the only person to ride on the bow is the lady that was part of the boat in jason and the argonauts

 

I don't allow it....too dangerous in my opinion.

 

I believe it's illegal in Florida.


Chazaroo

 

In CT as long as feet and hands are within the bowrails of the boat it is allowed. No dangling Period.

This is a judgement call. Water would have to be flat and traffic reduced for me to allow it. On the 450 we actually have a built in seat with cushion and ss grab handles on each side of seat, and with the rule seating right there at all times. We are only out there really while motoring the river or local water.

 

According to the text from our USCG Auxiliary boating class, "Bowriding is illegal in most states and in all federal parks and waters". It's also unsafe and I don't allow it.

EDIT: Sorry, I wasn't clear -- I agree with Dave, there are certain boats designed for riding on the foredeck. The USCG text illustration shows people sitting with feet dangling over the side. I believe that's what they consider "bowriding".

Jeff

 

In our area, if the boat's design does not provide a safe riding position, the law enforcement folks don't mess around with bow riding. They don't fool with what is and what is not legal as far a parts of the body outside the boat. Generally, you get an enforced stop for negligent/dangerous operation (a more serious offense than bow-riding), a mandatory inspection and a real expensive ticket The water stop usually costs the boat owner at least an hour as he listens to the lecture and goes thru the safety inspection. Depending upon his attitude and what the inspection turns up, he gets either a warning or a ticket.

Like Dave, our boat has a trunk cabin and a wide walk-way all the way to and around the bow. It is quite safe to ride there if you are seated on the cabin and your feet are on the deck. Since I make the speed decisions, when guests wish to ride on the bow, we run below planing speeds.

 

Wow guys, interesting answers so far. As far as I thought (little reading no real info) As long as people are contained inside of railing, then it is a matter of what is safe operation. Catching another boats wake on plain would be extremely dangerous, but it seems if you are just putting around arriving at the dock or beach this would be considered safe. My main question would be what is the difference between an open bow boat and out boats with railing. I seen people tossed out of open bow boats, yet this is considered proper seating. OK mores question than answers. :huh:

 

Well. . .it depends on the design of the handrails and cushions, no?

I would submit that you would probably be pretty secure in the fore of a bow rider.

But just looking at the bow of most cabin cruisers. . .that hardly seems secure.

Putting people on the bow for anchoring, docking, and harbor manuevuers (the human fenders) is an entirely different matter.

 

I rode on a Trojan with a molded cabin seat for 4, very nice place to ride. On our Sundancer...no

 

No way! Unless there is designated seating on the bow.

 

A big NO for me, no one rides up front while underway. Anchored...no problem....

 

While we have plenty of room on the bow, my guests stay in the cockpit when we are underway.

 

The only time anyone is allowed on the bow (while under power) is when "I" get up there to toss an achor and the admiral is at the controls at idle speed. Otherwise no one is allowed up there while underway.

 

As previously stated, in CT it is allowed as long as there are bow rails and no one hangs over the sides. I do allow the kids to sit on top of the sliding door on my 240 DA but only at idle speed and only when the admiral is right there with them. At idle speed, i wouldnt have a problem with an adult sitting on the bow. Anything above an idle speed is a risk i would not be willing to take for anyone however.

Mike

 

No way Jose

Regardless of the design of your vessel.....if you loose someone overboard, you are gona be in deep stuff......They will look at what was happening at the time and probably find you culpable (negligent) because you did not have your guests under control, and failed to keep them safe. So no bow riding and no sitting on the gunwales while underway to be safe.

 

Gosh, I hope the authorities allow an exception for a crew member on the bow when docking (to toss a line, or to position a fender for example).

 

Illegal in my state and even if it wasn't I wouldn't allow it. The consequences of an accident are just too great to justify it. Even if you have bow rails, I suppose it is possible for one to somehow fail so it is like the safety on a gun. Assume it will fail, act accordingly and no one will ever get hurt.

 

When it comes right down to it. A boat can be replaced. The Kids... To precious. One of our dock neighbors said it best, Did your old man let you ride on the hood of your car?.... That shuts them up. I look at it as even if we are on the top of our game in a no wake area. I'm sure we have all seen the guy who has plenty of boat fueled by a mid day buzz and absolutly no clue any one else exists. I feel a whole lot better when I see them getting "Boarded".

 

IMHO: Not on a closed bow, OK on a bow rider. Bow rider was designed for it.

 

No bow riding should extend to idle speed coming into the dock. And, I hate to see people riding on the side walkways or the swim platforms. Let them stay inside the boat. There is even less room for error in a marina than there is on open water.

 

Dave, like me, you also boat in SC; it's illegal here. Back when I first bought "Offroad Dancer" and it didn't have much power (because it had never been tuned since new) I usually had to ask a couple of people to temporarily ride up front to help it plane off when I was loaded. One time two of them just crawled up on top of the bow (instead of going forward into the v-berth undersides) and I was promptly pulled over by the DNR (on Lake Keowee). I was informed that bowriding on top of a closed bow was only legal at no-wake speeds. Makes sense to me from a safety standpoint and sounds like a good rule to follow whether legal or not. It's now a strict rule on our boat and looking back I should have been more firm with my two "helpers" on that one occasion and reeled them in.... 20/20 hindsight that won't be repeated.

I think bowriders are different than our Sundancers -after all, they are designed to have people up there- so IMO that's a different story and different rules.

However, as far as the comments that it should never be allowed even at the dock below no-wake speeds, I'm not sure I've figured out how to tie on to the dock while deploying fenders without having a human being up front to help with that.... I allow some help in that area at that point in time. :smt001

 

Hey Gerald,
What about Durangos on the front? :lol: :smt043 :lol:

Does it have a Hemi :lol: :smt043 :lol:

 

Busted LOL! But he is a dog not a person; not quite the same thing...

Hey, you missed his swimming performance Sat nite at the anchorage..... he jumped off to "go potty" onshore and then swam back to us upstream against a huge tidal current that all of us thought for sure was absolutely impossible. We all had quite a discussion regarding the unbelievable feat he accomplished in successfully swimming to us. I thought for sure I'd have to cut lines from the raftup and drift downstream to find him but he motored right up to our sterns against an incredible current to get back to us on his own.

He proved that can pretty much take care of himself in water without my help :thumbsup: so I guess that's just as impressive as a Hemi would be :wink:

I don't know if all that counts as a hijack..... but nevermind :smt001

 

It is grounds for a ticket here in maryland($80-200 on average). I only allow it at no wake speed on our trip down the creek and the kids(12 &13 now) always had to wear life jackets. They would climb back in the hatch before the creek opened out to the river. Kind of a fun way to cool off after prepping the boat for a trip on a hot day.
Too many jerks in go fasts and big cruisers throwing big wakes in crowded areas to chance it anywhere at planing speed.
Eddie

 

Most foredecks are not even close to flat these days. A kid (of any age) could slip right off without the driver even knowing it. As they tried to hold on they would slide right down the side and into the boat's wake - even at 1000 rpm.

The fast boats could also come by and cause a wake - even when and where they shouldn't. And it certainly limits your options regarding taking defensive actions.

And, when the kids get to be 16 or so they will begin wanting to go boating alone - just the way they've been taught.

Separately, regarding the docking issue, and I don't have access to bow lines on my 26 ft boat either. But if you can get a single line on and keep the boat in gear, just at idle, it will strain against that one line and keep your boat agains the dock in many situations.