Massive Captain Bonehead-with Skier [Archive]

donnamatrix

08-06-2007, 09:47 AM

In Blackey's Cove on Sunday. We are anchored across from the homes near the end of the cove, where it is fairly narrow. There were several anchored boats. Captain Bonehead in boat that, in my opinion, was overloaded with 8 people, and smaller boat than our 23.5 Four Winns. Races into the cove, and turns the boat so quickly that it nearly swamps, begins to head out of the narrow part of the cove. He was about 30 feet from our boat. My husband is frantically hittine the horn. The skier FINALLY let go of the tow rope, and he was not 20 feet from hitting the bow of our boat (we were anchored fore and aft). I screeched YOU ARE WAY TO CLOSE. Nobody apologized. The skier said "that was my fault, I should have let go of the rope". The boneheaded driver of the boat busied himself with something, while letting his boat now get within 8 feet of our boat, until he was told to BACK OFF. What a bloody idiot. I hope he reads this post. He put people at risk... but you can't fix STUPID.

BroadHopper

08-06-2007, 11:22 AM

Seems like the Caption Boneheads were having a field day this weekend. I have seen very few marine patrol activities. Were the marine patrol gathered around Springfield Point to keep the paparrazi away?????

JTA

08-06-2007, 02:53 PM

Not the skiier's fault unless he instructed Bonehead to pull that specific maneuver, or did the skiier have boat's controls back there with him?:confused:

GWC...

08-06-2007, 03:46 PM

Not the skiier's fault unless he instructed Bonehead to pull that specific maneuver, or did the skiier have boat's controls back there with him?:confused:
Were the skier's hands super glued to the towline? :eek: :D

Wonder what the outcome would have been if the skier had released his grip on the towline 300' sooner? :rolleye2:

topwater

08-06-2007, 07:13 PM

Donna, you are correct about the skiers in Blackies Cove. I was there fishing Sunday morning around 10am when a inboard/outboard came in, where I was fishing, right down where all the boats come in a anchor, he commenced to jump into the water with a ski, and I thought to myself, NO!, he's not going start skiing in here. Wrong I was!, with his wife driving and 2-3 kids all under the age of 8ish, here he comes and skiing within 50 ft of my boat while I was on my trolling motor, not my big motor. I just looked at him and shrugged my shoulders and said very loudly, "150 feet", and I got the one finger salute and the two words to go with it, so loud that I'm sure his little kids heard him. He pulled this stunt twice, So I called marine patrol and requested a boat down there, and within 20 minutes a marine patrol came in talked to me and then spoke with CAPTAIN BONEHEAD. I left shortly after but you just have to wonder, what the hell are these people thinking!!

gravy boat

08-07-2007, 06:17 AM

We saw many of them this past weekend. We were visiting friends on Camp Island on Sunday. The cove facing Timber was quite busy, including two 25+ foot cruisers towing tubers -- one had two tubers, the other one tuber. They were coming VERY close to other boat at times. Considering how busy that area is, we were surprised at how many people think nothing of circling around the "travel lanes" with tubers or skiers during high traffic times.

Earlier in the day at Glendale we noticed renters taking a pontoon out on the lake. It seemed it was the man's first time boating -- the person renting out the boat (I won't mention the business name) was shouting instructions on how to maneuver out of the dock area -- basic boating 101 stuff. Scary.

chmeeee

08-07-2007, 08:18 AM

I was anchored in East Cove on Saturday, and watched while a 14' jet boat attempted to tow a 4 boat raft, all 4 of which were 30+ foot cruisers. Included in this raft were two Carvers, one 36' and one bigger (didn't catch the size. They tied the anchor rope to the bow cleat on the Seadoo and proceeded to swing wildly back and forth in reverse trying to tow the raft sideways. Bizzare? I think so. This continued for about 20 minutes before they gave up and split up the raft.

donnamatrix

08-07-2007, 09:21 AM

It's sad, but I am really counting the days until all the tourists depart the Lake. I know that the Lakes Region has a number of Captain Boneheads in residence, but it truly seems to me that they are outnumbered by visiting CBs. We saw the Marine Patrol boat come into Blackey's Cove on Sunday, he didn't stay for long, and the activity I mentioned in my earlier post transpired after the MPs departed. It is the responsibility of the boater, not the skier, to ensure safety all around... thankfully, the skier realized he either had to release the tow rope, or bash his skull on our bow. Oh well. It's like the stories going around about what happened at the boat launch today... same type of ignorant, arrogant people making foolhardy errors because they do not think.

Kamper

08-07-2007, 10:07 AM

I ... watched while a 14' jet boat attempted to tow a 4 boat raft, ...

I watched a jet-boat try to tow a capsized (as in upside down) sailboat a couple years back. After 10-15 minutes he was so overheated he was blowing brown smoke out the exhaust. I dont know if this is typical but I think your guy got lucky.

("Scream and leap!" ?)

CanisLupusArctos

08-07-2007, 11:28 AM

We just had another one at Black Cat Shoals. This time it was a jetski buzzing swimmers in the water. Jestki was doing about 25 mph, swimmers and a canoe were 20 feet away on the reef, and the jet ski was also only 50 feet from shore on its other side, where there were docks and swim rafts from which the swimmers and canoer had originated.

Something has to be done to get these oblivious, self-centered [Expletives] off the lake for good.

jrc

08-07-2007, 11:40 AM

...

Something has to be done to get these oblivious, self-centered [Expletives] off the lake for good.

Too bad there is no blood test for "oblivious, self-centered [Expletives] "

KTO

08-07-2007, 06:41 PM

Maybe this past weekend was just a bit too crowded...or people were not thinking of others and how crowded the lake was.

We were coming out of Salmon Cove (just passing through on a peaceful boat ride) and as we were leaving, this guy on a jet-ski with a young girl aboard passes about 15 feet next to us at full speed, meanwhile, we're trying to respect the fishing boat fairly close on our left (probably close to 150ish feet, but why take the chance?) by going headway speed.

Granted a jet-ski isn't going to cause too much damage, it was still the ignorant "lack-of-thinking" that got us.

Rattlesnake Guy

08-07-2007, 08:15 PM

He pulled this stunt twice, So I called marine patrol and requested a boat down there, and within 20 minutes a marine patrol came in talked to me and then spoke with CAPTAIN BONEHEAD.

Topwater, you are my hero! Way to go. :D

Irrigation Guy

08-07-2007, 09:18 PM

Obviously these Captain boneheads don't care about anyone but themselves. With that in mind, we normal folk shouldn't be bothered by our conscience at all for calling Marine Patrol on them.

Kudos to topwater. I just programed the number to Marine Patrol into my cell phone. ;) Captain Bonehead take note.

Rattlesnake Guy

08-07-2007, 10:16 PM

LocalRealtor, Super idea. What is the number?

Irrigation Guy

08-08-2007, 08:27 AM

LocalRealtor, Super idea. What is the number?

I called them yesterday and was asking about how they would prefer to be contacted, whether by VHF or cell phone. They said cell phone would be better, that surprised me, as I know the Coast Guard prefers VHF so that could track the signal in case it was lost.

Anyway the number is 293-2037.

Capt. Bonehead beware. :coolsm:

CanisLupusArctos

08-08-2007, 12:22 PM

Granted a jet-ski isn't going to cause too much damage, it was still the ignorant "lack-of-thinking" that got us.

How much damage would a jet-ski cause when hitting a swimmer? Oblivion is becoming a greater 'given' on this lake each year - but buzzing a group of swimmers like I saw yesterday? He was 20 feet off our dock--where we swim all the time. Imagine surfacing for a breath of air to find a jet ski coming at your head.

If I'm not mistaken, any boat/PWC driver who buzzes a group of swimmers is committing assault with a deadly weapon (the craft.) Should he/she actually strike someone it would then become assault and battery. That's the way the criminal courts often play it for drivers on land.

Irrigation Guy

08-08-2007, 12:27 PM

How much damage would a jet-ski cause when hitting a swimmer? Oblivion is becoming a greater 'given' on this lake each year - but buzzing a group of swimmers like I saw yesterday? He was 20 feet off our dock--where we swim all the time. Imagine surfacing for a breath of air to find a jet ski coming at your head.

If I'm not mistaken, any boat/PWC driver who buzzes a group of swimmers is committing assault with a deadly weapon (the craft.) Should he/she actually strike someone it would then become assault and battery. That's the way the criminal courts often play it for drivers on land.

I hope you alerted Marine Patrol of the situation. ;)

Lakegeezer

08-08-2007, 12:43 PM

Irrigation Guy

08-08-2007, 12:50 PM

We're hearing about a lot of bonehead moves, but does it really productive to call the MP every time someone gets a bit close? Crying wolf when there is no harm done just puts a lot of noise in the system. When something really serious happens, how is the MP to know? What do you expect them to do anyway? Let's not encourage boaters to be a tattletale unless it really matters. If you feel the need to do something, honk your horn or flip-em the bird.

I hear ya, but in the situation listed where jet skiers are buzzing swimmers and docks, would you wait till someone got hurt or killed? At that point, the call would be a little late. When someone comes a little close to another boat, well thats not really a danger to life and limb.

If the marine patrol were more aware of the trouble spots besides the Weirs, maybe they would spend some time enforcing some of the other dangerous locations on the lake.

I don't want to tattle either, but someone flipping another off isn't gonna change a thing. Where as someone calling MP, and a candid conversation by a LEO, might cool someones jets.

Puckster

08-08-2007, 01:30 PM

This is all precisely why I do not have a boat anymore. I ran a boat for 7 years back in the 80's and 90's. Got rid of it and glad I did. I went out in my friends boat a few years back and my head was on a swivel. There are way to many morons out there for me. I can barely deal with local summer traffic without having a stroke.:eek: More power to you boaters. Stay safe and have fun.

kjbathe

08-08-2007, 02:01 PM

Was the guy in Blackey's Cove in a smaller ski boat with a tow bar extended off one side of the boat? If it's the same boat, their behavior has been going on for a couple seasons. Then again, he might be named "Blackey" and is annoyed we're in his cove... :rolleye1:

I was out yesterday and was also surprised by two flagrant violations of safe passage... Coming out of Glendale and turning between Lockes Island and Varney Point I was starting to throttle up after the NWZ about 150 off Varney Point when I see Captain Bonehead at roughly 25+ MPH splitting the gap between me and the point! I turned around to MP to see if anyone else was seeing this, but no such luck.

Shrugging it off, we continue out and we're on plane headed North by Timber at about 30 MPH when I turn and not more than 75 feet off my stern is another bonehead moving to pass on my port side. I turn to starboard and slow so I can gesture to "back off" and in what's becoming a classic now on the lake, the operator is clueless, but the kids in the bow wave gleefully in return.

I could see only 5 other boats out there on a weekday. How much Lake does it take for you to find some water in excess of 150 feet from the water I'm currently on? :eek: Three and half weeks 'til Labor Day...

Aquadeziac

08-08-2007, 03:27 PM

You want to see a surprised look on Captain Bonehead's face, flip a camera-cell phone open and aim it at him. Even if you don't take a pic you have his attention. I personally like doing it with a small camcorder.If you do take the pic make sure you get his bow numbers. I learned from a friend that MP will gladly talk to anyone, especially with video footage. And if its real incriminating, they will confront the good Captain. I have seen many bows come down quickly just by grabbing my digital camera and pointing it. Try it sometime.

Cal

08-08-2007, 07:53 PM

Playing junior "G" man is going to do nothing but over burden an already over burdenned MP. How will they enforce a "speed limit"? Unless someone out there is a constant repeat offender in the same location the MP will probably never witness your claim. After enough times of this happening and YOUR name on the "police blotter" they will likely spot you for the snitch you are. Just imagine if you PO'd your neighbor and all the grief he could cause you.
Let them do their job and you do yours.

JMOHO

donnamatrix

08-09-2007, 11:09 AM

KJBathe: I know which boater/family you are speaking of with the ski-tow-bar, but that's not who caused the kerfuffle last weekend. Although they are certainly guilty of paying zero attention to the 150 foot rule... and have done so for years, at least 7 years. I love the cellphone-photo idea. Why didn't I think of that? Too shook up I guess... but next time. Duh.

CanisLupusArctos

08-09-2007, 02:21 PM

I hear ya, but in the situation listed where jet skiers are buzzing swimmers and docks, would you wait till someone got hurt or killed? At that point, the call would be a little late. When someone comes a little close to another boat, well thats not really a danger to life and limb.

If the marine patrol were more aware of the trouble spots besides the Weirs, maybe they would spend some time enforcing some of the other dangerous locations on the lake.

I don't want to tattle either, but someone flipping another off isn't gonna change a thing. Where as someone calling MP, and a candid conversation by a LEO, might cool someones jets.

It is a frustrating situation because the whole thing takes only a few seconds to happen and disappear - MP would get here to find nothing. As police, they need some sort of proof. We're starting to get in the habit of keeping the digital camera ready for these fly-bys, in hopes of getting faces of drivers + bow numbers.

A couple weeks ago we had a jetski crash on the rocks that required MP response (they also came with the FD and PD from land) during which I told one of the MP officers of our growing problem. He said maybe it could be fixed by putting up "danger" buoys in the usual buzz-path, since it is filled with submerged, hittable boulders they so often miss when they buzz us.

KTO

08-09-2007, 08:38 PM

How much damage would a jet-ski cause when hitting a swimmer? Oblivion is becoming a greater 'given' on this lake each year - but buzzing a group of swimmers like I saw yesterday? He was 20 feet off our dock--where we swim all the time. Imagine surfacing for a breath of air to find a jet ski coming at your head.

If I'm not mistaken, any boat/PWC driver who buzzes a group of swimmers is committing assault with a deadly weapon (the craft.) Should he/she actually strike someone it would then become assault and battery. That's the way the criminal courts often play it for drivers on land.

I stand corrected, quite glad too, because ignorance isn't acceptable when it comes to public safety.

Island Life

08-09-2007, 08:58 PM

A couple weeks ago we had a jetski crash on the rocks that required MP response (they also came with the FD and PD from land) during which I told one of the MP officers of our growing problem. He said maybe it could be fixed by putting up "danger" buoys in the usual buzz-path, since it is filled with submerged, hittable boulders they so often miss when they buzz us.

We have this issue too - lots of submerged, hittable boulders - but don't really want to look out onto a few danger bouys. There is a black bouy out there for a reason; it barely keeps the boaters out far enough and certainly doesn't keep the jetskiiers out. What to do . . . ?

KTO

08-09-2007, 09:03 PM

We have this issue too - lots of submerged, hittable boulders - but don't really want to look out onto a few danger bouys. There is a black bouy out there for a reason; it barely keeps the boaters out far enough and certainly doesn't keep the jetskiiers out. What to do . . . ?

Where we are we seem to have a similar problem. There is a large rock field with miscellaneous danger zones which are poorly marked. If anyone saw the nice little object from this thread (http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4946) and by me telling you there are probably another half dozen or so that havent been picked up (and several that have) would tell you that the area is poorly marked. I'll try to get a map image up to explain the area better.

Irrigation Guy

08-09-2007, 09:28 PM

Late this afternoon Captain Bonehead tried to go between my boat and a marker which was less than 25 feet away with his bow pointing at the moon. I tried to give the open armed wave, as in "why". He didn't get it, so i took off quickly so as not to have my boat swamped by his wake. I went right to my marina and just my luck, it turns out he wasn't very good at docking or being prepared to dock either, because I had to help him get tied up and his lines where buried. I still wanted to be a nice guy.

I took the opportunity to explain my dissatisfaction and his wife said that with 6 people on board if they had slowed any more they would have fallen off plane, and that I was in their way. There was at least a clear quarter mile on the other side of my boat.

:eek:

KTO

08-09-2007, 09:43 PM

Here is what I was talking about:

http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/1387/winni1oh4.jpg

As you can see, the area towards shore is marked well, while the area from the outer lake is marked poorly.

The yellow area represents shoals and/or rocks.

Rattlesnake Guy

08-10-2007, 02:04 PM

Here is what I was talking about:

As you can see, the area towards shore is marked well, while the area from the outer lake is marked poorly.

The yellow area represents shoals and/or rocks.

Not sure I understand what part is marked poorly. I assume the black dots are markers telling you to keep north or east. If I came to a spot with 9 markers I would refer to a chart before considering a crossing.

KTO

08-11-2007, 09:21 AM

Really just the fact that if you're coming from the south, you tend to miss the marked areas because they're ahead of you.

Mee-n-Mac

08-11-2007, 10:40 AM

Really just the fact that if you're coming from the south, you tend to miss the marked areas because they're ahead of you.

True enough and there are shoals and rocks scattered in areas not shown in yellow in KTO's chart above. Fairly often I'd see a cruiser depart from anchoring off Farrar Pt and run between black markers 2 and 3. Sometimes they'd make and sometimes not.

To answer Island Life's question above (What to do . . . ?) and perhaps CanisLupusArctos as well .... could you add more, slightly less submerged rocks ? :eek: ;)

If that's not practical then maybe you can import some eels .... some really big ones. :D

KTO

08-11-2007, 09:25 PM

...areas not shown in yellow in KTO's chart above...

Well I drew it myself based on my best knowledge! :D

Gatto Nero

08-12-2007, 07:44 AM

To answer Island Life's question above (What to do . . . ?) and perhaps CanisLupusArctos as well .... could you add more, slightly less submerged rocks ? :eek: ;)

Actually, a few of us did exactly that one day when I had lived in the area. About ten of us swam and kayaked out and collected a bunch of rocks from the shoal and piled them up to form a very neat rock marker. It made what was once an area that was typically 1' or less under the surface and brought it visibly above the surface by about 2' so that anybody coming close would obviously see and thereby avoid it. We all swam back feeling like we had accomplished something worth doing.

No sooner had we had returned to the dock to admire our work when see saw the Marine Patrol driving slowly around it and then go to a nearby to speak with its owner. By the next day it was gone.

Mee-n-Mac

08-12-2007, 03:16 PM

Well I drew it myself based on my best knowledge! :D

And a fine chart it is ! Just need to add "In here dragons be" :D

As a kid I used to paddle out and explore the various rock formations in that area. These days, with all the prime anchoring spots taken up as quick as they are, I now wonder if there's not some shallow areas thereabouts that would make good places to anchor for a while. Not exactly a sand bar but it might make for some interesting snorkeling. Having said that, I'm not taking the "Mee'n'Mac" into that area to explore the possibilities. I'll have to wait for the shallow draft PWC.