Most boat captains are responsible and want to take good care of their very expensive investments. They take the time to learn the rules of the waterways. They don’t hinder commercial vessels’ ability to maneuver by drifting slowly into their path. They don’t tie up the radio waves with useless banter. They take safety very seriously, and respect the property of others. They don’t go through a drawbridge and then turn around and go right back, thus backing up traffic for miles, simply because they can. That’s the type of sailor I would be.
Unfortunately there is another kind out there. This kind has hundreds of thousands of dollars lying around and can’t think of anything better to do with it than buy a money-pit of a sailboat that they can only use a few days a year. That probably tells you a lot about their priorities right there.
This type of sailor buys himself a cute hat, makes sure his wet bar is well stocked, and invites all his friends for a ride, not warning them that he doesn’t even know how to leave the boat slip. Half the time he hasn’t bothered investing in a radio, so he’s impossible to communicate with when you’re trying to warn him he’s being an idiot. And he uses a street map instead of a chart and wonders why he goes aground. He does not respect no wake zones and cheerfully does thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to other vessels thereby.
For some reason, people who would never drink and drive will not think twice about drinking and boating. And very responsible automobile drivers though some people may be, they don’t bother to even learn which side of the buoy to navigate when they take to the water. It’s enough to make you scream.
People die on waterways just as they do on highways. Just because you’re out there to have fun does not mean that your 15 ton destructo-boat can’t put other peoples’ lives in jeopardy. Think before you boat.
[Image credit: inquisitr.com]
The View from a Drawbridge 
This is so true, everywhere. Last week we went out for a few hours of peaceful fishing and boating around. A Camo painted boat came flying by with the two men dressed in Camo and with rifles in hand.??? What could they have been hunting? Duck season? Maybe, but holding their rifles barrel up while flying at top speed towards a dock. Dangerous. The wake they created gave us several jarring minutes and for a short time put a damper on our beautiful day. JERKS!
People can be incredibly stupid and inconsiderate. I’m sure there was a case of beer at their feet, too.
I love boats… good post…
🙂 Thanks
sure