http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS7hp...hannel&list=UL

Did this jet-ski owner not even see this guy?! Very close call!

EDIT: video already posted by someone else

That looks like the driver of the Fountains fault. That Fountain looks like its doing at least 100mph. The jet ski might be doing 50mph max. I look forward and back when running fast in my boat (lots of boats are faster than mine). Don't expect people to look back when you are passing them, most people don't look back in a boat or jet ski. The guy in the Fountain is lucky he did not kill the people on that jet ski. I always slow down, match speed and let the other boat or jet ski see me before I hammer down again and pass them.

That is one DAMN lucky Fountain driver/owner. If that was a collision, it would have absolutely been his fault.

The PWC was the stand on vessel.
The Fountain was the overtaking and giveaway vessel.

While the PWC did not maintain a steady course, the giveaway vessel is still required to give way.

4bus (the Fountain driver) had the right of way

http://www.auxguidanceskills.info/press/bigger.html

Wow, I'm on oso trial

That jet ski was all over the place, and made eye contact with me before making the turn. Happened so fast I didn't even have time to turn the wheel or back off. Really wasn't expecting it.

A jet ski is much more nimble than a boat, looking back I should have backed off, however I was 100 percent sure they saw me and knew my heading.

I guess in the future, everytime I see a jet ski I will come off plane just to be safe

That is the rules of the road for ships over 65 feet in length. What you do when your around big ships over 65 feet in length. Or if you are a ship 65 feet or longer.

That's not the rules of the road for recreational boats.

Most states have their own rules but the link below is what most follow. The jet ski was the stand on vessel and had right of way.

http://www.boatingbasicsonline.com/c...ral/6_2_b1.php

Anyways if the jet ski did actually look behind and see 4bus about to overtake him then there is no problem. Always make sure people see you before you pass them especially jet skis because who knows if they are going to do a 180 out of no where.

I'm going to disagree. As people on here have said that he needed to be in the main channel, that makes him constrained by draft. Therefore the smaller, more maneuverable craft with less draft needs to give way.

I agree

WRONG those rules of the road are for ships not rec boats.

Traffic, as defined by both the release and the federal navigation rules are “narrow channels” that “restrict the movement of vessels, which are constrained by their draft”. Herein lies the tale of why us SMALL boaters should NOT play in traffic when the big boats are there.

That is directly from that CG page you posted which is rules of the road for ships not rec boats and why you need to stay the %##& out of their way. The Fountain or jet ski are NOT deep draft vessels and are NOT constrained by draft and do NOT require staying in a shipping channel. The rules rec boats need to follow are in the link I posted earlier.

I am active duty US Coast Guard for 12 years now. I am not the guy in the small boat checking your life preservers, I work on and drive our ships. I'm currently stationed on a 225 foot long buoy tender. We draft 13 feet, that's deep draft and we are constrained buy our draft so we need to stay in the shipping channel. If your around a ship and you hear 5 short blast from that ships air horn it means get out of the way because your in the shipping channel and in the way. That's what those rules of the road are talking about.

I still say the ski should get out of the way. That why all those people get killed up here. They just pay absolutely no attention to what's going on. Your required in pa to do a safe boaters course to operate a jet ski. I got 100% on that test in 1990 I was born in 82. I the. Took coast guard courses and plotting courses at the same age. I was a boat operated since I was eight now granted then I only had a row trihul ten foot but I was out everyday. I then went to jet skis. I don't care what the rules say when your on a pwc you need to be aware of what's going on. I can't tell from the video what that guy was up to and how wide the channel is but regardless of what your driving you just can't be out darting all over the place. If your gonna be making turns etc you need to know whose behind you. I don care about law it's common sense. Especially if your in a constricted channel setting you can't be cruising at 60 and decide your gonna make a immediate right or left hand turn and not look behind you. A pwc can make a immediate 90 in seconds. There is not boat that can do that or react to that. It's the boaters job to be safe keep distance etc i get all of that but you just can't be out that blindly whipping around. I know a guy who killed a pwc rider. Sold his boat and really messed him up. Up here in the bay thy rent pwc. If you have t done the course "which is now bs because you can do it online and the answer are also online" they allow you to watch like a ten minute video and take off. So no prior boating no nothing you get to hop on a 65 mph ski and go out in the bay. This makes for hell up here. I again don't care about the laws in this case when I see a pwc I back the hell off. It's like putting a 16 yeAr old kid on a 1000cc crotch rocket in rush hour traffic. Bottom line I guess without me continuing to babble for an hour if your a fast moving vessel pwc or boat you need to know what's around you. I always look in all directions when I change course in my boat. I don't have a big boat like all of you but it's still 30 feet. There's ways someone bigger or smaller faster or slower around you that may not be as smart as you and will turn tragic. Just pay attention. Always look behind you when you turn. I always do and just stay the hell away from pwc. That could have been tragic very easily. People just don't have common sense.