What would you do about this?

[Theresamarie11]

Not sure if this is the right place or not, and if not feel free to move to the right forum. This is a boating etiquette issue, kind of.

We were coming back after a great day of boating and heading to pull our boat out for the week and clean the bottom, change the oil, and normal maintenance. As we were going by the marina where we normally keep our boat, 2 cruisers were coming at us from our port side and basically on a collision course. I saw them coming from a long way off and one boat got into the marina area well before we got there (1/4 mi) but the other one was going the right speed to ensure a collision. So as we got closer I expected he'd turn off, slow down, but instead, he kept on going so we went off the throttle and to my amazement he basically slowed down right in our path and sauntered into the marina... we just sat there in amazement and after he went by, we took off and as we were leaving he flipped us the bird (nice added touch). What complicates this more is that it's a boat on a slip right across from us on a different finger in the marina we stay at.

What I wanted to do is turn around and give him a piece of my mind, and I'm pretty sure he didn't realize who we were as he flipped us the bird.

But we continued to the the boat launch to take our boat out.

We were clearly the stand on boat in this situation (it doesn't get clearer) and while we find lots of boaters on Champlain that don't have a clue about the rules on the water, it's more unusual when someone's piloting a 3X footer and is clueless.

Should I say something to him? Or does this never turn our good?

What would you do?


Terri

 

[JediJD]

Pick your battles. I would file it away for future reference and keep my distance...literally and figuratively.

 

[mwph]

Terri,
This is interesting to me so I hope the thread gets some replies so that we all might learn something. Did all of this take place in a no wake zone? Did you have your radio on? Were all three of you basically going to the same place (to the marina, with you intending to continue on past)? Obviously, he thought you should have done something differently.

 

[Tonka Boater]

Tough call but ask yourself what you expect for an outcome if you choose to confront him. It won't change his ignorance and it will add tension around the marina. I would be satisfied knowing that he's an idiot without the need to confront him.

On the other hand, maybe he's a nice guy who did a stupid thing. Maybe he was having a bad day. Who among us hasn't done something stupid? Many of us who take time to participate in forums probably know more than the average boater but we all make mistakes. Who knows, he might offer you a beer some day down the road and you can tell him about the time he flipped you off.

 

[Theresamarie11]

Terri,
This is interesting to me so I hope the thread gets some replies so that we all might learn something. Did all of this take place in a no wake zone? Did you have your radio on? Were all three of you basically going to the same place (to the marina, with you intending to continue on past)? Obviously, he thought you should have done something differently.

I'd have to draw a picture but no, we were heading on a straight course to the boat launch (coming into bay) but approaching our marina (on the right). We were not in a no wake zone. The other boat was approaching at almost a 90 degree angle (going across bay).

Not sure if this pict will come out or not.



>>>>>>>>>>>>> Marina entrance


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Terri

 

[Theresamarie11]

Tough call but ask yourself what you expect for an outcome if you choose to confront him. It won't change his ignorance and it will add tension around the marina. I would be satisfied knowing that he's an idiot without the need to confront him.

On the other hand, maybe he's a nice guy who did a stupid thing. Maybe he was having a bad day. Who among us hasn't done something stupid? Many of us who take time to participate in forums probably know more than the average boater we all make mistakes. Who knows, he might offer you a beer some day down the road and you can tell him about the time he flipped you off.

We discussed it and this is what we though too (let it lie).. else it could create more tension like you say.

 

[Summer Fun II]

Should I say something to him?

Yep I would and then break his finger !!.
I'm a little guy at 128 pounds that doesn't take sh*t from anyone. :thumbsup:
You were in the right !!

 

[HUMPH]

Yep I would and then break his finger !!.
I'm a little guy at 128 pounds that doesn't take sh*t from anyone. :thumbsup:
You were in the right !!

I thought you were one of those little scruffy dogs Wayne!:lol:
I would confront him after you are less angry and maybe educate him on the rules of the road. If he's still a prick I would crack him one good. I weigh about 100 lbs more than Wayne though...:smt021

 

[OldSkool]

He must have thought you were in the wrong to flip you off. I would confront him and ask what it was that made him think that. Let him explain, then give your side of the story. If he won't hear you then blow him off as a jerk.

At least you tried to resolve the issue. What ever you do don't let it get to you, Either drop it completely or confront him.

IMHO.

 

[Theresamarie11]

He must have thought you were in the wrong to flip you off. I would confront him and ask what it was that made him think that. Let him explain, then give your side of the story. If he won't hear you then blow him off as a jerk.

At least you tried to resolve the issue. What ever you do don't let it get to you, Either drop it completely or confront him.

IMHO.

Thanks..
I am still on the fence here because I don't need to make my boating time a stressful experience. It bothered me the rest of the day yesterday. It's like the guy runs a red light and then flips me off for it.

Terri

 

[Alegria]

I agree with Tonka we all do stupid things at times. Been in this situation and did a dumb thing and got hailed on the radio and apologized for the bone head maneuver.

But in this case flipping someone off??? Even if I was in the right I would never do something like that.... You were certainly the stand on vessel, BUT the final rule is to avoid the collision which you did correctly.

Twice on July 4th I had to throttle off plane, once I was stand on and had to avoid the give way vessel. Second time I was the give way to a sail boat under power which turned out to be just a sail boat veering in the channel to line up behind the other sailboat in the channel.. Mind you the channel was 50' deep so why they had to line up together was more of a desire to follow each other rather then draft!!! I was outside the channel and there were marinas on my port side so I thought they were cutting over there so I just idled along until I knew their intentions..

Chances are if he realizes you share a slip at the same marina he will realize and apologize. If not you have to decide whether you want to address the issue with him or just drop it...

 

[tnscout]

This sounds familiar....some boaters who don't know rules, etiquette, or simple courtesy. We run into them all the time in our area too. I am trying to focus on not letting it ruin my day anymore (too many of them). It isn't worth letting them get to me. I do what I have to do to be safe and let them prove their ignorance. :smt101
I am sure I will have those days where I slip up and share a small piece of my mind though!

 

[MarkNewbie]

Thanks..
I am still on the fence here because I don't need to make my boating time a stressful experience. It bothered me the rest of the day yesterday. It's like the guy runs a red light and then flips me off for it.

Terri

It always irks me when I come across another boater who obviously does not know the rules of boating. There is not a weekend that goes by where I see someone doing something stupid. We have a couple of Marinas on our lake that rent out ski boats and pontoons. When I see these, I give them plenty of room no matter what. To your point, I am of the same frame of mind that you are and just let these things go. Unless it is something that could endanger the lives of those on my boat, I keep my mouth shut. I just don't want to let the acts of boaters suffering from RCI syndrome to effect the joy that the lake brings me and my family.

Note - RCI stands for Rectal Cranial Invertus.

 

[Theresamarie11]

This sounds familiar....some boaters who don't know rules, etiquette, or simple courtesy. We run into them all the time in our area too. I am trying to focus on not letting it ruin my day anymore (too many of them). It isn't worth letting them get to me. I do what I have to do to be safe and let them prove their ignorance. :smt101
I am sure I will have those days where I slip up and share a small piece of my mind though!

We have a lot of them on Champlain too..
Examples from this weekend:

Kids (teenagers) driving around in little skidoo boat (passing from behind cutting across our bow at < 50' when we were going 30mph.

Multiple give-ways when we were the stand on boat in open bay. In general I don't even like to get close and if the give-way vessel doesn't look like they're going to give way, we do...

Giant (45') sea ray cruiser going through the causeway no-wake zone at ~15 mph driving huge waves. Never slowed down, just plowed right through with a 15' boat in tow.

In general, what's upsetting is that I have a person in my marina and have to decide to do something ok or not.

Terri

 

[OldSkool]

Thanks..
I am still on the fence here because I don't need to make my boating time a stressful experience. It bothered me the rest of the day yesterday. It's like the guy runs a red light and then flips me off for it.

Terri

I was driving down the road one winter day when a couple guys were throwing snowballs from their car into on coming traffic. After getting hit by one I spun my truck around and went after them. A mile or two later I caught up to them and passed them. I slammed on the brakes and stopped them in the middle of the road. As I jumped from my truck I thought the driver was going to piss himself. He wasn't expecting that. After many apologies from them, I got back in the truck feeling completely satisfied.

Then I looked at my 8 year old son sitting next to me who was horrified. :smt021
You fill in the blanks. I feel like too much of an A$$ to.

What ever you do make sure you think it through first and who will be around when you do it.

 

[320Bob]

My suggestion echos in part what others have said - let it go since he is in your marina. However, if you see this clown pull something like this again to you or another boater, I would politely confront him to see if is unaware or just inconsiderate. If the later, then again, politely state that his behavior is unsafe and you or someone else will report him to the Coast Guard the next time.

 

[Tonka Boater]

...Then I looked at my 8 year old son sitting next to me who was horrified. :smt021

Oh man, that hits home. I once raised a huge fuss at Target while trying to make a return with their new policies. I ended up "winning" but on the way out of the store my 7 y/o was in tears because of how I acted. I still feel like an idiot and a year and a half later and I am a much calmer person thanks to my son.

 

[flarepoman]

Call cousin Vinny down from east Boston. A few arms...legs...fingers. He won't do that again.

 

[Firerooster]

Old skool had it right. Doesn't matter if you had the right of way or not. Clearly he thought he did. He is a bigger vessel and obviously is the type to push that size around. Best thing is do not confront him about it. You could get it off your concscience by going over with a beer and asking him if there was something that you did wrong. Let him say his piece and don't argue. Then if he listens tell him your view. By listening to him first he will probably look at it and think, " wow this is a stand up guy...blah blah blah". You will make friend out of it and possibly get him to think about being a more curtious boater.

If not Then give him a 2x4 shampoo to knock some sense into him

 

[Groucho]

He must have thought you were in the wrong to flip you off. I would confront him and ask what it was that made him think that. Let him explain, then give your side of the story. If he won't hear you then blow him off as a jerk.

At least you tried to resolve the issue. What ever you do don't let it get to you, Either drop it completely or confront him.

IMHO.

Yeah...I agree. 15 or 20 years ago...I would have been right over there to settle it. Now I agree with oldskool, I would definitely see what his problem is now though, otherwise it would be eating at me.