Skilled or dangerous

[Andy Bav]

Got to love the French. In some respects they get it right where our health and safety is ott.

We are in Nice and watched the watersports action from the promenade.

Channel marked by yellow buoys, must be 5 knots until 200m or so out? No, he was on the plane in no time at all.

Coming back to shore, with 2 bikini clad ladies in the cockpit with him, he must have been doing 20 knots on the plane and was brushing the yellow marker bouys which some kids were hanging onto! How did he stop? reach the second landward buoy, left hand hard down and do a 180.

Not sure if I witnessed good boat handling, showing off, or sheer luck, but in my book, it looked pretty dangerous in such close proximity to the swimmers. That said he has probably been doing it all season, and probably a few years without mishap, but I felt uncomfortable watching.

Have I turned into Mr elf and safety?

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

Got to love the French. In some respects they get it right where our health and safety is ott.

We are in Nice and watched the watersports action from the promenade.

Channel marked by yellow buoys, must be 5 knots until 200m or so out? No, he was on the plane in no time at all.

Coming back to shore, with 2 bikini clad ladies in the cockpit with him, he must have been doing 20 knots on the plane and was brushing the yellow marker bouys which some kids were hanging onto! How did he stop? reach the second landward buoy, left hand hard down and do a 180.

Not sure if I witnessed good boat handling, showing off, or sheer luck, but in my book, it looked pretty dangerous in such close proximity to the swimmers. That said he has probably been doing it all season, and probably a few years without mishap, but I felt uncomfortable watching.

Have I turned into Mr elf and safety?

No, not yet, but maybe the demon that whispers in your ear has grown a halo.

 

[Firefly625]

Sounds like he's having far to much fun, therefore it must be dangerous ?

 

[z1ppy]

Hummm. I suspect he was showing off and doing it in sight of everyone would be his preferred location.

In mitigation, on our boat if I need to stop quickly I will often turn reasonably quickly at the same time as throttling down. The reason for this is there is a not insignificant surge wave following us and just bringing the throttle back to idle from say planing speeds results in a noticeable following wave. I don't fear swamping the boat as we have a engine well before the transom but more to protect the engine from water surging and causing damage.

I believe this is a generally accepted practice but of course, that doesn't justify hooning into a restricted area and trying to look cool in an attempt to impress.

 

[andy59]

Anything that involves bikini clad ladies naturally means that the brain is disengaged .
Personally I wouldn`t do it but then I am a middle aged fart

 

[jrudge]

I was round the corner from Antibes yesterday and the ski / donut boat was on the plane from the moment it left the beach to the moment it got back. Not what I would do in an access lane. But he is of course a "professional "!!

 

[Portofino]

I was round the corner from Antibes yesterday and the ski / donut boat was on the plane from the moment it left the beach to the moment it got back. Not what I would do in an access lane. But he is of course a "professional "!!

May be that's the confusion
The large round yellows demarqate the less than 5 knots approx 200 M from the beach ( but can be any distance ) -and they may have no anchor or propeller symbol on too !
The line of channel markers triangle to port from the beach cylindrical to Stb mark the boat channel .
Swimmers are forbidden to enter and boats - sports boats etc can and will exercise what ever speed they think fit -its up to bathers to keep out
Zones work -here remember each French boater over from memory 5 Hp has had to sit a compulsory test
Part of which is a theory MCQ ,content of which includes the above .

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

I was round the corner from Antibes yesterday and the ski / donut boat was on the plane from the moment it left the beach to the moment it got back. Not what I would do in an access lane. But he is of course a "professional "!!

I'm guessing you were at La Garoupe? If so, Portofino's right about that particular channel, it's dedicated for that watersports outfit, they can do what they like there.

PS will you still be around on Friday? I should be down at about lunchtime.

 

[Prhperio]

Got to love the French. In some respects they get it right where our health and safety is ott.

We are in Nice and watched the watersports action from the promenade.

Channel marked by yellow buoys, must be 5 knots until 200m or so out? No, he was on the plane in no time at all.

Coming back to shore, with 2 bikini clad ladies in the cockpit with him, he must have been doing 20 knots on the plane and was brushing the yellow marker bouys which some kids were hanging onto! How did he stop? reach the second landward buoy, left hand hard down and do a 180.

Not sure if I witnessed good boat handling, showing off, or sheer luck, but in my book, it looked pretty dangerous in such close proximity to the swimmers. That said he has probably been doing it all season, and probably a few years without mishap, but I felt uncomfortable watching.

Have I turned into Mr elf and safety?

Agree completely with you, it does always look as if the margin for error as he comes in having finished the ride is almost non-existant. We've watched it on many occasions whilst sat on the blue beach. Have often wondered whether one day he'll end up ramming the boat up on the beach or perhaps more problematic dropping the punters on the beach rather than in the water which could be a bit unfortunate. We did see him take off rather rapidly once not keeping an eye on the couple he was going to be towing before they were really ready but fortunately did stop in time.

 

[jrudge]

I'm guessing you were at La Garoupe? If so, Portofino's right about that particular channel, it's dedicated for that watersports outfit, they can do what they like there.

PS will you still be around on Friday? I should be down at about lunchtime.

Yes will be on Antibes Friday. Beer in fridge ! Yes was garoup.

But ... Surely the blanket 5 kts within 350m ( or 300 m?) of the shore would apply ?