Rude And Unsafe Boat Club

**Tony Buzolich** · 09-23-2010, 09:17 PM

If any of you have had occassion to take your boat out in big water you know how small you feel at times when another larger boat passes you nearby. Even being out in a float tube and having some reckless SOB come flying by too close. You get the picture. It's damn scary at times.

Today I took my wife down to the delta to see if we could find her a few stripers and to explore a few new spots. As we got out on the San Joaquin there were several large cruisers heading downstream catching the falling tide. A little later a few more passed going the same way. Apparantly a club outing and a beautiful day to enjoy the water.

We spent the morning moving from spot to spot picking up a few fish here and there, but we were actually waiting for the incoming tide to turn so we could hit a great spot that I had dome well on earlier in the week.

Around 1:00PM the tide was coming in on False River and we had moved to our spot. We'd set up the drift next to the rock wall, make a cast next to the weed line and were soon in to some fish.

About the same time we see several of these BIG cruisers making their way toward us also on the incoming tide but they are throwing a six foot wake and barely slow down for other boats closer to them. As they pass us I tell my wife to sit down and hold on as I try and maintain control of our boat.

Now when these boats pass us their wakes are still 4' -6' hitting the rock wall stirring everything to a muddy mess.

Okey, we know they have a right to use the waterways too and we go on trying to fish. A few minutes later several more cruisers appear and each one seems to be getting bigger. Some slow down slightly but still the wakes are huge.

Alright, we've got to make at least one good drift to see if we can get a hook up and we motor on up to our starting point. At the same time we meet two more of these big things heading directly for our postion on the north side of the slough (their port) when they could have at least gone down the center or maintained a postion to their starboard (like driving a car on the right side of the road).

Again, we had to quickly get of of their way and move or risk being swamped. All of these boats seemed to be wearing club banners ( I assume Discovery Bay Yacht Club).

At this point we decide to quit and head for home before something really does happen and some one gets hurt or worse.

Obviously a lot of these guys have never read a thing about "Rules of the Road" and if they did they could care less. Be carefull out there,
TONY

**Ed Wahl** · 09-23-2010, 09:29 PM

Tony, I had a similar occurance in the Port of Sacramento once when in my pram. The local sailing club was out. It seemed they took great sport in seeing how often they could get me to make a panic change of course. On the way out we cut tight along the south side of the channel to avoid them, but they changed their courses to mess with us again.

I haven't gone back with the paintball gun yet, but by god it's coming. Those sails would make great targets.

It seems to be a sort of upper crust mob mentality.

Ed

**Scott V** · 09-24-2010, 07:32 AM

Hey Ed, I have paint ball guns just let me know when and where.

**BillB** · 09-24-2010, 08:32 AM

Rude is one thing dangerous is another. I suppose these "gents" think that is funny, "the guys bobbing in the little boat." What they don't understand is that they do have a liability issue, which does nothing for peace and quiet of the day, however.

I have been buzzed by water skiers, wake boats with '97' stereo speakers blaring and so on. Little consideration for our fellow humans.

I was once buzzed by a skier while fishing a tournament. One of the other competitors, with much more power than I, said "let's chase him down". Which we did and forced him ashore for a ticket from the park ranger! I don't think some of the "noise boys" realize how fast a modern bass boat will go. I am aware of an instance similar where the bass boater actually shot the engine of the perp! Not recommended!

**David Lee** · 09-24-2010, 09:00 AM

Westgate Landing , several years back .....

Pretty sure it was Ed Wahl with me that day . Floating around , fishing the West side island perhaps 50 yards from the South cut into the moke ...... I was well inside the 5 MPH area .

4 Youngsters in a 30+ foot Cruiser blasted by me doing around 30 , they passed within 30 feet , waving and smiling . As they closed on my tube , I puckered like never before .

I have no doubts that they still wonder why I didn't wave back .

D.~

**briansII** · 09-24-2010, 10:45 AM

Tony,

I've seen the same group of boats. ONE of the guys actually slowed down when he passed me, but the others kept their speed, pushing a BIG wake. I made eye contact with the one guy and waved to thank him. Last weekend I had another cruiser slow down when he approached.

You'll notice very few of these guys will look at you and make eye contact. I'm sure they know what they are doing to the other boats. Either they just don't care, or they shield themselves from looking at what they caused with their wakes. IMHO, I think it's about 50/50. Ever notice any passengers look back with a guilty look. I have......or maybe it's just wishful thinking.

briansII

**Hairstacker** · 09-24-2010, 11:10 AM

Flyfishing out of an inflatable kayak, I'm always mindful of the many types of folks operating boats out on the Delta. I tend to avoid waterways frequented by big cabin cruisers, water skiers, party boaters, and jet skis and especially don't spend any time at certain crossroads and corners frequented by these types. Just not worth it.

You would think bass boaters would be sensitive to this and most are, but there are plenty who aren't. I don't want to label them all though, as I've experienced many very, very considerate, friendly bass boaters.

Fortunately, there are areas where you can avoid most of that, and in some select areas, all of that. The fishing tends to be better too, by the way.

**Darian** · 09-24-2010, 02:17 PM

Sorry to hear about your recent experience Tony.... I've encountered much the same treatment by cruisers launching from Korth's Pirates Lair as they enter the San Joaquin at the mouth of the Moke. My boat's been pushed up into the reeds several times. I was happy I wasn't out in the channel. Also, there's a certain Striper hole located at the mouth of a slough where it enters a river that almost always has fish in it. The problem is that it's also a place where cruisers enter the river from a marina on their way for the days outing. I never fish it after 9:00 AM any longer.....

I'm fairly sure they don't even care as they never acknowledge anything. Now I tend to stay in sloughs where it's not cruiser friendly....

**civicrr** · 09-24-2010, 05:38 PM

Tony,
I was out that day too fishing around Brannon. As was mentioned, some of the cruisers did slow down. I always make it a point to wave to these guys. I want to make sure they know I appreciate the courtesy.

Others seem to care less. I actually took some water over the bow from one that came by.

I'm one of those guys who drives a bassboat. I try to slow down for small aluminum boats. I always, if possible, slow down for float tubes & kayaks. Sometimes, with other (weekend) boating traffic, it is safer for all to just keep going. A lot of guys don't seem to have a clue what safe boating is. They follow too closely, pass unsafely, etc.

FYI, a lot of bassboats, including mine, won't stay up on plane very much below 33mph or so. This is with a four blade prop too. When I come up on slower traffic, I try to pass if safe. If I can't, my choices are either come off plane and/or porpoise along until I can pass safely. While 33mph is plenty fast, it just doesn't work for my boat. If a tan Ranger is acting/driving weird behind you on a tight slough, it might be me. Honestly, despite how it might appear, I'm not really trying to act like an idiot.