Quote:
Originally Posted by XCR-700
Sorry ANYONE who operates any powerful motorized vehicle and says they have no fear of running over a paddle boarder/bicyclist/pedestrian/ect should not be behind the wheel. Operating boats and cars on public roads and waterways is not NASCAR you need to keep a healthy dose of concern front an center. There is no place for arrogant operators that believe they can do no wrong. This is just foolish and irresponsible soapbox grandstanding.
Its no wonder we dont have far more accidents with attitudes like that.
|
You've twisted my words. I don't worry about about a paddle boarder near my boat because if I am close enough and in a position to run a boarder over I am fully stopped until they move on.
If I'm in a spot where I can't see what is around the corner, I'm barely moving until I can see and I can stop if a paddle boarder pops out from behind some mythical object he was hiding behind.
Paddle boarders do not appear out of nowhere. They are easy to see. They move slowly. I pay attention while my boat is moving, it's that simple. But beyond that, I understand that the boat does not need to be moving a certain speed to be under control. I can hold the boat in one place if I need to. Even if.... gasp... it is breezy or there is a current. If it is real windy I'm very careful in tight spots and near people. If it is so windy I can't hold the boat in one spot, I stay home, which is very rare.
You want to ban people from enjoying themselves because you are afraid of your boat. The last thing this lady wanted to do was run someone over and run her boat up on a dock. But she did, she didn't know what she was doing. She was afraid of her boat, she thought she needed to be moving a certain speed to control it, and she reacted badly by adding so much power to avoid the boarder that she ran her over AND ran her boat up on a dock.
I never move near things any faster than I would want to hit that thing. This means very slowly, and near people (swimmers, boarders, canoes, paddle boats, kayaks), either very slowly, or not at all until the person moves far enough away and it is safe to move again.
Your problem is that you think you need to attain some magic speed before your boat is controllable. That is not true, if you can't "nudge" your boat in a direction, or hold your boat stationary in a breeze, then you need to find someone to show you how to do so. You are the problem, not me.
The danger is not a random paddle boarder near a dock for a few minutes, the danger is boaters who do not know how to drive their boats. If you are in fear, or worried about driving your boat or operating your boat in close quarters, find someone to help you learn, read a book on how to handle a boat and get out and practice.