SeaDoos
"Mikhael" wrote ...
You bought a 'boat' for safety yet you drink and drive in it? Two separate issues there... Don't know about your area, but here in Texas, drinking and boating go hand-in-hand... Sometimes it's a factor in accidents, but I suspect testosterone is a factor in more of them... Combine drinking and testosterone (i.e. teenage drinking) and you up the percentages somewhat... Of all the power boat drive mechanisms, a jet drive tends to be the safest to anyone in the water near the drive mechanism... The maneuverability of my jet boat is also such that in an emergency I can just turn the wheel all the way to one side (even from a top speed run) and turn the boat around within a length of the boat... This is actually quicker than slamming it into full throttle reverse... I actually had a case where I had to do that on a run down the San Jacinto river one day... I was coming around a bend in a remote part of the river and there was a bridge crossing the river... The bridge was in colors of black and gray... There was an elderly fisherman in a gray jon boat across the opening underneath the bridge and he was wearing gray camouflage overalls... He was right in the shadows of the bridge, so I did not see him until I was right on top of him... I was doing around 40 mph at the time... I threw the wheel all the way to the left and spun out doing a 180 in front of him... I then idled past him and explained that I hadn't seen him in the shadows until it was too late and apologized if I had gotten him wet with the spray... Turns out the spray had stopped just short of his boat... Must have been an impressive site from his point of view... |
SeaDoos
"Steve Barker" wrote ...
Gas HOGS. Be sure to test drive one for at least a few hours to see for yourself. Don't take any salesmans word. You're looking at at least 10 gallons an hour. But assuming that he's doing at least 30 mph for that 10 gph fuel rate, that's still 3 mpg... For a boat, anytime your fuel consumption is measured in "miles per gallon" instead of "gallons per mile", you're doing good... grin |
SeaDoos
But assuming that he's doing at least 30 mph for that 10 gph fuel rate,
that's still 3 mpg... For a boat, anytime your fuel consumption is measured in "miles per gallon" instead of "gallons per mile", you're doing good... Since these boats are generally used for "point A to point A" travel (with no particular destinations in between) and the trip is designed to take "X" number of hours, fuel consumption is a factor. |
SeaDoos
"FRANKWBELL" wrote ...
It does here, too. It was that way when I grew up in Louisiana also... I would suspect that it is that way in a lot of the country... And over the past three years we have had several fatal boating collisions in Delaware and New Jersey as a result. And those are just the ones that made the news. I would also hazard to guess that there is a greater percentage of boaters who drink while operating than there are car drivers who do the same thing because it is basically part of the boating culture... In most cases, being slightly inebriated on the water is going to have a less serious effect than doing it on the pavement... Speeds tend to be slower, plus it's difficult to drink while travelling over rough water without spilling your drink... I've tried using a straw for my beer, but it just doesn't work / taste right -- too much foam... For the most part, you tend not to be operating your boat in the immediate vicinity of other boats, so the penalty for being not perfectly straight in your track is less severe (unlike not staying in your lane on the highway)... There are always those who operate their boat (or any other type of vehicle) beyond their abilities... As long as you are careful and don't go to extremes, a few beers while boating is no big deal... I like my whiskey. To each his own... I've never really developed a taste for the whiskey / bourbon / scotch type of drinks... I hear that wine drinking and sailing are somewhat linked... I guess they go slow enough that they can put drinks in glasses that would spill in smaller / faster boats... |
SeaDoos
I would also hazard to guess that there is a greater percentage of boaters
who drink while operating than there are car drivers who do the same thing because it is basically part of the boating culture... In most cases, being slightly inebriated on the water is going to have a less serious effect than doing it on the pavement... "In most cases" is the problem. "In most cases" a drunk driver doesn't kill anyone, but there are still plenty of cases where they do. While boats are slower and there is more space between them, boats operate in an environments that are far less forgiving once trouble shows up. Just say no. On topic: I think a Sea Doo sport boat is a great first boat. They're simple, safe in reasonable conditions, and not hard to operate. A single engine model is probably easiest, but even dual engine models aren't hard to handle. Don't rule out the other brands like Sugar Sand and Yamaha. The one caution: The earlier and current smaller jet powered boats have very shallow, slap-happy hulls that are punishing in anything but smooth water. -- Rich Stern www.nitroowners.com - The Nitro and Tracker Owners Web Site www.mypontoon.com - The Pontoon Boat Web Site www.fishingreportdatabase.com - The Fishing Report Database www.mysporttrac.com - The Sport Trac Web Site |
SeaDoos
"Rich Stern" wrote ...
While boats are slower and there is more space between them, boats operate in an environments that are far less forgiving once trouble shows up. I'm not saying that people should drink to the point of being totally ****-faced... I'm just saying that a 6-pack of beer or two spread over an entire day on the lake fishing does not make you an unsafe boater... Of course, this depends upon your tolerance for alchohol... At least with boating, we can keep our speed down and it doesn't necessarily back up the people coming up behind us... On topic: I think a Sea Doo sport boat is a great first boat. They're simple, safe in reasonable conditions, and not hard to operate. A single engine model is probably easiest, but even dual engine models aren't hard to handle. Don't rule out the other brands like Sugar Sand and Yamaha. The one caution: The earlier and current smaller jet powered boats have very shallow, slap-happy hulls that are punishing in anything but smooth water. I've found that my 1998 Sugar Sand Mirage is quite punishing in 3-4 ft seas... If you can get the speed right, you can skim across the tops of the waves, but every once in awhile, you'll find that rogue wave / trough that lets you drop 6-8 ft... They call it a 16 ft boat in their adds, but they get that figure by adding in the length of the swim platform that overhangs the jet drive... Without that, I believe it is more like 14 ft... One thing that makes jet boats a little more interesting is that once your engine is no longer producing thrust, your stearing capabilities have virtually disappeared... It's not like an outboard where you still have the outboard acting as a rudder even when the engine has quit running... What this means is that throttling back significantly and trying to turn might very well keep you going straight... |
SeaDoos
In article , "Grumman-581"
writes: There are always those who operate their boat (or any other type of vehicle) beyond their abilities... As long as you are careful and don't go to extremes, a few beers while boating is no big deal... The same applies to driving. The danger is those who don't know when to stop. And that's too many of us. I like my whiskey. To each his own... I've never really developed a taste for the whiskey / bourbon / scotch type of drinks (grin) Your loss. ... I hear that wine drinking and sailing are somewhat linked... I guess they go slow enough that they can put drinks in glasses that would spill in smaller / faster boats... ROFL! Frank Bell |
SeaDoos
In article , "Grumman-581"
writes: It's not like an outboard where you still have the outboard acting as a rudder even when the engine has quit running.. Speaking as an outboarder, it's not much of rudder once you throttle down. A little bit, but not much. Frank Bell |
SeaDoos
"Grumman-581" wrote in message . .. "FRANKWBELL" wrote ... Speaking as an outboarder, it's not much of rudder once you throttle down. A little bit, but not much. Well, Frank, trust me -- a jet boat is even less of a rudder... Without the jet thrust, you're more like a stone skipping across the water... Sometimes you'll go straight, sometimes you'll spin out... I seem to remember the old bass boats that I was in as a kid having some rudder capability when powered down... At least it was possible to stay in a fairly straight line and you didn't spin out... But you do not have to have full throttle to steer. Do not have to jump wakes 25' behind the boat. Had 2 kids riding double do that this weekend at Lake Oroville, maybe 35' at most. Law in Calif is 100' from boat to jump wake. 2 weeks ago at Stockton on the Delta, had 2 guys jump the wake at 50', and then cut across in front of me at maybe 25' to catch a big wake from a cruiser. I am doing about 30 at the time. I run a really big jetski, a 21' aluminum river jetboat, and I do not have a problem throttling back and steering, just keep some power on to keep the pump giving force. I am not against jetskis, think the ban at Tahoe was bad. But I am also for giving out tickets for unsafe operation, and if the operator is under 21 they also have to take a safety & operation class. Bill |
SeaDoos
"Calif Bill" wrote ...
But you do not have to have full throttle to steer. No, but you pretty much need to have at least enough throttle as it would have taken to maintain your current speed... Do not have to jump wakes 25' behind the boat. I think you're thinking about jet skis, not jet boats... I have a jet boat... Same as a prop boat, but just safer when someone is in the water at the stern... But I am also for giving out tickets for unsafe operation, and if the operator is under 21 they also have to take a safety & operation class. rant Here in Houston, the local water donut patrol likes to give out tickets for supposedly making a wake in a no wake zone... I got one last year with trying to diagnose a problem with my engine and there was no way that I was making a wake... He had said that it wasn't that big of a deal, it would only cost a couple of bucks... It ended up costing over $250... ****ing uniformed robbers... If I had known it was going to be so much, I would have told him he could have stuck that damn ticket up his ass... There is no way you can fight those tickets either... It's completely your word against his lying sack-of-**** word... I *always* slow down for no-wake zones! Any other robber I could just go ahead and shoot the son-of-a-bitch if he was trying to steal $250 from me... /rant |
SeaDoos
In article , "Grumman-581"
writes: Well, Frank, trust me -- a jet boat is even less of a rudder. Oh, I certainly believe you! Frank Bell |
SeaDoos
"FRANKWBELL" wrote ...
Oh, I certainly believe you! It's kind of interesting when you first start driving one... At speed, they track very tightly... Very maneuverable... At a slow (no wake) speed, they feel slugish... |
SeaDoos
"Grumman581" wrote in message ...
"Calif Bill" wrote ... But you do not have to have full throttle to steer. No, but you pretty much need to have at least enough throttle as it would have taken to maintain your current speed... My Sea-Doo jet boat (a twin engine jet with gunwales, and a steering wheel instead of handlebars - for those that refuse to call it a real boat) gives me little steering trouble at low speed, or when slowing from high speed with closed throttles. As soon as you learn "thrust is required to steer" you learn to provide small bursts of power to maintain or command a change in heading. I have more positive and responsive steering control in my jet boat at very low speed than I do in my 36' cruiser - which is of course equipped with rudders. |
SeaDoos
"Grumman-581" wrote in message ...
"Curtis CCR" wrote ... I have more positive and responsive steering control in my jet boat at very low speed than I do in my 36' cruiser - which is of course equipped with rudders. Well, for the most part, large boats by their very nature are going to be less responsive... When I was in the Navy, I was stationed on the Nimitz... I think it took us well over a mile to turn around... OK... :) I can turn my jet boat, quite quickly, without headway. Try that on a ruddered ski boat. My point was that I can (pretty easily) point my jet boat in any direction at low speed - in fact I can spin it around in one place without headway. I need thrust, but not relative movement through the water, to steer. |
SeaDoos
"werlax" wrote ...
If they're at all like a PWC, I can attest to that. My first time on one I was coming in towards the beach to, well..., beach it, and was idling in nicely. I was about 3 feet from the beach so I decided to cut the engine. I was shocked to find myself spinning out and heading completely away from shore. Well, I guess they're a little better than PWCs in that aspect... I think they'll track a straight line for 3 ft... Maybe not much more though.. grin |
SeaDoos
When I was in the Navy, I was stationed on the Nimitz...
I think it took us well over a mile to turn around... Just slightly better than my pontoon boat. :) -- Rich Stern www.nitroowners.com - The Nitro and Tracker Owners Web Site www.mypontoon.com - The Pontoon Boat Web Site www.fishingreportdatabase.com - The Fishing Report Database www.mysporttrac.com - The Sport Trac Web Site |
SeaDoos
If you move the steering arm into the closest hole and allow the outboard to
swing farther your pontoon will turn faster. In a monohull this could cause some serious handling problems but you won't be flipping a pontoon. You do get a little cavitation if you turn too sharp going too fast but in close quarters at slow speed you can really control the boat. |
SeaDoos
Great shot of an emergency turn on a nuke carrier. PBS runs the story once
in awhile on the carrier Ike, and part of the commisioning test is an emergency turn at about 35 knots. The boat must be at a 30 degree angle. Bill "Rich Stern" wrote in message ... When I was in the Navy, I was stationed on the Nimitz... I think it took us well over a mile to turn around... Just slightly better than my pontoon boat. :) -- Rich Stern www.nitroowners.com - The Nitro and Tracker Owners Web Site www.mypontoon.com - The Pontoon Boat Web Site www.fishingreportdatabase.com - The Fishing Report Database www.mysporttrac.com - The Sport Trac Web Site |
SeaDoos
"Calif Bill" wrote ...
Great shot of an emergency turn on a nuke carrier. PBS runs the story once in awhile on the carrier Ike, and part of the commisioning test is an emergency turn at about 35 knots. The boat must be at a 30 degree angle. After every yard period, a ship has to go through an ORE (Operational Readiness Evaluation)... The emergency turn is one small part of the ORE... It didn't seem like it went to 30 degrees though... I don't remember what the "point of no return" was on the ship... Too many years have passed... I seem to remember on the destroyers it was around 60 degrees... I knew one guy who said that they were coming into Norfolk after a cruise and due to the weather plus being lightly loaded, they were doing 50 degree lists each way... |
SeaDoos
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SeaDoos
In article , "Grumman581"
writes: I find myself having to move the wheel from one side to the other quite often to get it to track a relatively straight line at idle speeds like when you're lining it up to load it on a trailer I have experienced that with my outboard. There was a long thread about that last year--the conclusion was that that was not unusual. The Christina River in Wilmington, Del, is no wake throughout the city--a couple of miles, I would guess. At no wake, to maintain a straight course, I have to adjust the course every 30 or 40 feet. I'm talking about moving the wheel no more than an inch or two. I tell myself that it's because I'm on an unstable platform and, at slow speeds, cannot override the instability of that platform. Don't know if it's true, but that's what I tell myself. Frank Bell |
SeaDoos
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SeaDoos
On Jun 16, 9:14*am, Richard Casady
The other case the cops were running at high speed close to shore which is against the law. They ran flat out into a designated anchorage and killed a guy in his bunk, and tried to blame him for it. Said he wasn't showing lights, but they are not required in an designated anchorage. Casady didn't that happen just last year? |
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