Windermere sunshine causes madness

[spv737]

Took the boat out for a nice bit of cruising on the lake in the sunshine heading North on a steady course in the middle of the lake when a 25ft fishing boat (open stern and outriggers) appeared from around a headland on my port fwd quarter (making me the stand on) I observed his course and thought I would keep my eye on it as it would involve a collision in my estimate, after a while i saw the other boat turn slightly to stbd so thought he was going to manouvre behind me but no he continued on his course which resulted in him crossing my bow and the 2 boats got as close as 6ft as he passed. I am not that experienced in boating but was sure I was in the right and held my course (with a view to take action if required) I suppose I should have maybe sounded my horn,jesticulated with 2 fingers, shouted or reported him (or all of them) but I was having a nice day and determined not to get lake rage and get wound up.
On returning to my mooring we were negotiating the narrow channel past Fell Foot onto the river when a hired rowing boat decided to cut across my bow as well, the woman rowing with 4 kids in the boat wasn't looking and it took a number of horn button pressings to make her take note, yes lake bylaws say give way to rowers but in the narrow marked channel you cant manouvre, amusing to watch her frantically trying to get out of the way though

 

[kid's inheritance]

Colregs don't apply on the Lake-in both senses! Wait until Bank Holiday red boat madness descends
Regards
Rob

 

[oGaryo]

yep, even if he were at sea I'd say running a few fishing lines out the back off the outriggers doesn't restrict their ability to manouver

 

[Lakesailor]

I also went for a chug-chug yesterday and had all the same fun up around the Bowness area.
The put-puts (and the newer and faster electric launches) just flail about changing direction like those clockwork mice you used to buy.
A row boat was approaching me in the channel between Lady Holme and the shore, quite correctly we would pass port to port when he veered straight at my bow. His wife in the stern shouted to him and he looked around and nearly fell out of the boat with the surprise.
It's like following a toddler. You just can't tell which way they are going.

The lake by-laws are based on Col Reg with a couple of extras like giving way to ferries and row-boats and a weird one about taking turns at jetties.

Another rower gave me a good laugh. He was about half a mile from the hire jetty and was rowing backwards. Everything was right, facing the right way, wifey and kids in the stern etc but he was rowing stern-first.

I did take some vid, but it was not apparent from the angle I was at what he was doing. I didn't feel it was good form to turn around and go back to film him!

Rubbish video

​

 

[spv737]

Lakey
We went up past Bowness to Fallbarrow through all the red and white "mice", good analogy
I know they havent got a clue about lake regs but the mobo from earlier post should have known better.
(we used to on a swinging mooring close to you last year but moved down to the Swan, dammed expensive but far more convienient)

 

[Lakesailor]

Hope they've got a better system for mooring than they had, pre-flood.
The V-shaped jetty pieces were all that held the boats in position.

Didn't work too well in 2008! (although I don't think they had the same problems in 2009 when the floods were worse).

 

[spv737]

Yes got much better moorings now

 

[Lakesailor]

Ah yes. That's a proper job.

 

[Dinks66]

If you think it is mad now, wait until this weekend and next. I will be staying away until all the rush has gone I'm afraid. Being at work until the end of next week has also helped my decision mind you!
I also keep away from the bottom end of the lake after I managed to put a hole in the bottom of my boat last September going for a bit of Lunch down at the Swan. I only drag 2'6" and kept to the channel (I think)but still managed to scrape when the lake was low. It hardly felt like anything but on reflection slate is a wee bit harder than gelcoat and if the Iceberg couldn't shift it a few million years ago then I don't suppose I stood a chance really. A very expensive lunch that turned out to be!!!! The berths down there do look rather tidy though.

 

[landlockedpirate]

It used to be a lot lot worse. My memory of summer weekends in the late 80's and early 90's was utter madness. The August bank holiday was even worse. Boats were a lot smaller on average, a 16ft Fletcher was a big speedboat but there was loads of them. Add in a few jetskis and the 1st of the sit down wet bikes and its amazing there were so few accidents.

 

[Lakesailor]

Luckily there aren't any jetskis now and few sports boats. However I went down the South end a few days ago and the speeders down were a bit of a pain. I forgot how they used to use yachts as bollards to spice up their fun. Always across your bow of course, never around the stern.
The Lake Patrol (Rangers) don't seem to be policing it very much and the Wardens are no longer responsible for the speed limit.

There are a hell of a lot more canoeists and swimmers (!) now.

Still, it's much quieter than it was.

 

[mateyboy]

Probably best to steer to their stern instead of letting it spoil your Chablis for the afternoon.

 

[Kawasaki]

Luckily there aren't any jetskis now and few sports boats. However I went down the South end a few days ago and the speeders down were a bit of a pain. I forgot how they used to use yachts as bollards to spice up their fun. Always across your bow of course, never around the stern.
The Lake Patrol (Rangers) don't seem to be policing it very much and the Wardens are no longer responsible for the speed limit.

There are a hell of a lot more canoeists and swimmers (!) now.

Still, it's much quieter than it was.

Bleedin Eck!
Stuff boating on lakes (specially Wonderwhereweregoingmere)
I reckon it's safer at Sea

 

[Bbroomlea]

We're packing up and heading over to Windermere this morning for a few days - in some ways I'm not looking forward to it despite the forecast cloudless skies and high temperatures.

We were there two weeks ago and that was bad enough. This is our first season on there and I do worry about those little red and white boats, rowers and the idiots who charge about in their tiny speed boats at 40kts.

 

[Seajet]

A long time ago when a small boy, I was doing my Swallows and Amazons bit in my 10' Caricraft gunter dinghy off Low Wray, when my day was livened up considerably by a speedboat coming around the corner at full chat; the particular snag being the waterskier out to one side, self being between rapidly approaching boat and skier.

Expecting to be 'cheese-wired' any moment I was hitting the bottom of the boat as the skier panicked, let go and went into the rocks at reasonably high speed.

I'd hoped the speeding ban might have improved things, but on reading this thread I don't think I'll be rushing back just yet.

 

[IRC Kevin]

I actually thought it was rather quiet yesterday, apart from aforementioned fisher (or his twin) which we saw rounding Belle Isle at a fair old speed. Also was not happy with some clown in a mid-Lake F33/34 doing 20mph+ down past Millerground where we had moored for lunch. Obviously had no idea at all about the chaos his wake caused on the smaller boats also moored there.
I suspect today through till Monday will be a very different case, which is why we came home at 7A.M. this morning.
Lake level down somewhat and the back of Belle Isle is dodgy in places it's normally okay in- noticed the northbound Miss Cumbrias on the Island Tour taking a different route through.

 

[Lakesailor]

Didn't go out yesterday.
Went on the boat to do some fiddling today.

Lake Patrol more active. Saw them, from my mooring, stop 2 boats.

On his way to Miller Ground

This is why put puts are so unpredictable

 

[Searush]

I remember having a picnic lakeside & having a swim & a bit of canoeing/ rolling practice. Lots of people in the water, including kids, when a fast cabin cruiser came flying past very close to the edge of the lake - really dangerous with so many kids in the water. Anyway, he hit the end of a sunbmerged drystone wall & stopped dead in the water, must have taken his prop clen off.

It's a long time since I had such a good laugh. Deffo an example of Karma

 

[Bbroomlea]

It seems not all visiting diots are afloat - was at Millerground until about 8.30pm when some chavs took over the jetty and started throwing stones. One hit the boat so we made a sharp exit before the atmosphere degraded!

Was hoping to spend the night there but back in WMV enjoying a beer and an internet connection!

 

[Lakesailor]

Easter is the roughest time in the area. You get the wild campers and raves at this time. Plus thieving. We had table and chairs taken form our garden one Easter.

The rest of the year is pleasant by comparison.