Back to the main site

Handling in Rough Water

No way...you're in Destin? I was stationed at Hurlburt Field from 1988-1996. Used to snorkel under the Destin bridge for blue crab all the time. Went back there with my wife a few years ago and para sailed out of the Destin Harbor out into the Gulf. Loved it down there.
 
Get registration numbers on the passing boat if you can. A boat owner is responsible for any damage caused by its wake in some circumstances. Safe distance in passing and overtaking as well as safe speed in crossing, overtaking and passing...are all federally ambiguously defined. But some states with high boat registration rates have more specific laws. Its tough to prove anything with 1:1 stories that probably offset. It is worth keeping in mind.
 
I may owe some paddle boarders an apology then!!!
 
Michigan and WI are two of the states that have some of the most clearly defined regulations. I don't have the MI regs, but in WI this is the exact wording of the DNR regulation.

While operating a motorboat to create a hazardous wake or wash when approaching or passing another boat. An operator is liable for damages caused to another by the wake or wash. 
 
I guess it's the law but it seems odd. What about a large vessel in the great lakes going by and I'm in a row boat? The ship should slow down when approaching me to avoid potentially causing a damaging wake?  

Looking closer it states "While operating a motorboat to create a hazardous wake or wash..." so does this mean it has to be intentional? Otherwise it would state ""While operating a motorboat which creates a hazardous wake or wash..."
 
lakeliving said:
I guess it's the law but it seems odd. What about a large vessel in the great lakes going by and I'm in a row boat? The ship should slow down when approaching me to avoid potentially causing a damaging wake?  

Looking closer it states "While operating a motorboat to create a hazardous wake or wash..." so does this mean it has to be intentional? Otherwise it would state ""While operating a motorboat which creates a hazardous wake or wash..."
Click to expand...
It goes back to federal regulations vs. local or state regulations. Federal regs are intentionally ambiguous. And they are that way to accommodate your exact example. If a loaded container ship is puttering along at minimum speed at which the captain can maintain control and steerage, the (s)he is operating within the boundaries of the coast guard regulation. On the great lakes, though the DNR will often patrol...they are there to enforce wildlife laws. Since the Great Lakes are federally navigable, the law of the land relative to navigation is the USCG and they do not enforce local ordinances.

So by design, the local ordinances only apply to inland non-federally-navigable waterways where the USCG does not patrol and big ships do not ply. On inland lakes, the DNR does enforce some local speed, navigation and wake ordinances. But even there, it gets ambiguous. I'm not sure why, but a town that enacts a local ordinance to make a lake slow no wake from sunset to 8am...the DNR will write tickets based on that local ordinance. But a similarly intended ordinance on a nearby lake here states that one person of legal capacity to drive the boat, must remain on the boat when the boat has swimmers in the water. That reg does not get enforced by the DNR but does get enforced by local police that also patrol that lake.

It's fickle to say the least. They say ignorance of a law is no excuse for not abiding by a law. But there are so many from so many jurisdictions that sometimes do and sometimes don't overlap...it's very confusing.
 
keithkz said:
No way...you're in Destin? I was stationed at Hurlburt Field from 1988-1996. Used to snorkel under the Destin bridge for blue crab all the time. Went back there with my wife a few years ago and para sailed out of the Destin Harbor out into the Gulf. Loved it down there.
Click to expand...

I'm currently stationed at Eglin and living on Okaloosa Island. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been stationed. Crab Island by the Destin bridge is a fun place to hang out when it's not too crowded. There's definitely a lot of boats in that area now! I'll have to check out the Destin Bridge for some of those blue crabs. 

If you don't have a boat living out here you're missing out on way too much! 
 
Yeah I would have loved to had a boat when I was down there but on E-4 pay there was no chance of that.

I lived on Okaloosa Island that last couple of years I was there as well so that's funny you live there now.
 
I'm a new Bennington owner, and looks like another member of the dented panel club.  Brand new tritoon, out on an inland lake in Michigan on a pretty calm day, coming out of the channel from lake Michigan, and some dumb you know what in cabin cruiser throwing a big wake cuts in front of me, and his wake came up over the front platform, denting one of the front/side ones really bad.  If I knew these things were so fragile, I would not have purchased one and stuck with a basic open bow v-hull or something.  I contacted the dealer, and they are checking with Bennington.  He said they typically don't cover this under their Bow-to-stern warranty, so I'm crossing my fingers that they will stand behind their product.


Really bummed.......

20160710_165444b.jpg
 
Wow that sucks.....Lake Charlevoix?  Anyway, I will be shocked if Bennington covers this but I hope they do for your sake.
 
Muskegon Lake.  I doubt they will cover.  Less than 2 months old.  Any idea how much those are to replace?  My dealer said to turn it in to insurance, but I would hate for my rates to shoot up if they are reasonable to replace.
 
No idea on replacement cost but you can bet it won't be cheap.  Wait until you hear back from the dealer but you can also email Bennington warranty yourself:  mhall@benningtonmarine.com


Provide her (Mandy) with your HIN (hull identification number) and the date of purchase and tell them when it happened and how.  See what she says.  Can't hurt.
 
Not a warranty issue. Sorry. If you got their MC numbers they can be held responsible for the damage their wake caused (I think)
 
Yeah that's exactly what I was thinking as well but somehow I bet he didn't get their MC numbers. 
 
Unfortunately, I didn't realize there was damage until he was too far away.  I stopped to boat to check on all the passengers first, then checked the boat and saw the damage.  Didn't get a lot of distinguishing features, other than large white cabin cruiser, which narrows it down to probably 100 boats in the immediate area.


I guess these boats are more for small inland lakes and not bigger lakes with bigger boats around.  Oh well, at least everyone was safe.
 
Gonna have to claim that one with the insurance company.
 
ppek said:
I guess these boats are more for small inland lakes and not bigger lakes with bigger boats around.  Oh well, at least everyone was safe.
Click to expand...

Sorry about the damage, it really sucks! But as far as pontoons go on rough water,my boat has the ESP package and it handles the rough water really well. You just need to try not hitting large wakes  straight on. And that holds true with glass V bottom boats too. Seen many glass boats cracked by hitting large wakes the wrong way. So maybe a dented panel is not so bad. Good luck in your resolve.
 
Over July 4th weekend I found myself constantly turning into waves speeding up to prevent this as it seemed like every 5th boat that came by had no respect for other boaters.  I was surprised by the number of inconsiderate boaters in the water.  I might be a little naive as a newer boater.  
 
Well, I was impressed with Bennington and my dealer.  They said Bennington is going to cover the panel, and they will cover the install.  I thought this was really good from the sounds of it, considering this is more of an accident vs. faulty workmanship.  Thanks everyone for your comments.  I'm definitely going to be more defensive on this thing when I'm out on the bigger lakes.  Handling the waves from mother nature is so much easier than dealing with other idiot boaters!
 
Good on Bennington!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top