Offshoreonly.com - Do you let your kids run PWCs? You probably shouldn't!

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Re: Do you let your kids run PWCs? You probably shouldn't!

We own two (2) pwc and have since 1995, when we got them the whole family took the safe boating and PWC courses offered by the CCAux. However, having them now where you must ride in narrow channels on the west coast of Florida takes lots of concentration.

Mostly, the operators around here stay in the shallower water, but there are areas where you must ride in the channel to get to a riding area. Very dangerous, often when I'm out on the ski and the channel is crowded with cruisers all racing each other, and Flats, Center Consoles, and Offshore all trying to get by each other to be "First" to idle zone, I just pull out of the channel and slow down and let them go.

It is the same problem on the roads around here, you're at a light, and when it turns green, it's pedal to the metal until the next light and you have to ride on someone's butt to keep that Azzhole next to you from cutting you off. NO ONE HAS ANY PATIENCE anymore. When I'm on the water, either in the Beakboat or on the Supercharged Ski, I like to get to "open water" before trying to set "speed records". I'm older than "Too OLD" and been boating since 3.

So, I've no personal gripe about PWC's themselves, it's just irresponsible boaters that I'd like to see off the water. For Example, take the Cruiser Guy at WOT running the middle of the channel and forcing oncoming boats to avoid him? I can not count the number of times this has happened, I always move over and think to myself, he must think size means you don't have to do anything, let them get out of my way!

Times like that I wished I threw a 15 foot wake (I'd go slow to do it) just so he has something to deal with as his 50'er jumps around!!!!!!

Fast to me is "what will it do top end?" Not, how fast can I go weaving in and out of "traffic" either on the road or water.

Re: Do you let your kids run PWCs? You probably shouldn't!

What I do not understand is that people forget basic rules of driving when they hit the water?I hate to say it but we need some sort of traffic laws for the water.Or everyone needs to have their own part of the lake.And the sad thing is that they keep making these things faster and faster.
My prayers are with both families involved.

Re: Do you let your kids run PWCs? You probably shouldn't!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcollinstn

It's a shame that PWC's are blamed for the problem. People are the problem. Honda made 3 wheelers years ago that became popular. They were raced and ridden recreationally (I believe since 1971) and provided a lot of fun. After they became popular, parents began buying their teenaged children 35 horsepower racing models and turning them loose with no training, supervision, or protective gear. The resultant deaths and injuries prompted aggressive lawsuits against the manufacturers. As a result of that, the manufacturers simply stopped making them..

I bet you are on the side of "guns don't kill people, people kill people......

That is ok so am I :D:D

What you do with your kids is great, not only goot for your relationship with the kids but also they will benifiet from that for the rest of their lives. Unfortunatly that is not the norm. The rental places are the worst. They tell them for about 30 seconds the rules of the road and send them out. I can not tell ya how many times people get on them and rip out the harbor WOT with people yelling at them the entire way. This summer there was a lady and her daughter flipped over in the middle of the lake, it was early in the am and my wife and I were going across the lake and I saw them out of the corner of my eye. We went over to see what was up and they were noticably cold. I jumped in and helped them flip the boat over and then they could not start it, so I helped them start it up. In the process I lost my 250.00 buck glasses. These people did not offer me a thanks or to help pay for my glasses. All the lady said was I want to finish my rental I paid X hundreds of dollars for this thing and I want to use it. I said I did not even get to ride one and I lost 250 bucks lady. She said I was lying about the cost of my glasses...... I was so pissed I almost hit people. Will never go to that marina again. Most people on Jet Ski's are not as informed as you can just plob down a grand a pick up a ski that goes 60mph or more. Then they think that there is nothing on the water as fast as them. Well there is..... US!!!!

Jon

Re: Do you let your kids run PWCs? You probably shouldn't!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcollinstn

Perhaps some of you self absorbed SOB's feel that PWC's need to be extinct. .

I certainly would not cry about it. I have almost killed a few Jet skiers that think that they do not have to look before they turn. One time I did quite a bit of damage to the boat avoiding the collision. However I would never think to ask them not to come on the lake. I just think that they have to understand when we are pissed when they come so close......