Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

[Restless22]

Kinda surprised finding out that not all boaters are nice.

From teens flipping the bird to loud drunks who apparently rule the roost on the dock I'm on, to my neighbor who I met for the first time yesterday, I'm a bit disappointed.

My neighbor and his family had set up shop on the deck in my slip and when I made my way there and said hi, all I got was a shrug. They grudgingly moved without asking and left on their boat very hastily.

I didn't even say a word. I'm a bit disappointed. I even thought of trying to swap my slip for a spot in the dry storage building. It sure seems convenient to call, they get the boat down and put it in, and when you're done, they put it up.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

Well, a few rude kids and drunks are a fact of life no matter where you go. As for the neighbor, not sure what the issue was. Seems like they saw they were in your way and got out of your way.

 

[dmoriarty51]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

i tried to be a nice guy, there was a large newer pontoon floating in the river channel with someone standing and waving around. Knowing that it sucks to be adrift with a problem I turned back to help him and in asking if he needed help was pretty much told to get out of his way all was fine. He then returned to the helm and motored away.

No one else was around in the direction he was looking, yet he was waving his hands like that of a person that could use a hand.

 

[m.qualls89]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

Some people are just plain rude

 

[Philster]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

Ahhh.... the drunkards. Yeah... be nice to all; have faith in karma and always be the better person.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

+1 on Karma and taking the high road.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

You never know, he may of just finished a hour of trying in vain to get it started.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

Jerks can buy boats too and it seems like more and more of them are.

My biggest, what a jerk moment: My engine wouldn't start so we had to troll 3 miles back the the launch, which is by a hospital, it was 12:30ish so obviously not alot of traffic, finally a boat comes by "Hey, can you tow us to the hospital?"- The 3 guys on board look at each other for awile and then yell back "You need to go to the hospital?" to which I yell back "yes the hospital".

They whack the throttle and take off the other direction, just glad I wasn't actually hurt, who would do that?!?!

2nd biggest jerk award, towed a pontoon 2-3 miles down the river, started towing them and looked back to make sure the rope was okay and the guy is sitting in the back of his toon with the rest of his passengers drinking a beer, the baot is going all over the place.

Had to stop and tell him he still needed to steer which he did once in a while.

Get him back to his dock and soon as he touched it it was like I wasn't even there anymore, never looked at me, said thanks, nothing.


Having said all that though I have stilll run into ALOT more nice people and I still think boaters in general are a great buch that look after each other.

 

[catfishcarl99]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

yep. run into them all the time. but i can quiclky change into mr ruder.

 

[theBrownskull]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

It is disappointing but there are people like that everywhere and most of them don't even know it. If fact they probably think we are weird.

 

[DeepV]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

One of the worst I have seen are striper guides on Beaver Lake in Arkansas. One spring we were going way up and down the War Eagle river to catch white bass. In the narrow areas I would slow to no wake to pass the striper guides with several people on board. The first time they were yelling and flipping me off. I didn't know what to think. The second time, I slowed to no wake and got the same response.

After that I just went past them at whatever speed / trim position threw the biggest wake. Jerks think they own the public waters.

 

[bgc]

Re: Not All Boaters Are Friendly.

Restless22,
Stick to your values! There are a lot of fun loving boaters and a couple jerks. Enjoy your time out there with the people that matter, thats whats important.