Holiday boaters!

[garylinger]

I was on the boat at the marina slip today waiting for the admiral to arrive and watched a large boat (power) run into and damage a sailboat in its slip. We went out for a couple of hours (until the thunderstorms convinced us to end the day) and while trying to get back into my slip watched another large boat (power) run into and damage another sailboat in its slip. The first boat was named "Slots For Fun" and the 2nd was "USS Carbon Footprint". You would think that they could exercise better control with their larger engines, dual props etc. I'm really thankful that these people seem to only come out on the holidays. That is why I prefer to do my 'boating' during the week!

 

[Phil Herring]

Sounds like you'd be better off at sea than in your marina...

 

[garylinger]

Both of the offending boats were transients that were searching for fuel on their way back to Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

 

[Benny]

Garylinger, I agree wholeheratedly about it being preferable to sail during the week. There are two holiday weekends out of the year that I will avoid taking the boat out, one is Memorial and the other one is Labor Day. It is just that everything is congested,anchorages, marinas, hotels, dockside restaurants, etc. I make an exception for the 4th of July as we like to go watch the fireworks, we get there and afterwards run back to get to the dock by midnight. No holiday boating here unless way out to sea.

 

[Mike Holibar]

We have a saying, "the bigger the motor, the smaller the brain"

 

[sand sailor]

i have a few friends with boats (motor) and every time there's a problem I break out a tow line and drag them back to the dock. when we have a problem(motor) we just laugh and go on...

 

[DannyS]

I got to use my new Yamaha 9.9 on the dinghy this weekend to rescue a big cabin cruiser from going on the rocks. They launched in our marina and spent quite a while trying to get her started. I noticed they had the engine compartment open and were working on her. They finally got started and left but just outside the breakwall, the engine compartment was open again and they were drifting toward shore. I zipped out to them and asked if they had an anchor to put out. I got a blank stare back, so I tied myself to them and motored them out away from the impending doom! They were only going a mile up shore to another marina (in the high buck district $$$, I guess you can't buy brains). I got them into their marina and after a lot of "thank you's" and handshakes, I left them shaking my head. The moral of the story is no matter how far or near you are traveling, you have to be prepared for the worst!

 

[Maine Sail]

Had...

Had an old guy in a Pearson Ensign motoring, no sails up, dead for us to leeward on Monday. We were under sail and pinched by depth to windward. I yelled over to him "stand on" and he just looked at me with a dumb look. I de-powered the sail in an attempt to let him pass in front of me and just at that moment his motor died. While he was trying to restart it I powered the sail back up and passed him.

When his motor was dead & quiet I thanked him for following the COLREGS and again was greeted with a dumb look.. WTF!!

 

[RECESS]

I was out Saturday. I was ready for a nice little sail. Stopped at the club for some ice and let the child play on the beach for a while. Got back on the lake and motored onto the main lake. Wow, there were a lot of power boats and jet skies. Motored around the lake twice and docked her. Took the sails off and put them down below. I will wait for a weekday when there are only sailboats on the lake.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Don't know if its just me but I find that there is a direct correlation between the ability of the captain and the "stupidity" of the boat's name ("Slots For Fun" and the 2nd was "USS Carbon Footprint").

 

[Tim R.]

No problems except for the usual DA powerboater who should pass directly ahead or astern and manages to turn directly toward us and pass close by. I can imagine the converstaion: "which way should we go? I don't know, just head for that red sailboat" I have this experience almost every time I go out in Portland harbor. Luckily the number of powerboats is way down so far this year. Last year it was down but this year most are staying on shore or at the slip.

I will be out sailing(racing) tomorrow in the rain and it will be great to have the harbor to ourselves.

 

[Gary_H]

The Intracostal this weekend looked like 5:00 bumber to bumper traffic. went out a little Saturday but too stressfull trying to watch all the traffic and being constantly rocked by large wakes. It was no fun so We went back in and spent the rest of the day enjoying the dockside activities. Next morning we got up and went out and came back early before the loonies came out.

 

[BobM]

Yeah...I just love it when they pass really close so I can be sure to see them waving...makes me want to wave right back...with a single finger extended.

 

[JerryA]

Judgement call

Monday was very winding, one of those days when the wind is just pinning the boat to the dock. So this guy in a 30 foot double-ender decides to leave the marina under sail. He fended himself off two boats, running to the bow then back to the jib sheet, then back to bow. The boat would pick up speed so quickly that it seemed crazy on a day so windy. I have to give him credit in boat handling as he made it tacking past the fuel dock and out the marina entrance. He would have been in trouble, or someone would have, if anyone else had entered the marina just then. That happens alot. I question his judgement doing this on a day like yesterday, but I admire his ability. What do you guys think?

 

[Ross]

Re: Judgement call

Nancy and I will not go to the marina on a holiday to say nothing about leaving the dock. The most likely situation is either drunk or stupid. Drunk is better, in the morning they will be sober but stupid is forever.

 

[RAD]

Holiday boaters =

Nautical Nitwits