More than 100 Boating Rules Expire

[Coastal Laker]

While waiting in line at the grocery store during my lunch break, I saw this headline on the front page of the Concord Monitor. I have to admit I was compelled to buy the paper and read the article. It's also here on line:

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

I'm guessing some knee-jerk reactions will be for a number of people to freak out that our lakes will fast become harbors of hell. If you're one of them, don't worry (at least not too much); the article indicates the Marine Patrol is working on getting those rules back on track.

Unfortunately, I know I'll come across somebody who takes advantage of the time between when some of these rules expired and when they are renewed mid July.

[Silver Duck]

From what I've been experiencing, it seems as though a sizeable proportion of the boater population ignores them anyway!

I can't begin to count the number of times this season that I've had to come off plane or alter course when I was supposedly the "stand-on" boat to avoid some nimrod who either doesn't know or give a darn about the right of way rules, and I seem to be perennialy zigging and zagging in a futile effort to maintain 150 feet between my boat and these turkeys.

This past weekend took the cake, though. Two total idiots in performance boats used the other boats going through the Eagle Island channel as slalom markers. I don't think that they gave any of the rest of us more than 10 - 15 feet of clearance.

I did make one interesting discovery, though. My new airhorns will cut through the roar of large twin engines to get their attention for my "salute"! Anybody know of a boatyard that will install torpedo tubes?

Silver Duck

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Silver Duck

Anybody know of a boatyard that will install torpedo tubes? Silver Duck

Heck, why buy when you can build!

Check this site out Silver Duck, I am sure you could scale up the torpedos in question to something usable on the Lake!

http://rc-submarines.com/id284.htm

[chipj29]

It's funny, well not really, but. I was on the Merrimack River in Hooksett last night with my son on my pwc. We were headed upriver, back to the ramp. There was a ski boat, with a skier down in the middle right of the river. There was also a third boat headed down river. I slowed down and went to the left as far as I could as there was no room on the right. I was about 150' from the river bank on the left, and about 200+ feet from the boat. There really was no where else for me to go. The boater headed in our direction never even slowed down. He flew right between us, although he was closer to me than to the ski boat. I would say he was less than 50' from me, and going about 30-40 mph. This was the same clown I had seen earlier doing circles in his boat, zig-zagging down the river with his kids, wife and dogs in the boat. Arrrgh. Rules? What rules?

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by Silver Duck

{snip} This past weekend took the cake, though. Two total idiots in performance boats used the other boats going through the Eagle Island channel as slalom markers. I don't think that they gave any of the rest of us more than 10 - 15 feet of clearance.
Silver Duck

That's why I rarely go through said channel. This Sun after gassing up @ Anchor and seeing little traffic, I headed out through the channel. Coming offplane to allow the classic aft cabin cruiser followed by a PWC to proceed ahead of me, I was passed by bowrider at full mushing speed and 50'-75' distant just before I got to the markers. He cleared the channel only to have someone going the opposite direction blast by all of us (PWC, me and bowrider). Usually I do the zig-zag past Stonedam and Pitchwood and now I am reminded why again.

ps - No torpedoes, I vote twin 50's instead. Same ammo for both land and lake !

[Skip]

Important article in today's Foster's/Citizen revealing that the aforementioned boating rules never lapsed and are still in full effect;

http://www4.fosters.com/june_2004/ju.../cit_0627a.asp