GNSfishing Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 Where was the water patrol?? I know that they can't catch every violator of our boating rules and regulations on our water ways but I am out quite often day and night and I rarely see a patrol boat out from the dock at Cape Fair marina. A few years back when the water patrol and highway patrol were separate units the presents of the water patrol was greater than it is today. I was out fishing last night and observed a few incidents like jet skis , wake board rider, boats with no rear running light on and/or visible 360 degrees above the highest point of the boat running at/or after sundown. I saw a boat out last night that had at least 10 people on board with at least 8 young children on board and I bet that there weren't enough life jackets for all on board that boat because no one had a life jacket on that I could see. The presents of the water patrol on Table Rock day or night is slim to none at times. I've on occasion to call the water patrol while at Cape Fair to report incidents and the responding water patrol had to respond from the Campbell Point area. Now it is on the individual to be well aware and obey of all the water ways rules and laws before operating any watercraft. I see many violations of those laws an rules just about every time I'm out on the water. These laws and rules are for the safety of everyone out on the water and they need to be enforced. I for one think we need a boat operator licences just as we are required to have to operate a motor vehicle on the highways to operate a watercraft on any navigable water way. No grandfathering of anyone. I have been operating a water craft for over 30 years and I'll bet there are laws and/or rules to operate a boat that I don't know of Yep I know it's my responsible to know those rules and laws and I do review them ever so often. All accidents are moments of stupidly and it can happen to anyone at anytime MoCarp, Daryk Campbell Sr and shark bait 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixermarkb Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 We al need to be more careful out on the water at night. I know on bull shoals I have sometimes switched off my lights while fishing, , but as soon as I hear another boat, they go on, wether or not the other boat is close. Any time I'm near a marina lights are on all the time. I also have slowed way down at night from my younger days. The 30mph nighttime speed limit is really a fair common sense speed after dark. Enough to plane off, but slow enough to react to things you see, if you have decent ambient or moonlight. GPS helps, and with the newer units all having a night mode that you can turn on and keep most of your night vision, are a huge help. GPS is NOT radar though, and you must keep your head on a swivel at night, looking out for anything you may hit. It's especially true when the white river lakes are up, and we are looking at dark vegetation at night rather than white limestone banks. Easy to get turned around out there, even when you "know" the water. add the tendency of novice boaters to take the boat out for a sunset cruise with a few drinks involved, and we must be super safe out there. I'm thankful you guys were ok, and glad the other boaters got medical help and are ok as well. shark bait 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixermarkb Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 8 minutes ago, GNSfishing said: I for one think we need a boat operator licences just as we are required to have to operate a motor vehicle on the highways to operate a watercraft on any navigable water way. No grandfathering of anyone. I'd be in favor of this, along with a on the water skills test, not just a written exam. I also agree that water patrol separate from the highway patrol was better. I'm not sure we had any more troopers on the water over at Bull, but I am dang sure that the old water patrol guys had forgotten more about boating than the average highway patrolman has ever learned. Hard to enforce rules and common sense boat operation when you have never been around boats... Anyone know what the stats say? Are the waters safer post combining the water patrol and highway boys? I wonder how Deaths per year compare, adjusted for the increase in use that we have seen? shark bait, Daryk Campbell Sr and Ham 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark bait Posted July 14, 2019 Author Share Posted July 14, 2019 1 hour ago, fishinwrench said: Glad you guys are all ok, but if something the size of a boat is in front of you.....and you can't see it.....then WTF were you doing moving at anything above idle speed? There could be anything out there adrift, and you can't depend on everything (logs, docks, trees, some kid on a inner tube, ect.) having lights on it for your convenience. There are people out there running down the lake at night with their eyes on a glowing GPS screen. I have to assume it's those people whose kids are the ones eating Tide pods. 🙄 I had all my cash light on low light and lowrance unit on lowest light. Becky B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark bait Posted July 14, 2019 Author Share Posted July 14, 2019 3 hours ago, LD Fisher said: You didn't say if the two of you were ok?? people just don't get it, I would bet that the boat that caught fire at the Kings River Marina didn't run his blower or it wasn't working at least no deaths, only injuries, .................. some only learn from the school of hard knocks! Me and my passenger are fine. Just found out the driver of the other boat has a punctured lung from a broken sternum. His passenger is home with some boat rash. Becky B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOPanfisher Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 Sounds like everyone was lucky. Glad it wasn't worse. shark bait and mixermarkb 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter53 Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 36 minutes ago, shark bait said: I had all my cash light on low light and lowrance unit on lowest light. I am glad nobody was killed! I am sure you feel horrible about it so I won't beat you up too bad. The fact is you were running (above speed limit at that) and could not see what was in front of you so you should never have been on plane low lights or not. If you have not already done this; I would contact a lawyer as I am guessing you are going to get sued over this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixermarkb Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 6 minutes ago, Hunter53 said: am guessing you are going to get sued over this. Almost definitely. but it would be a dogfight given that one boat was speeding and one boat didn't have navigation lights, both violations of the laws. Probably would end up with a lot of money in lawyers pockets on both sides, and not much else. Daryk Campbell Sr, Hunter53 and Ham 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl W Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 Sorry to hear about this Sharkbait. I am glad you are ok. Thanks for sharing as it’s a reminder for both sides. shark bait, Ham and Daryk Campbell Sr 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Babler Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 30 MPH max at night. shark bait 1 http://whiteriveroutfitters.com http://whiteriverlodgebb.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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