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Senior Member
Don't take this the wrong way, because I'm not a tournament hater and I'm not talking about this particular case because I wasn't even there. But I'd rather take my chances all day with random pleasure boaters than be anywhere near a huge tourney blast off.Originally Posted by ukbass
Member
Todd, if I were not involved in the tourney, neither would I. But the main topic is about safety. Generally when a tourn. takes off, there are very few other boats around. I don't ever remember an accident being reported from the take-off of an tournament. I can understand not wanting to be washed ashore if you are fishing nearby when this happens. But it generally doesn't last very long. But by about 11:00 on a weekend, the pleasure boaters are in massive force and it does not let up.
Junior Member
I was fishing on the West Side of Kentucky lake Saturday afternoon about 15 minutes or so before 2:00 pm CST. It was boat after boat after boat heading towards the dam. Boats zig zagging back and forth, passing port side to port side, screaming off of another boats wake..... Oh I forgot these are tournament fisherman they may break boating laws and regulations, just as long as we get back to weigh-in on time. Oh they must feel cool getting to run like this. Here I am in a 2010 Z521 Ranger with a 250 proxs and don't have to act like that. its not like I'm sitting in a 14 ft. jon boat with a trolling motor or anything and just trying to bi...h about something.I told my partner, " tournament weigh-in is obviously @ 2:00 PM!" My partners reply, " uh, ya might say that ".... Yeah I have seen pleasure boaters do this as well, but they are not forced to do it in bunches twice daily. It appears to me if you increase the number of anything enough, something has to give and will give. You just simply INCREASE YOUR ODDS !!! It seems we are getting caught up in a debate that literally means squat at this point. Yes including myself!!!! Lets not forget this fisherman and his family, Please.
Member
You are right about the subject, and I feel very bad for this man's family. And I'm not trying to sell anyone on tournaments. If you hate them, so be it. I get angry with the bad ones as well that I come in contact with. But when I hear the word REGULATION, you can see the flames coming out of my ears. We are regulated enough in this country already. More accidents happen on our lakes that have nothing to do with tournament fishing. If you don't like having all of these tournaments, that is your right and I truly understand how they can rub you the wrong way while you are quietly fishing at your hole. But you just can't limit them, that is wrong. And it would not do anything to improve safety. If you don't like tournamets, try to avoid them. I am president and founder of CAST (Christian Anglers Serving Together) Ministries. But I want no part of being around a tournament either when I am not fishing one. I just do my best to either fish another day or fish another area of the lake. It usually isn't that big of a deal.
Senior Member
A central body to organize what events happen on what lakes and on what days would do everyone a world of good. It may have prevented this, it may not. Aside from the obvious safety factor that would be prevalent with this sort of organization, wouldn't the entire lake experience be improved for those in the events and those not? Would the fishing experience not been greatly improved?
Aside from this I believe regulations are LONG over due. I'm not for over regulating either, but the situation on the water is vastly changed from when the loose operating guidelines were established way back when. You need a permit to operate a car, you need one to operate a plane, you should need one to operate a gas powered boat. There should be a yearly renewal fee and that fee should go toward putting more officers on the lake. The operating regulations, including SPEED LIMITS, and over all operation need to be over hauled and strictly enforced. The fines should also go to adding more officers to the water. These regulations should be enforced for fishermen and pleasure boaters alike.
Limiting the number of tournaments may not have prevented this. But I am pretty darned sure that had there been a speed limit and over all operating rules followed, this could have easily been avoided.
Member
Well, I know I am not going to change anyone's mind, and your not going to change mine. So I will get off this subject, but I have to say first. I hate overreaction. Not that this wansn't a tragic death, because it was. But we have a lot of regs on the highway, yet people still speed, and it is full of irresponsible human beings. And people die every day on our roads and tons more have accidents. But everyone feels as if they just have to do something when this happens. It was an accident. An isolated accident that prob only happened due to poor judgement. These two guys should have never been that close to one another in the first place. And like another poster said already, you better be careful what you wish for. Not much good is going to come from more regs. Good day.
Senior Member
Probably right on the mind changing point and that's fine. It's what makes the world go round.. I don't feel like I am over reacting and I've wanted changes for quite some time so it hardly has anything to do with this situation. This situation simply brings the topic to the front. People would be astounded at the number of pleasure boating accidents and fatalities every year. While fishermen tend to be in fewer, they obviously are not excluded.
Does anyone know the rules regarding safe speed? There is no clear cut, rule in most cases. You are suppose to operated at a safe speed based on the conditions. Those conditions include visibility, weather, TRAFFIC, area, etc. How many of you that fished KY/B this weekend feel you probably went too fast based on the conditions at least at some point? Most of you? Some? OK, here's an even more important question.. How many of you feel that even though you feel you traveled at a safe speed based on conditions, there is room for someone else to think differently. I'd say it's 100%
It is true people speed break the law even with the regs on the highways. It is true they still would if there was a limit on water. But at least they would KNOW they are breaking the law and at least SOME would most certainly honor the rules where today there pretty much isn't any.
Member
Maybe Duayne, I'm trying to be open minded. But if passed, that just opens up a whole new can of worms. I still don't think it is needed. And one of my main beefs is that most who want this are tournament haters that have come out of the woodwork due to this tragedy. That really aggrevates me.Thanks for the sensible entry though. We can repectfully disagree.
Senior Member
Really, the most important thing to me is a mandatory training/permit. I re-read the coast guard regs every year. It's one of the most boring things you can do. It reads like a lawyer wrote it. Most do not know that you are suppose to signal one short blast to over take starboard or two to overtake port. If people know, they don't do it. I would venture to guess that most don't even know which is starbord and which is port!! I've signaled and had people give me a pissed look because they thought I was being rude. Mainly, THEY DON'T KNOW. They do not know that NO ONE actually has the right of way on the water. They don't know that certain boats have the cause to continue in certain conditions. They don't know that different boats have the cause to continue in the same conditions. It's confusing and it basically comes down to there aren't any right of way rules, and larger boats or boats that can't maneuverer as easy have the cause to continue because they can't maneuverer as easily. It's quite stupid, really, and needs to be changed. There are simply too many boats on the water to operate with "common sense" rules these days when common sense is so lacking.
I got no beef with tournament guys. Some do act with little caution sometimes. It's the same with some skiers/tubers and most jet skis. Even causal fishermen have their moments. I can certainly say there are times I could have done things safer out there. I stay off the water sometimes because it's so unsafe out there. As I see it, that isn't all that fair to me either, when things could be and should be different. Requiring a permit would probably keep a lot of pure trash off the water and that, alone, would make things safer.
Junior Member
Ok, lets say they pass a law that requires a permit or license prior to operating a watercraft with a gas engine similar to a license to drive a car. I took my driver's test 23 years ago when I turned 16. I get my drivers license renewed when it expires. I do not have to take a test. I just go pay my money. The person at the window has no idea what kind of driver I am at this point in my life. Once the initial test is passed, I am thinking a boat drivers license would be the same way. If a "driving" test were required for boats, would you see us out in a little john boat with a small gas engine because it might make it easier to pass the test. I am thinking that the license would be a way for the state to make money and it will have nothing to do with safety. Afterall, I would be willing to bet that a very high percentage of automobile wrecks happens with licensed drivers.
The upside of a license to operate a watercraft is that it should remove all the little kids on the jet skis. I can't count the number of times that I have seen kids that don't look any older than my son (who is 7) out in the middle of the lake without any adults!
Senior Member
You raise a very valid point. People usually use a drivers lic all the time. A boating permit does not mean you would use it all the time. I'd like to see an online test that must be passes before the permit is renewed each year. I think it's unrealistic to ask for an on the water test. Simply understanding the regs and having to take an online test would be enough to get the rules of the water out there.
FYI, it is against KY law for anyone 12-17 to operate a jetski (or boat over 10hp ?) without a boatng permit.
Junior Member
I know that is KY law, but they sure are a lot of them out there.
The other problem with a license is how do you regulate the drivers of boats from out of state. There are so many variables with this situation that it is not even funny.
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