WATER SKIERS AT BOAT RAMPS

[haggis]

why do water skiers have to ski at boat ramps ?
causing big wash to knock other boats around !
today at Jindalee boat ramp I just managed to save a little boy from getting
dragged into the water while trying to hold on a boat while his dad was parking the trailer .
there was three teenagers watching but did not try to help the little kid . If my wife never shouted to me quick help the wee fellow he would have been in the drink . luckily I had
my sprinting shoes on and only got the boat as he was about to go into the water .
the young bloke was glad to see me and said thanks about three times .
could have been a tragedy as he would have been squashed between the boat and the floating pontoon .
any way hope that everyone has a great Christmas & catches lots of fish .
cheers fae Haggis .......................... ;D

[TinarooTriumph]

Beginning to be a problem here at Tinaroo at one of the many ramps available. I don't think these people that take over this ramp on the weekends and the Holidays realise how important that particular ramp is to alot of anglers around the area, as the next ramp is about a 10km drive by car, or about a 5km drive on the water! However the peice of water they which they use is quite fine by me, as the fishing there in summer is pretty ordinary.

[Scalem]

It's either that or jetskis doing figure 8's at the boat ramp while their partner parks the car/trailer which happened to my deckie once. Boat crushed his leg between the ramp and the boat resulting in a big bruise.

I don't know what the answer is, people in general are ignorant while they are having a good time, often at someone elses expense. I'm just happy that there will be a good samaritan in a bunch, which you were in this case.

Scalem

[Feral]

skiers and jet skiers dont have to follow rules, dont you know that? (well thats what they think)

They should bring in a rule that if one of these bums is reported by two independant witnesses they can be charged.

[marty+jojo]

I thought this was going to be about the Maroochy river boat ramp. Every time i have been there on a weekend the jetski riders have set up there for the day >:( it is very annoying when you are launching or retrieving your boat in the waves they create. What can you do?



marty.

[StevenM]

skiers and jet skiers dont have to follow rules, dont you know that? (well thats what they think)

They should bring in a rule that if one of these bums is reported by two independant witnesses they can be charged.

with you all the way feral

[finga64]

skiers and jet skiers dont have to follow rules, dont you know that? (well thats what they think)

They should bring in a rule that if one of these bums is reported by two independant witnesses they can be charged.

with you all the way feral

Or a picture should suffice.
That'll be good. Take a picture with the phone and send it to a number and bingo....busted. ;D
Pretty obvious when your that close to others and your wake or wash is sending people everywhere.
I believe a lot of people forget about the 6kt rule within the 30m of a moored vessel or swimmers etc (or most rules of the water when it boils down I suppose) or just want to show off.

[griz066]

I don't own a jet ski so can;t comment about them. But I do use my runabout to ski with and I only go to fresh water dams, but here is something from the other side of the coin. :-?

I hate fishermen in their little tinnies who splutter out into the middle of the dam where we ski and sit there and pretend to fish. >:(

They generally sit right where we come in to whip off the skiier or right in the line we ski on. >:(

There is generally enough room for all, and most fishermen fish the weed banks or the tree line, so these ppl who sit in the middle of an area where a lot of boats are skiing leads me to believe these blokes are just sh!t stirers who will then come on a site like this and whinge about skiiers who ruined their time on the water. :-[

Get over it you don't own the water :'(

My rant ;D

[Feral]

Anybody given a jet skier a knuckle sandwich for filling their boat with water when they drive their ski onto their trailer, showering everyone in the queue at the pontoon with water? lazy B@stards.

Came close at the Comslie ramp the other week.


Grizz should not be a problem if you obey the 6knots within 30m rule! ;D

There are bums on both sides of the fence, its just I reckon there are more on the jet skiers side ;D

Dont normally have problems with boat skiers near ramps. They do it once, you just hang around until they are trying to put their shiny megabuck ski boats on to their trailers and make a few waves of your own. ;D

[roz]

Being a die hard water skier will make me biased but, I've always found it's the jet skiers who are idiots around boat ramps.

I'd like to think water skiers would know better, after all, they have boats that have to be launched and retrieved, so they SHOULD know.

As for dams, the skiers usually had a section and everyone was happy, but there is always one boofhead.

r.

[TinarooTriumph]

I hate fishermen in their little tinnies who splutter out into the middle of the dam where we ski and sit there and pretend to fish. #>:(

They generally sit right where we come in to whip off the skiier or right in the line we ski on. #>:(



Hang on... Pretend to fish? How do you know they arn't sitting on top of a big school of Bass or other species in the open water?

I Ski atleast 4 or 5 times a year with mates at the Dam's up here, it is awesome fun! However, we obviously spend a lot more time on the Dams fishing, and we are always extremely courteous to fellow anglers on the water. As for the ramp issue... We launch the boat, park our car in a proper spot and Ski all day long, most days not setting our feet on land for hours at a time. There are alot of DH's on the water, the bulk of them being City people who bring their flash boats up to these Impoundments and cause trouble and spoil other people's days. They need to know that Fishermen come first! Simple as that...

[Reef_fisher]

Heading up to Tinaroo in the new year from Innisfail, didn't have these problems when I was there last year at Easter. The only prob was pot theives. Red claw pots not the other kind ;D ;D

[HIGH_and_DRY]

jindalee is the worst place for this. i am a keen skier and also own a tinny for my fishing, but it always seems to be the jetskiers. how they have fun in a calm river is beyond me...i think it is more wank factor than anything else. i know all my mates with ski boats make an obvious effort not to create wash near ramps and head to a quiet part of the river before giving it full noise. do as to others as you would have them do to you, and i bet a jet skier would not appreciate a 2 foot wake barreling over his trailer while trying to launch/retrieve.

other than giving them a verbal spray, i don't think there is much as an individual, that we can do unless they are caught by the powers to be.

[bungie]

I had a word to the water police last week end at the Jindalee ramp. They said to put it in writing to water police and then they will have to follow it up. The more complaints the more chance it will be taken seriously.

[Feral]

Is the river wide enough for jet skis at Jindalee?

Remember they must be 60 metres from anyone. Anchor your boats strategically around the ramp before you call water police, about 100m apart should do it! ;D

[nob]

I feel there is a compensation issue with jet skiers. do you think they could be lacking in other departments? ;D it seems to me like a constant tussle for the biggest fastest best looking machine on the water..... hmmmmmmmmmm

food for thought

[haggis]

the water should be fun for all who use it .
Jindalee just happens to be the worst I have seen .
there is also a lot of fishermen who also dont obey the rules
around anchored boats or ramps .
grizz some skiers are pretty good and take a wide berth
they are even pretty good to talk to at the ramp .
but some people just dont care .
any way hope that everyone had a good christmas
cheers fae haggis ....................

[Hoodie]

were allowed to have our fun aswell

[robnjo]

I think there should a NO Play Zone around ramps(30-60m) for only putting/pulling out your water craft...and inforced somhow.

*Also some of the skiers with the shaft drive(?) ski boats realy flog them getting on and off their trailers which F#@*$ up the sand bedding under our beloved ramps at lower tides.
We have sorta learnt to live(on weekends) with them here at Santa Barbara.

Happy New Year,
Rob.

[Geoff_Atkinson]

Just recently I have had two rather interesting episodes up here in Cairns, one with a jetski and the other not with a skier but a boat towing a ski tube.

About two weeks before Christmas, my wife and myself were in the tinnie checking our crab pots in a creek (probably about 25M wide) off of the inlet (wont say exactly where, its a good spot). We had just pulled a pot and were busy checking the crabs when this DH comes flying around the corner on his jetski and missed us by less than 5 metres, didn't even slow down. There was a boat anchored fishing on the other side of the creek to us about 40 metres away and the tosser in the jetski didnt slow down for him either. It looked like a Grandpa with a couple of grandkids in the other boat. After we had extricated ourselves from the mangroves, I realisedthat the meathead had to come back past us to get out of the creek so we waited for him to return, all ready to give him the biggest verbal of all time. The tinnie with the grandpa in it moved further up the creek and anchored in the middle (at this stage we had not talked to each other and had not coordinated anything) and kept fishing. After a good half hour, the idiot returned. There was a fair stretch of straight creek before he got to the other boat, so he had plenty of time to see him and slow down, but no, the w@#$#r kept going flat out, past the other boat and then mine. We ended up pushed against the mangroves again and once we had extricated ourselves yet again, I pulled out the mobile and phoned the cops. I gave them a description of the idiot and his jetski and they said they could only keep an eye out for him and would have to catch him in the act to prosecute him (a perfect reason why they should have registration numbers on jetskis as if they did, at least they could identify the owner!!!). We checked that the people in the other boat were ok before we finished up and exchanged details in the vain hope that if the cops actually caught the idiot, we could provide two witnesses. As ye, we havn't heard a thing.

The second happened in Half Moon Bay Creek on Boxing day. the wife and myself had set our pots further up the creek and had decided to let them soak for a while, so we took a wander up towards the mouth of the creek. In the main part of the creek, just before it branches left to continue up the creek we had just come out of and branches right to go into the new canal development on the mudbank on the southern side was a fairly large specimen of crocodilius porosis, more commonly known as the Estuarine or Saltwater Crocodile, sunning itself on the mudbank. I motored along slowly about 15 meters from the bank to have a better look and the croc was longer than my tinnie (3.85 Quintrex Explorer). We kept going and had a bit of a fish around the mouth of the river and set out to return to our pots. On the return trip, we were about level with the croc when it appeared to be startled by something and took off into the water. I thought maybe it was the sound of my motor that had caused it but no, just then this idiot in a fibreglass boat (I didnt manage to get the make) comes flying around the bend townig a kid on a ski tube (I think thats what you call them), heading straight towards us. I instinctivly gunned the tinnie and headed towards the deeper water and the right hand bank (I didnt realise until later, heading to pass the other boat on the starboard side as is the correct thing to do), when the f*&kwit decides he wants to pass me on the other side but changed his mind at the last minute, almost swamping my tinnie and once again being pushed up against the mangroves. So this idiot wasnt just risking the lives of all the other people on the water, he was putting the kid on the tube at risk of becoming croc food. The wife and myself went and pulled our pots and stayed up in the narrow part of the creek for the rest of the day so we didnt get to let the chap know what we thought of him.

I know this is a bit off topic, but seeing the way these idiots with jetskis and skiers operate with little regard of anyone else on the water, it doesnt surprise me that they fail to use what few brain cells they do have at the boat ramps as well

Sorry to be so long winded.

Cheers

Geoff

[Hoodie]

I own a jetski and i act with respect to other anglers but we as jetskiers have grips withsome boaties who will see a skier and decide to put the hammer down and try and create as big WAKE AS POSSIBLE which happened to me yesterday outside tipplers he would have been doing 20 knots when coming out of the 6 knots area SO LAY OFF repect everyone.

[Hoodie]

all you boaties are spread out through out over the bay or river with 50 metres of line drifting out , we have got to keep 60 meters away from the shore and people, you boaties all have fish finders why dont you all anchor on top of the fish have less line out and SHARE the water ways with skiers and jetskiers PULL YOUR HEAD IN.....

[Feral]

50 metres of line is not a problem mate, remember your rules, on a jet ski your not allowed to do any more than 6 knots within 60 metres of anyone, so that gives you a good 10m buffer ;D So no need to pull our heads in.

[johnlikes2fish]

For my 2 cents there are inconsiderate boaties everywhere fishers and skiers, when I had a motorised boat the amount of ignorance shown by some people at ramps was unbelievable, I saw some people abuse a bloke who couldnt reverse to well, big deal if you are five minutes later getting out help him dont abuse him. The same behaviour continues on the water, I stopped going to the broadwater and most Gold Coast waterways to avoid these idiots, the number of pork chops that throw huge wakes without thinking about others is growing and it wont take long before a serious accident happens. A little consideration and courtesy goes a long way on the water.

[Hoodie]

feral before you type THINK its 60 metres and about the 6 knots [ does that meanwhen a boat is in the bay passing me in the bay i have to do 6 knots ,50 metres of line what do you mean its not possible? ive got about 200metres on my reel,

[TinarooTriumph]

all you boaties are spread out through out over the #bay or river with 50 metres of line drifting #out , we have got to keep 60 meters away from the shore and people, you boaties all have fish finders why dont you all anchor on top of the fish have less line out and SHARE the water ways with skiers and jetskiers PULL YOUR HEAD IN.....

Yeah, you said it Hoodie...

PULL YOUR HEAD IN

[Leigh77]

ahh the age old battle between fisherman/skiers/jetskiers has surfaced again...and to think its only been a month or two since it was last discussed!

As I am a fisherman/jetskier and skier I can see all three sides to this coin...and some (please not SOME) of the points raised are valid ones.

There are the idiotic bunch of skiers who feel the need to crowd the boatramp and make life hard for anyone else...but there is also the idiotic bunch of fisherman who leave their trailer in the water (at ramp) because they think that no-one else is going to turn up at 3:30am...and yes there are the idiotic bunch of jetskiers who just seem willing to have a major accident...they are all out there and it shouldnt be a suprise to anyone.

No-one "owns" the water and it is there to be enjoyed by all...no matter what side if the coin you are on. Yes, when I am out fishing and you start to get the constant wake of skiboats it can be annoying...Yes, when I am skiing and you have to constantly dodge small tinnies who stop over schools, and park in the most weirdest of places it gets a bit annoying...and yes when I have the jetski out and I have to deal with both of the above it becomes annoying...

But all in all I dont let it ruin my day...I dont let it get to me so to speak.

The idiotic bunch of all 3 sides of this coin are always going to be there...just deal with it and move on.

But in closing there is one thing that sh!ts me to tears...and that is someone trying the claim the water as theirs..."fisherman come first"..."this is a ski area"...WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP!

We should think ourselves lucky in a way that we have access to our impoundments across the country...because they werent built so we can fish/ski/jetski on were they?

So build the bridge and get over it people.

[Feral]

feral before you type THINK its 60 metres and about the 6 knots [ does that meanwhen a boat is in the bay passing me in the bay i have to do 6 knots ,50 metres of line what do you mean its not possible? ive got about 200metres on my reel,


Yeah Jet ski's have to do 6 knots within 60 metres of any moored vessel. Nothing in the regs about a moving vessel. Except you must not create wash that may cause discomfort or damage. But you should know that, it is on the "ridesmart" sticker all jetski's must have on them in a location visible to the operator.

If your line is within the top 30 -40cm of water (thats what jetskis draw isn't it?) at further than 50 metres from where you are fishing you must have an interesting fishing technique. It was you who said the problem was with fisho's having 50 metres of line out, I was just pointing out 50m of line should not be a problem if your following the law.

[PinHead]

sea raider...they do need to have registration numbers on PWC's.

"Registration
All PWC must be registered. Registration symbols must be:



Displayed on both sides.



At least 100mm high.



Legible from a distance of 30 metres.



Clearly visible in a contrasting colour to your craft.



Easily seen while your craft is underway.



The registration label must be displayed on the port (left) side of your craft, adjacent to the registration symbols."

I doubt that there would be a single person on here that could say they abide by the maritime laws in all circumstances...I know I don't at times...and I have seen so many others that don't obery them either..especially the ones about speed limits around moored boats.

[Hoodie]

lets all enjoy the water while we still have it to fish,ski,and ride on

[Sniper]

I don't own a jet ski so can;t comment about them. But I do use my runabout to ski with and I only go to fresh water dams, but here is something from the other side of the coin. #:-?

I hate fishermen in their little tinnies who splutter out into the middle of the dam where we ski and sit there and pretend to fish. #>:(

They generally sit right where we come in to whip off the skiier or right in the line we ski on. #>:(

There is generally enough room for all, and most fishermen fish the weed banks or the tree line, so these ppl who sit in the middle of an area where a lot of boats are skiing leads me to believe these blokes are just sh!t stirers who will then come on a site like this and whinge about skiiers who ruined their time on the water. #:-[

Get over it you don't own the water # :'(

My rant ;D

You will probably find that they are fishing in the so called middle of the dam is because thats where the fish are holding, probably on a slight drop off or something. #I've been abused before for fishing a school of fish in the middle of the dam, supposededly on a ski run by skiers and wakeboarders. #But I just say to them, " Didn't see you out here at day break when I got here so go find somewhere else to ski". #Its a 2 way street.


But this original post was about was at boat ramps. #I don't think you can put the blame on jet skiers and skiers all together. #Have seen "fisherman" if you can call them that put off huge washes at ramps. #Up here in the Pumistone Passage, there is a 6kt zone at the Powerboat Club. #I reckon every single day that speed restriction is broken about 10 -50 times #a day during weekends and school holidays. #Get the boys in blue out there to start issuing tickets and educate people why these restrictions are in place. #Someones going to get badly hurt or killed one day by wash at boat ramps. #They might think about it after its happened but I doubt it.

Billyboy

[sarg]

spot on leigh said it perfectly.

wether paddle powered or 350 chev if everybody respects the next craft everythings fine. being a skiier as well (though havent skiied for a while moogerah hasn't been brimming with water of late) you just cant stop the boat and idle at will, the skiiers will sink when there isn't enough speed to keep them on top of the water, if the boat is towing a tube or similar its alot easier to go slow though and there isn't an excuse for not doing so. In saying that if a fishing boat is anchored it shouldn't be that hard, on a dam anyway, to give them a wide berth and vice versa a trolling fishing boat cutting across the path of an oncoming ski boat. There are tools behind most types of water craft, people who dont think or just dont care most of the time we just have to grin and bare it (or hurl abuse if it makes you feel better).

the water (at the moment) is for everyone so play nice. ;D

Andrew

ps. fishermen come first..... # WHAT A FLOG