Bowriding......

BigKahuna

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We can all learn from this event, NO ONE ALLOWED UPFRONT. I even bought 4 new inflatable PFD's that will be mandatory. Been watching all these accidents where no vests were worn with bad outcomes. Like the new ones, lightweight and comfortable. Safety first.
 
We can all learn from this event, NO ONE ALLOWED UPFRONT. I even bought 4 new inflatable PFD's that will be mandatory. Been watching all these accidents where no vests were worn with bad outcomes. Like the new ones, lightweight and comfortable. Safety first.
We have vests if anybody wants to wear one. Our only rule is if anybody swims off of our boat they take some kind of floatation device with them. (A vest, throw pillow, noodle, water wings, something) No exceptions!
 
Very sad, but damm that guys reflexes were way off. I accidentally hit a bowie coming into my channel at night and as soon as I felt it I had the engine cut off way before it went past my motor. But he cut off motor in a no wake zone 30 yards after she fell. I think alcohol was involved.
 
This is the standard on our lake of “rentals”. I pulled up to one over the 4th to warn them, the woman was holding a baby WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF FLOTATION !!!
 
Very sad, but damm that guys reflexes were way off. I accidentally hit a bowie coming into my channel at night and as soon as I felt it I had the engine cut off way before it went past my motor. But he cut off motor in a no wake zone 30 yards after she fell. I think alcohol was involved.

At 20mph boat moves 29’ a second ... no chances!!!
 
I thought it said NO WAKE ZONE? My boat makes a wake at anything over 6 MPH, 20 MPH is almost top speed for a lot of Pontoons.
 
I thought it said NO WAKE ZONE? My boat makes a wake at anything over 6 MPH, 20 MPH is almost top speed for a lot of Pontoons.
Agree. A lot of boaters down here don't even pay attention to the No wake zone signs. We have had to remind them.....and I don't like doing that because if they say something smart.......
 
I saw someone doing this down here but as we got closer I noted they had a half gate at the bow so they were somewhat contained in the boat. I still wouldn't do it even with that setup.
 
The rule on my pontoon is the engine doesn't start unless everyone is inside the railing. I have witnessed something similar about 10 years ago. About 8 guys on a pontoon. Two people bow riding, the rest were in the front seating area. The pontoon nose went under water and I could here the engine humming as it came out of the water for a couple of seconds until the driver was able to put into neutral. No one was seriously hurt, but a couple got banged up pretty good. We slowly approached them to check on them to make sure everyone was okay. The damn driver was more concerned about getting all the beer cans out of the lake that spilled out of the cooler than making sure everyone was okay. You would think that this would have been a great lesson or wake up call, but a few hours later, we saw the same pontoon with people sitting on the bow as they cruising. Idiots.
 
You can't fix STUPID.
 
A young girl was killed on our lake about 25 years ago while bowriding. She slipped from the bow when the boat encountered a wake and the boat ran over her and she was killed by the lower unit and prop. I don't remember if her father or the other families father was driving. But both families witnessed this horrific event. I don't know where those people are today, but I bet that event significantly impacted the rest of their lives.
 
Unfortunately ,we see this every time we go out .Mostly rental pontoons . As long as you have a credit card the marinas that rent them dont care .
It is also posted no towables on the river ( no wake zone ) ,they do anyway .
A few years back we were out on the Fourth of July about 20 boats in line in a no wake zone on the river headed out to the lake . The lead boat was a rental and decided they would stop to let the ducks cross the river .
 
A young girl was killed on our lake about 25 years ago while bowriding. She slipped from the bow when the boat encountered a wake and the boat ran over her and she was killed by the lower unit and prop. I don't remember if her father or the other families father was driving. But both families witnessed this horrific event. I don't know where those people are today, but I bet that event significantly impacted the rest of their lives.

I guarantee that would have ended my desire to boat. So sad. Bad enough to lose a child, but to be the one to cause it ... I can’t even fathom that.
 
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