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 Water
Manners Matter... by
Dusty Miller
For most
of us Canadian boaters, our favorite active season is winding down.
It’s now time to reflect on the beauty of what’s passed and ponder
that which lies ahead. Most of our boating experiences are great
and will last us long through the cold winter ahead. But there are
certain things that irk me, and I’m sure the majority of power boaters,
beyond belief. One of my major pet peeves is the small percentage
of selfish inconsiderate boaters.
Nothing is more frustrating than an ill-mannered
boater. There you are -- sitting on your back deck, anchored some
three or four hundred feet offshore, enjoying the warm breezes and
the serenity of a beautiful afternoon -- when all of a sudden out
of nowhere comes a small daycruiser with five or six people aboard
yelling and screaming at the top of their lungs.
As the boat approaches, you realize it is dragging
a three-foot wake. As it passes, you grab your table, your glasses
and anything else that is going to fly. After the mad scramble to
secure everything in sight, you realize the inconsiderate son of
a boater is coming back again for another pass. The whole procedure
starts again.
I have always thought courtesy on the water comes
from knowing the effect your boat will have on other vessels when
you approach and pass. Some of the larger and more powerful cruisers
at quarter speed can drag a horrendous amount of water behind them,
causing rollers that will throw any smaller power boats into a real
tailspin. If you approach a vessel that is dead in the water while
you’re trying to make time out on the lake, slow down. Give him
the courtesy of slowing down in sufficient time to let your stern
wake flatten out. You probably won’t lose much time and your wake
will not disrupt your fellow boater. (Top)
There is a small percentage of power boaters who,
once on the lake, dump common courtesy overboard. Any vessel out
there is fair game and should be prepared to rock. Wrong! Not only
is that unfair, it is also very dangerous. Waves have a tendency
of traveling great distances. On a flat calm day, a less-than-sure-footed
boater (such as a young child) may just be standing in the wrong
place at the wrong time, when one of these long-distance waves suddenly
strikes. The result may be a boating accident.
Entering or leaving a marina provides another example
where courtesy should come into play. The correct procedure when
departing or approaching a marina involves slowing your boat sufficiently
far enough away from the entrance so the stern wave doesn’t end
up in the marina.
In busy and confined waters, such as the Toronto
Harbour, speeds are naturally restricted. Cruisers must slow down
to appropriate speeds, but some may forget they are dragging a stern
wake. While everyone aboard enjoys the scenic ride, they sometimes
neglect to look behind.
Courtesy on the water stems from attitude and responsibility.
If we all took it upon ourselves to watch out for the other guy,
we would be happier and, more important, safer. Enjoy boating and
remember, we’re in the great big boating fraternity. We have the
elements to fight and contend with, not each other.
Now with that off my chest I can let those warm
thoughts of courteous summer boating get me through the winter.
(Top)
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