Fat bald due on a jetski. Was he too close?

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burgundyben

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Borrowed a pic from epervier...

This guy followed us down the Solent for a few mins on Sunday, for some time he sat on our wake less than a boat length from the transom, I felt he was a little too close

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How close is safe?

I'm pretty sure had I shut the throttles. Say for a lobster pot, he have run into the back of us and on that basis I think he was too close.
 
Nah, they're that close all the time. If you shut the throttles sharpish, he'd just run out to one side (he can turn on a sixpence, remember). We find that they keep a sensible distance as if they get too close in, the wake is too big for them...

More to the point, why are they all bald, fat and have no necks?
 
bald - because they're going to fast to keep the toupe on ...
no-necks - because as they hit the water head first it is driven into their torso
fat - natural buoyancy - all the thin ones drown ..
 
I always think that motor boaters (in fact all boaters really) would benefit from a bit of close quarter dinghy sailing before they take to the seas. Experience gained in racing dinghies seems to me to give a really good spatial awareness on the water.

IMO, its quite usual to find people (like yourself) who think that something is really too close and in fact there isnt any real danger.

Now was he being considerate to you - it always seems a bit of a cheek to me when Jetskiers ride on our wake but I just smile.

No, I dont think he was too close.

He could have been though.
 
I always think that motor boaters (in fact all boaters really) would benefit from a bit of close quarter dinghy sailing before they take to the seas. Experience gained in racing dinghies seems to me to give a really good spatial awareness on the water.
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When I used to race dinghies inland on the river we often had to fight our way upstream in nil wind and it was important to get out of the current. Spatial awareness then consisted of knowing we were too close in if we found ourselves sailing between the grazing cows and the river. :) Still, being aground did stop you drifting downstream on occasion.
 
Me too

That same bloke followed me from about Fawley nearly all the way to Cowes the other day. He kept my passengers amused until seemed to hurt his hand and stopped.
 
Hurricane said:
(like yourself) who think that something is really too close and in fact there isnt any real danger.

No, I dont think he was too close.
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Oh?

I've got 15 years of dinghy racing experience, 10 years yacht racing and 10 years with a motor boat almost all of it in the congested waters of the Solent. close proximity of other vessels and jetski's playing in my wake is nothing new, but this chap was particularly close and IMO too close for safety. Sure they can turn on a six pence but that relies on their reaction times being quick enough and on them concentrating.
 
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Just looking at the photo I'd say he wasn't too close for safety - but then I can't really judge how close he was or how fast you were going.
What I would say is that he's encroaching on your "personal space" ... as basically he could be just oogling your backside giggling about on your helm seat ... :o
 
Wiggo said:
Nah, they're that close all the time. If you shut the throttles sharpish, he'd just run out to one side (he can turn on a sixpence, remember). We find that they keep a sensible distance as if they get too close in, the wake is too big for them...

More to the point, why are they all bald, fat and have no necks?
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Yeah, that's what I was thinking...oh - and they're all from Liverpool
(uh-oh - incoming) :)
 
Next time, be prepared. Shut down the throttles and as he closes your stern have your crew hand him the invoice:

Pay Burgundyben:

£XXXXX

for provision of leisure facilities, specifically wake.
 
Folk on jet skis here have quite a reputation for lack of spatial awareness - being completely oblivious of other boats until they crash in to them is often more the case..... but then this could be something to do with the fact that it is usually a tourist on the jet ski, this could be his first time ever on one (he has hired it for 20 mins of fun), and he is not fazed about having 1,100 ccs under him as he is well fuelled up internally on rum punch......

Jet skiers here seem to love invading other boaters personal space - if we are out sailing they will often come and do tight circles around us, I suppose because any boat is regarded as a mark or destination. And dont expect the average tourist to have any idea of collision regulations when he is driving one of these beasts....

Maybe just coincidence, but our boat has a nice big star crack in the gelcoat amidships, at the height of a jet ski bow above the water line. A chap here who has a MacGregor 36 catamaran had one crash into the side of his (stationary, at anchor) boat at speed a few years ago - the driver was catapulted into orbit and landed on the front trampoline between the hulls. The jet ski driver's reaction? "Oh, I didnt see you!"

A pal of mine is a keen fisherman, and usually has a fishing line out behind when he is sailing - he has caught a few jet-skiers in the past (to compensate for the lack of fish caught perhaps?)

We all have to be tolerant of other water users and make allowances at times - however the 'average' jet skier here does seem to often push these tolerance limits to the max!
 
Running up Southampton water quite fast a couple of weeks ago a zapcat came to play in my wake. He approached from right angles, hit the wake very close behind me, shot up vertically, deposited the passanger in the water and slammed back down.

I must confess to laughing out loud. Just wish I had had my camera to hand.

( He picked up the passenger then came back for another go. Much further astern this time. )
 
burgundyben said:
Oh?

I've got 15 years of dinghy racing experience, 10 years yacht racing and 10 years with a motor boat almost all of it in the congested waters of the Solent. close proximity of other vessels and jetski's playing in my wake is nothing new, but this chap was particularly close and IMO too close for safety. Sure they can turn on a six pence but that relies on their reaction times being quick enough and on them concentrating.
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Sorry about my rather rash comment - you are obviously one of us privilaged few who seem to understand close quarter sailing.

In this Jetski case, I therefore concede to your judgement - you were there - I wasnt.
 
burgundyben said:
Borrowed a pic from epervier...

This guy followed us down the Solent for a few mins on Sunday, for some time he sat on our wake less than a boat length from the transom, I felt he was a little too close

099-1.jpg


How close is safe?

I'm pretty sure had I shut the throttles. Say for a lobster pot, he have run into the back of us and on that basis I think he was too close.
Click to expand...

I get the same thing in Majorca. I find that a spot of brake testing ie suddenly slowing down is enough for the bozo on the PWC to get the message. If you get a particularly thick one, emptying the holding tank usually has the desired effect
 
Distance has little to do with it - it's the skill of the PWC driver that counts. Get a dozy PWC driver and 100m away could be too close. Get a PWC racer etc. and 10m could be plenty of space - get what i'm saying?

TBH so long as they don't do any damage (I know I know... what if....) then I don't see the problem. Would you prefer to have someone enjoying your wake, or have some kn0bhead screaming the head off you/complaining about your wake? If anything they provide entertainment to your crew.

I often hop peoples wake on my Thundercat and so far it's just been smiles/waves/cameras out - never once had any ignorant plike give me the finger etc. Having said that I usually keep a decent enough distance away and I usually go head-on to the wake instead of with it, so even if I did screw up when in the air, i'll be going the opposite way of the boat
 
Without wishing to sound like a miserable git. Having been in this situation loads of times I'd be a little uncomfortable with him being quite so close. Certainly in the Solent, there are times when you have to have eyes in the back of your head and extra sensory powers to try to predict what some yachties are going to do next. Having to constantly look over your shoulder to check what Mr PWC driver is up to is just another distraction that could be done without
 
It's Alexei Sayle!

Your description. the image and alleged birthplace of the PWC rider convinces me that the rider in question can only be the Liverpudlian comedian.

I can just visualise him singing "'Ullo John! Gotta New Motor?" as he rides the wake.
 
Maybe its just me then, but i've never been bothered by PWC drivers behind me, and class it as entertainment for any guests on board. We usually speed up/slow down to just on the plane, as that seems to give them the best ramps to jump off, as my lad loves to watch them jumping the wakes

IMG_2955-jetski.jpg
 
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