GL: Fishermen, wakes and other such things.

[Randy Pickelmann]

Hello All Stations!

Without a doubt, wakes can be uncomfortable and can cause damage.  I wish that
all boaters were courteous and boated with their heads screwed on tight.
Boaters should be responsible for the damage or injury that their wakes cause.
Period.

Having said all that, let's get real here.  Think about this for just a moment
from the point of view of the guy trying to drive his 50' sportfish up and
down the ICW.  As he overtakes a sailboat under power, he attempts to hail the
boat to organize a "slow pass" but doesn't get an answer from the sailboat.
He blows his horn twice indicating that he will pass the sailboat on its port
side.  As he approaches the sailboat, the sportfish starts to slow down...but
the sailboat doesn't.  So now he has no choice but to pass at 8-10 knots
instead of 4 or 5.  Of course, this is at nearly optimum wake-producing speed
so as he passes the sailboat he gets the one-finger salute or maybe even,
wonder of wonders, an angry call on the VHF from the previously silent
sailboat.  How many times do you think he wants to repeat this scenario?

In my sailboat days I remember listening to a friend's wife complain.  She had
spent all the previous day cleaning and polishing the boat before our weekend
cruise.  Her gripe was that there was salt water spray all over the boat!
Hey, we are out in boats.  Sometimes they rock and roll.  That's part of life.
If you want a pony, you have to put up with manure!  L. Francis Herreshoff
said that if you want all the comforts of home, STAY HOME!!

Just the view from the cheap seats.

Regards,
Randy Pickelmann
hard aground in Clearwater
MORNING STAR