. Course that doesn't help from land or docks etc. Has anyone else ever been told this before?

150' judgement
 

TIS,

About 40-60% of people with 20/20 or corrected vision can read 3" high block letters (display requirement in NH) at about 125'. About 85-90% at 100'. Other factors may affect one's ability to read those numbers such as the curve of the bow, un-contrasting letters, reflection of light, etc.

So, if the bow numbers are properly displayed it should be a given that if you can read them you should be going headway speed.

BTW, these percentages are based on my own personal experience while boating with friends. There is no substitute for my first mate though. She can spot the marker buoys before I usually do and she makes a great birdwatcher too.

Sometimes I use another method learned in BSA. With a person standing 150' away I extend my arm, close one eye and match the height of a finger or thumb joint or fingernail to that of the (avg. 6') person. For me it is my thumb tip to the first joint. Sometimes I can use this method to estimate a person's (read operator, passenger) distance from me.

When in doubt, slowing down is always an option. I may have said that before....