Does anyone else think that flat bottoms are becoming as bad a pest as waverunners? We boat on the Mississippi river in the Savanna / Dubuque area and they are multipling like crazy it seems. Because of their size they don't follow any of the ways of the river and only do whats in their best interest as in cut across the channel where ever and when it suits their interest and then if you don't give them plenty of room they get pissy. I always thought it was yield to the bigger boat maybe I am wrong??? You either get where I am comming from or not, just curious if anyone else has noticed this?

Very few around here or at LOTO.

It is not "yield to the bigger boat"
There are specific navigation laws about which boat is to "give way" and which boat is to "stand on."

The larger boat only has the right of way if constricted by it's draft, or if it is commercially fishing. The water cops give us enough attention without giving them excuses. Learn the NAV RULES , or at least get a basic understanding. With the PWC actually hitting the water patrol boat last week at LOTO the MSWP is going to be in a unpleasant mood regarding stand on vs. give way etc.

Don't get me wrong I understand the NAV rules and that wasn't my point. As I said at the end you either know exactly what I mean or you don't and as I have been to LOTO many times your right you don't have this issue. But if you were heading down the channel and they cut right infront of you I highly doubt that that would be considered correct. As I said you either know exactly what I mean or you don't, rivers are far different from lakes in some respects.

I am a mississippi boater.... and dayum they are getting bad. You are right above me. I run in the leclaire to clinton pool. I think people just want to get out on the water (esp. Young people) the flat bottoms are cheap and dosent take much to get one. Next thing you know they are cuttin right across the channel right in front of incomming traffic. Also the ability they have to run in side water makes them too cocky.

What kind of flatbottom are you referring to? One is cheap and one is not. Anyway, neither has been a problem around here.

I think tomorow, Sunday, we might be heading down to your pool to princeton beach and the sand lot. And the big engine one is not a problem but the green one is exactly what I am talking about.

That's what I figured! I miss the old school flat bottoms and jets.

Only problem around Peoria is they think the no wake zone downtown doesn't apply to them when they're bow huntin carp. At the speed they do that they bounce the smaller boats at the city docks pretty good. Never had one cut in front of us yet, tho.

Fixxxer, where do you put in at? I'm spending a lot of time in LeClaire during the week. Visit friends at Clinton Marina on Wednesdays. You guys have a beautiful pool here.

OK, after reading third childhood Q&A I get it. At loto it seems to be thought that if you are in a fishing tournament you can be a complete douche from the time you first see the boat ramp until you have been home for a few days. I have had bass boats back down the ramp and angle in front of me, then self launch the boat leaving the truck in the way while they tie up. It is really irritating when the reason for the problem is self importance as opposed to just being a dumbass, and of course that's not a endangered species either.