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Old 05-29-2019, 10:20 AM   #28
LIforrelaxin
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Long Island, not that one, the one on Winnipesaukee
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These threads always amuse me. The discussion of the capt. bonehead. While yes NH has some specific laws of their own creation that most states don't have. Don't fool yourself into believing that the issue is out of state boaters. There are many NH residents, and seasonal residents that do bonehead things as well.

The bigger problem I often find is not so much a lack of knowledge of the rules. But rather a lack of focus on a captains part. While I try and abide by the 150' rule, I don't get my feathers ruffled, when someone is closer then that, as long as I don't feel like safety was ever a concern. Maybe that is because I have been boating in places, where running in close proximity is the normal. But that is here nor there, I need to get back on topic....

As with many other facets of life, there is to much technology surrounding us. It used to be when you where a recreation boater and on the water, there was your boat its controls and you.... You where aware of everything going on around you... But now we have fish finders, GPS, Chart plotters, cell phones, tablets with apps for navigation, depth finders etc... Just like people get stupid in there cars, with all the gizmo's, so do they in boats. And now of course boats are bigger and more powerful, then in the past... so cruising at 30 or 35 MPH is pretty normal, and you close in on each other quickly, sometime more quickly then you realize when your distracted by the technology your boat has in it.

Bottom line, is it is not the rules, it is the attentiveness of the capt. that are the problem. I have always had a problem with the speed limit on the lake, because it was used to disguise the real problem which is inattentive boaters. Weather your going 30 or 70, attentive is attentive. Most everyone I know with a need for speed, including myself will tell you the faster I am going, the more focused I am on what is going on around me, because I know how quickly the things can come up.... and at slower speeds, I keep my attentiveness, because I don't want to loose my edge..... Bottom line is, boating has become like owning a car, everybody feels they are entitled, but very few learn to understand how attentive you need to be, when you are one a road, with no lanes to guide you....

well enough for now, I am sure many people will pick this apart, and that is fine.... Stop blaming the laws, stop blaming out of staters..... focus on what the problem is the attention span of people to stay focused, and technology....
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