Boat Surfing and Boom Boxes

[Denny]

I'm visiting my son in phoenix and last week he rented a pontoon boat for the day, like he dose whenever I come out here.
This time it was on Bartlet Lake. He picks a different lake everytime, for during the week, this time it was on a Saturday.
It was a totally different experience from what we usually have. The morning was calm and peaceful, like what I am use to on The Great Lakes.
I understand the thrill of the surfing, but I don't understand why I have to be made part of it when I am a mile away. When we skied and tubed, the ride was the adrenaline rush. We didn't need any artificial in enhancement. I am not complaining, I am glad I have had the chance to experience what it is like to boat on smaller lakes. Mine included, the best boating is during the week.

 

[Phillbo]

Wake boats are ruining the boating experience. Lake Powell is 200 mile long but they always seam to have to surf in the bay we chose to drop the hook.

 

[SST]

The "thing" in Buffalo that seems to be a growing annoyance, at least to me, are the recreational kayakers. They are everywhere. Not so much on the lake but in the inner harbors in the area. A few weeks ago, while we were in summer like conditions, I noticed another small kayak rental business at the confluence of Tonawanda Creek and Ellicott Creek. There is already one there and now another. Most of the renters don't have a clue about right of way....more like....get in the way.

20+ years ago, my dad and I would go up the Buffalo River to check out all the grain elevators. Nobody there....just us. We'd race up the river and around the corners. It was almost like Burt Reynolds in Gator! Now? More and more recreational kayakers and also getting more populated are the race teams. They think they own the damn river and most of us boaters were here long before they were. So now, I have to slow down to no wake speed for these people. As I've said before, I liked Buffalo when it was on the edge of abandonment. Nobody around.

 

[Doc]

We have a lot more kyackers also but we also have barges. Due to the barges we do not have any no wake zones on the Ohio Just on the tributaries. So kayackers hug the side most of the time, but no matter they have to deal with wake. If close we will slow down to be curious.

In April I was real close to Buffalo on 90, pulling my new baby home. Hoping to finally get her in the water this Sunday (we have a nieces wedding Saturday so no boating.

 

[SST]

We just came out of a freeze warning the past two nights. What a switch from April. This weekend is looking reasonable and the marinas are open. But my launch will be delayed. I'm so annoyed. My artery is causing me trouble.....again! So its off to another angiogram tomorrow. Not sure if the doctor will enter through my wrist or groin area. Either way it interferes with this weekend launching. Trying like hell to avoid open heart surgery which would blow boating season to pieces.

Nice looking boat.

 

[Doc]

Thanks. Can't wait to get her wet.

Wow, best wishes with your medical tests. Been there done that. had open heart surgery 8 years ago. It was in Oct so no impact to boating season. Lucky that way at least.

 

[Denny]

Just got back from Arizona 91 degrees and sunny, to 54 degrees and cloudy.
My girl is ready to go, just waiting on her big sister, Mother Nature.
Love the looks of your new girl, got some specks on her?

 

[Doc]

Just got back from Arizona 91 degrees and sunny, to 54 degrees and cloudy.
My girl is ready to go, just waiting on her big sister, Mother Nature.
Love the looks of your new girl, got some specks on her?

She's an 05 Sunsation 288 Mid Cabin Open Bow. 496 mag single engine. Should get into the 60's with 64 or 65 top speed. I sold an 03 just like it last season when we 'thought' we wanted to go with a pontoon. Bought a nice pontoon with a 350 Suzuki and it was nice but not the boat we wanted. Thanks to a 350 being on the back I had no trouble selling it. Had more trouble finding another 288. This one only has 195 hours on it. The 2020 Pontoon had 100 hours on it. LOL

 

[Denny]

Thanks, she is quite impressive, and I know that she is going to put a smile on your face every time you take her out. Pictures and a video would be nice.

 

[Doc]

Thanks Denny. As I'm sure your boat and all our boats do when we take them out. Years ago we had a boat and trying to think of a name. We came close to naming her "Ahhhh" cause every time we took off and felt the breeze in our face we'd both say 'Ahhh".

 

[Denny]

That says it all, great name.
My girls original owner said that they had a very pleasant maiden voyage, so they christened her Fair Maiden.
My connection is a very serene emotion. Hence "Serenity"

 

[Sandbar]

Wake boats are ruining the boating experience. Lake Powell is 200 mile long but they always seam to have to surf in the bay we chose to drop the hook.

I hear you. Lots of newbies have never hung around with some of us "old farts" and learned any boating etiquette or safety stuff. Simple things like:

• Don't pack/unpack/prep your boat while on the ramp...do it in the parking lot before you go to the ramp or after you've pulled out so you don't hold up the ramp for others!
• Don't come flying into the beach, come off plane quickly, setting up a big rolling bow wave ahead of you that it gets all the other boats rocking...not cool!
• Never tow your kids or anyone else through a narrow, rocky or busy channel ... especially if its the only place that larger boats can safely negotiate (safety)
• NEVER intentionally try to flip someone off an inflatable because you think its funny. Hitting the water at speed is an easy way to snap somebody's neck!! And NEVER drive so fast that you get them airborne! That's just stupid!!
• Don't tow your friends/kids on inflatables, making waves, in the bay where everyone is anchored
• Keep your tunes at a reasonable level (especially at night) since not everyone may share your "taste" in music. Remember, sound really carries on the water!
• Don't swim, kayak, paddle board, canoe in the boat channel!
• If you anchor in the sand on the beach, mark your anchor with a solar light or a cone so nobody runs into it and scrapes up their foot (especially at night)
• If you raft up together at night, DO use "bumper socks" over your fenders so that they don't squeek all night against the hull and drive everyone loopy.
• If you sail, secure your mast cables the best you can with a bungee cord or something suitable to stop the cable from clanging against the mast all night in the wind and driving sleeping boaters near you mad.
• Do NOT run your generator all night long (especially one that is a stand alone unit that is used outside the engine compartment). NOBODY wants to listen to that all night.

Please, feel free to add to this and happy boating!

 

[Denny]

As I pulled up to one of my local ramps that I launch from, I noticed a boat tied up to a dock that is off to the side of the ramp. I had to wait for awhile before it was my turn. I launched my girl, and as I was walking back, I called over to them, and asked if they were having mechanical issues, they said no, the owner went back to get the key.

 

[Denny]

True boat surfing!