Florida Powerboaters

[AtlanticBryan]

I’m starting to work my way back north after a 3-month sojourn in the Bahamas. And, just as I found on my last trip to Florida, the powerboaters there are the most ill-mannered I have ever run into. They take no responsibility for their wakes, and in fact seem to revel in the amount of discomfort they can create in the sailboats and marinas they pass at high speeds. When challenged on VHF, they either respond with profanity or come back for another pass.
Is there any reason that FL produces such clods? Is there something in the water? In the air? On CSI Miami? And what can be done about it, short of arming sailboats and marina operators?
Bryan

[nolatom]

Are you kidding? They'll actually come around to shake you up a second time? Society (meaning powerboaters) have gone downhill faster than I thought.

I assume you've tried the soft-sell approach of calling them in advance and telling them in a nice way that you'd appreciate a slow bell? Sometimes "challenging" someone gets the result you didn't want..

[LarryandSusanMacDonald]

Several years ago, when traveling on the ICW, on a weekend (which we normally try to avoid) a big tuna tower fishing boat came by us on the Cape Fear river (lots of room to pass) and he chose to go about ten feet from us putting out a huge wake - enough that it swamped the dinghy we were towing.

Of course, we responded on the radio, only to hear, "Wah, wah,wah, you crybaby sailboaters should just stay home if you can't take a little wave."

He continued on ahead of us, doing the same thing, and we kept hearing the same response, until some brave tiny-voiced woman came on the radio and said calmly, "The bigger the wake, the smaller the penis." It shut him up. We never heard him again or any complaints about him. We almost fell over laughing and I still chuckle today about it.

We have had similar problems in Florida so often that if at all possible, on weekends we just drop anchor up some quiet creek somewhere and wait until the gassholes go home.

[AtlanticBryan]

I've never gone after these guys ahead of time, nolatom. Most of my experience has been with those who roll me without conversation in either direction. Those who roll you twice are reacting to a complaint, not a request for good behaviour.

[KODAD]

I don't know if it's only in Florida, but I agree---Idiots are breeding at a faster pace than they ever have before---Too many kind souls are watching out for them, and they're proliferating---I see them everywhere, and soon they're going to outnumber us, if they already haven't---If only stupidity was painful or at least made you sterile-----

[WuWei]

On the ICW, watch out for the blue-haired powerboaters near Cape Coral. Even though they are AARP members, they like to throttle past sailboats- if you haven't learned your lesson at 75... For once, I was thrilled to see the Venice Water Nazi salivating as he waited for one to pass... BTW- there IS a new Venice Water Nazi now, since the older one is retiring, and he is just as ruthless as the one who is retiring.

We had but ONE powerboat slow down for us- ironically, the captain was a younger LADY. I told the hubby our next sailboat needs to have secret jet engines so I can wake every single mo-fo powerboater in the ICW and on the bay- how funny would that be to hear a call in to the Coast Guard? "This is M/V Small Penis Boat- I was just WAKED by a SAILBOAT!!"

[JewelledJester]

Well, on the plus side, with gas at $4.00 a gal., powerboats shoulden't be too big of a problem.

[uspirate]

Originally Posted by KODAD

I don't know if it's only in Florida, but I agree---Idiots are breeding at a faster pace than they ever have before---Too many kind souls are watching out for them, and they're proliferating---I see them everywhere, and soon they're going to outnumber us, if they already haven't---If only stupidity was painful or at least made you sterile-----

So true KODAD. i see it on a daily basis. i wish i could video just one day the surroundings of my normal routine. make for one helluva movie.

[T34C]

Think Potato Gun up on the bow. Works great to scare the hell out of jet skies.

[Freesail99]

Originally Posted by T34C

Think Potato Gun up on the bow. Works great to scare the hell out of jet skies.

I had a metal potato gun pistol when I was a kid. One large potato and you were good for a long summer's day.