Why not ride on the bow?

[Chris1956]

Saw an article in the local coastal NJ newspaper. A 40' cruiser operating out of the marked channel, ran aground in Barnegat Bay. Two young girls sitting on the bow were slammed into the bow rail and went to the hospital with internal injuries.

In NJ, anyone who sits on the bow of a boat underway is Coast Guard bait, now you know why.

Also, anyone who operates a 40' cruiser on Banegat Bay, ought to expect to run aground. After all the marked channel is only 4-5' deep in some spots, and the bay has many shoals, and is generally shallow.

 

[dbarnett66]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

Chris1956,

I have an honest and novice question to ask. I intend on purchasing a 20 to 22 foot bow rider and the thought is that I would have my 2 boys sit up front while cruisng comfortably. Not WOT or even close. I live in the San Diego area but intend to trailer the boat to smaller lakes around California with speed limits. Is this still unadvisable? I have rented boats at some of our local lakes with 40 hp motors and some always will sit up front if we have 4 people in the boat.

 

[QC]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

dbarnett,

Riding in the bow of a bow rider is a heck of a lot different than riding on the bow of a closed bow. You can also get a ticket for sitting on the bow of a bowrider, but not in the seats. A lot of people dangle their feet over the bow, if they fall over they get propped to death. Not an issue if you are in the bow, of a typical bow rider. Kids are fine up there, and you can keep an eye on them . . .

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

I would say that even in a bow rider there are other factors that need to be taken into account when operating at or above planing speeds. Kids age (I would not want very small kids up there in my boat), water conditions (rough water only feels more rough in the bow), depth of bow seats (some deck boats have extremely shallow seating in the bow which I think is very unsafe for kids). But, these are personal opinion and the there are no laws that preclude any of this from happening. Much of boating is based on common sense and the captains level of comfort with the activity. As the captain of your boat you decide what the rules on your vessel will be, just make sure that everyone understands what they are and that they are not open for debate.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

If you crash your boat into things or run aground like an idiot people will get hurt no matter where they sit. If the water is so rough that your passengers, kids or adults, are likely to bounce out of the bow of a bowrider, chances are you've made a poor decision about where to take your boat and/or what conditions are safe for your boat.

Pay attention to channel markers, pay attention to conditions and BE the captain...

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

If the water is so rough that your passengers, kids or adults, are likely to bounce out of the bow of a bowrider, chances are you've made a poor decision about where to take your boat and/or what conditions are safe for your boat.

Well, I was really referring to those times when you run into unexpected rough water. Or, we do frequent river runs to get to the chain of lakes here in Il. there is a very rough spot that we must go through, only is about 1 mile long and then we are fine, I just prefer that the kids sit in the back and that is mostly due to not wanting them moving around the boat if they get uncomfortable sitting up in the bow during this portion of the river. I think the generalization of making a "poor decision" is off base. I have a large bowrider and the bow is quite safe in most conditions that we encounter. But, it is my boat and I set the rules!

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

Well, I was really referring to those times when you run into unexpected rough water. Or, we do frequent river runs to get to the chain of lakes here in Il. there is a very rough spot that we must go through, only is about 1 mile long and then we are fine, I just prefer that the kids sit in the back and that is mostly due to not wanting them moving around the boat if they get uncomfortable sitting up in the bow during this portion of the river. I think the generalization of making a "poor decision" is off base. I have a large bowrider and the bow is quite safe in most conditions that we encounter. But, it is my boat and I set the rules!

I wasn't commenting about you, Chief...I was commenting generally as I see a lot of bowriders offshore here in conditions bowriders should not be in. What you do is what should be done. That fellow in the 40 footer is not boating with your level of intelligence, and neither are the BR's I see offshore...

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

No problem, I sometimes take these things too literally!

 

[4Winns2]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

Saw an article in the local coastal NJ newspaper. A 40' cruiser operating out of the marked channel, ran aground in Barnegat Bay. Two young girls sitting on the bow were slammed into the bow rail and went to the hospital with internal injuries.

In NJ, anyone who sits on the bow of a boat underway is Coast Guard bait, now you know why.

Also, anyone who operates a 40' cruiser on Banegat Bay, ought to expect to run aground. After all the marked channel is only 4-5' deep in some spots, and the bay has many shoals, and is generally shallow.

I see this kind of thing happen far too often on our lake. Kids sitting on the bow of boat preparing themselves to be propeller meat, and an adult behind the wheel. What are these idiot adults thinking? Makes me want to flag em down, or the Sheriff boat if it were nearby, and point out the danger. It's likely though that the idiot adult would tell me to mind my own buisness.

 

[valkyr]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

Don't forget, alot of bowriders have very (_very_) shallow bows these days. Choppy water could get small kids thrown out of those things. The bow on ours is pretty deep so I don't have to worry about my kids getting bounced out of the seat and over the side.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

Discussed here to length over the past two weeks
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=210682

 

[QuadManiac]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

Chris1956,

I have an honest and novice question to ask. I intend on purchasing a 20 to 22 foot bow rider and the thought is that I would have my 2 boys sit up front while cruisng comfortably. Not WOT or even close. I live in the San Diego area but intend to trailer the boat to smaller lakes around California with speed limits. Is this still unadvisable? I have rented boats at some of our local lakes with 40 hp motors and some always will sit up front if we have 4 people in the boat.

Db, I've been in the bow seat of a friend's 19' bowrider on San Diego Harbor, at WOT (45MPH) in lots of chop. It wasn't fun. I finally got the idiot to back off, and then it was much better.

In my bowrider, I prefer to have passengers use the bow seats only at a nice cruise or below. It's just common sense.

 

[ParallaxBill]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

Common sense is not all that common.

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: Why not ride on the bow?

Common sense is not all that common.

I second that emotion.

 

[dbarnett66]

Thanks all....

Thanks all....

I guess I confused the point of riding in the bow rider instead of on the bow rider. Since I am the soul of caution, I would most likely permit the kids to sit up front when drifitng for crappie or very low speeds when exploring lake/river shore lines at less than 5mph. WOT, they better sit with me since the six year-old is certainly fearless....