Crazy People!

[hossdog]

Just need to vent!

We were out the other day and some crazy people were in an old Bayliner Capri trying to jump over our wake while we had a rider behind the boat! They moved on fast enough so we just kept riding. Well it was my turn and after my first fall while I was waiting to be picked up I heard someone yelling for help. Sure enough it was the same jackass in the Bayliner. The driver of my boat at the time yelled out "what's wrong". They yelled back "my starter is dead". We yelled back "we'll come get you when we finish up here". So I finished my set and we went to give them a tow. Apparently the half hour it took for me to finish up my set and remove my dry-suit and get my gear back in the boat was too long for them. When we got to them it was two guys in their 30s and a kid that looked to be about 13. The driver of their boat started screaming profanities at us and yelling about how long it took us to get to him. I apologized and said well I'm here now. He then threatened to beat my a$$. That was enough for me. I motored up and left them out there. I'm sure he had fun paddling back to shore and hitching a ride as we were the only other boat out there and it was getting cold. I just feel bad for his passengers as they sure would have appreciated a tow in, but I'm not going to risk the safety of myself and passengers for some crazed idiot with a temper. My girlfriend notified the sheriff of the break down. I know breaking down is frustrating, but really?

[skippabcool]

Sad part is he probably didn't learn a thing.

[skippabcool]

To steal a line from Zad - Common Sense is not so Common

I would've done the same thing.

[Surf406]

x2

[tnvolgrad]

You can't fix stupid!

[robert theisen]

Don't piss off the boat trying to help you. It could cause a delay in getting back to the dock.

[mls6722]

I would have let the air out of the tires of his tow vehicle and trailer

[konajay]

I would've done the same thing. Don't sweat it!

[Fiveflat]

There's one problem with your story...
You didn't motor of the first time he was aggravated because you were boarding!
Then you said "sorry" on top of that?! You're a pretty stand up guy I suppose.

[Nobody]

Tempers can flare up FAST in the boating arena, especially at the dock. We see it all the time. First thing an office says, did anybody "touch" (doesn't have to be push or shove) anybody?

Off they go to jail.

[Ruger761]

I hate crazy people on the water. I wouldnt have been as nice as you were to them. Someone wants help they can wait a little for it and they can be nice to you when you come to help. My thoughts anyways. Ive pulled a lot of boats and ski's in and no one has ever be like that to me.

[jwanck11]

I don't know how far you were from the dock, but I would have towed him in and then done a set.

[hossdog]

I don't know how far you were from the dock, but I would have towed him in and then done a set.

Only thing is that I was already in my drysuit, the cold 50 degree water and strapped in to my sky ski when I heard him and the dock to tow too is far away. It wasn't like they were sinking. I was so shocked when we got closer and I realized he was pissed at us and yelling. It is early season up hear and that late in the day we were the only other boat out there. Definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed!

[Ewok]

Lake Pend Oreille (pronounced: pond-o-ray) is huge and I imagine you guys were not close to the launch or public docks. I might have circled a bit and let him calm down and offered a tow in when he appologized for getting too close to my boat and jumping the wake with a rider in tow, but I would not have wanted to get close to an angry dude and put my kids in danger.

[IDBoating]

some crazy people were in an old Bayliner Capri trying to jump over our wake while we had a rider behind the boat!

The only thing that makes me madder than this is the oddball 1.125 inch size used in marine hoses.

We had someone do this last season - when my then-9YO son was surfing behind the boat. They were within 50 feet of our stern and keeping up with our ~10 MPH speed. If my son had dropped off the wave I don't know that they could have turned in time, if they even saw him at all. Wide open water, lake not crowded, lots of other paths they could have taken, etc. We waved and screamed at them to no avail. We tried gently turning left and right, so they could keep going straight, and they tracked our path!

I wasn't sure what to do. If we slowed, the wave would fall and my son would be in the water. If we turned too sharply, he might not hold the wave. I thought about throwing him the rope and pulling him in, but wasn't sure I wanted to break his concentration trying to catch the rope.

Finally, the other boat seemed to get the message and they passed us. I didn't make eye contact, I was so p!$$ed off I wasn't sure I could remain a gentleman.

As to your towing adventure: That's some real cheek, yelling at the guy who is offering to help you. Particularly given his earlier behavior when his engine was still running! I'd have left him there too - after making sure he understood WHY I was leaving him there, in the hopes that he would learn something (or his passengers would remind him the next time).

People are really disappointing sometimes.