- Oct 4, 2006
- 2,344
- Boat Info
- 2006 300DA Sundancer
- Engines
- 350 Mags / Bravo III
For some reason, pontoon, canbote, and tooner boats have infested the upper Mississippi this summer, more so than past summers...
Forget the rules for navigation, they don't seem to apply to the majority of them. Forget horns, vhf radios, many don't even have VHF antennaes... About every skipper I see at the helm is underway with their back to the starboard side so he can be part of the conversation at all times. I won't even start on the ones pulling water toys on the main channel.
I have had to give way, or drop off plane sooo many times this summer to avoid potential collisions because the skipper just isn't paying attention, and I give them as wide a berth as I can...the Mississippi is only so wide.
Therefore I would like to enter a new rule for navigation on the Upper Mississippi: Pass canbotes on the port side only, it is your only chance of being recognized as another watercraft that is violating their space...
In all fairness, there are a few that do just fine. Anyone else had similar experiences this summer?
Forget the rules for navigation, they don't seem to apply to the majority of them. Forget horns, vhf radios, many don't even have VHF antennaes... About every skipper I see at the helm is underway with their back to the starboard side so he can be part of the conversation at all times. I won't even start on the ones pulling water toys on the main channel.
I have had to give way, or drop off plane sooo many times this summer to avoid potential collisions because the skipper just isn't paying attention, and I give them as wide a berth as I can...the Mississippi is only so wide.
Therefore I would like to enter a new rule for navigation on the Upper Mississippi: Pass canbotes on the port side only, it is your only chance of being recognized as another watercraft that is violating their space...
In all fairness, there are a few that do just fine. Anyone else had similar experiences this summer?