Wye=wind,waves, rope burn!

[04ness]

Well, made my final pilgrimage to the Wye today.

 The wind was blowin the waves were poundin, and the friggen a-holes were out in force.

  You know, if I were cruising a 40+ ft mega boat at 35 knots down the middle of a narrow river channel, and I saw a guy in an 11' Jon boat powered by a Minn-kota, trying to pull traps in a stiff breeze 30 yards to the side 0f the channel, I would probably back off the twin diesels a little so as not to turn him into the Poseidon!! at least I wouldn't blast by him 3 friggen times!! and I wouldn't blow directly down his trap line 3 feet away from his floats scattering them all over, and I wouldn't have the balls to wave EACH TIME I went by!!

 Anyway---

went out of Bennett point landing about 8:00 and headed about 1/2 mile up river. crabbed between 15-26' deep. 15 traps      can you say rope burn?!! 

was extremely difficult due to the aforementioned fiasco. wound up with a dozen solid crabs. had 4-5 throw backs. seemed to hit at 15-20 ft off and on had many dry runs.

was not a very enjoyable day to end the season, but at least the wife and I had a little crab & Grog feast to celebrate the ending of my first official season as a Wye crabber!

------Brad

[Joe Crabs]

Hey Brad, that sounds like poor Mike2. I think I counted 6 times when he went by , wrong side of the channel, unless he flushed someone else. Should have let me know you were going couldn't have been that far away , I think you would have had a little better luck, plenty of room to join us, right depth bad location:-\ Next year will be better I am sure.

[tattoo]

At least you got some, and i am sure you and the wife enjoyed them. 

[04ness]

HI JC,

didnt decide to go until about 7:00 Sat night. was kind of a spur of the moment thing.

I think the area I was in had potential, but the waves, wind and such made it difficult. also the river is narrow there, and in my little boat it can get dangerous pretty quick.

well I have a good 6 months to prepare for '07 , maybe with a little tutoring ill be more efficient next year..

-------Brad

[mrscharms]

Brad, there are always a few a-holes out there to mess you up...and I'm sorry!  Now we have a new season to look forward to....just keep the faith....and hope that people will finally learn boating ettiquette!  It is just not right for someone to flood your boat or create serious waves...but they are out there and you have to come to expect it nowadays.  I consider myself a very polite person, but you should hear me cursing out on the water when the inconsiderate boaters leave you in their wake.  It's not going to go away!

Janice

[craboholic]

That must have been me in the 40 ft mega cruiser

Sorry 


(and then I woke up...heheehhe)

[tattoo]

 

[Islander]

Hey Brad, sorry to hear about your bad experience at the Wye. 
Did that mega boat look something like this one?  This guy nearly sunk a few other members last season. 

[Syoung]

Hey Brad, sorry to hear about your bad experience at the Wye. 
Did that mega boat look something like this one?  This guy nearly sunk a few other members last season. 

He blasted right by me and my son in Shaws Bay last year. Looked like he went out of his way to scream 30-40 yards away from us. My son is not little now (6'  from 5' last year), but he could easily see he was not an adult.

[04ness]

no it was a different boat, more of a deeper displacement type hull,  the kind that throws an extremely high (4ft) wall of water down the sides. and it whitecaps all the way to the shore.

 this guy was on my side of the channel both ways. he had several hundred yards of wide open channel and he deliberatly had to hug the edge where I was. The final time he came around the pilling on the point and hugged my line of traps about 3 feet to his port side! I saw him coming and had to back off and get into position to bow into the wake.  I am pretty experienced on the water, and I knowI am pushing the saftey limits of my little boat, but I am confident in my seaman ship abilities, but I can say I was actually scared as the wall of water was approaching my boat. I thought for sure I would be swimming for shore with a bushel basket under my arm!!

---Brad

[max]

Brad: sorry to hear about the boat issue, I myself have a small boat and had the very same issue this year on the Bohemia. I was scared... so scared I had a pucker factor of about 12 out of 10 on the Dewey, Cheatem and Howell flatulence meter. As a matter of fact if the boat had tipped over I could have held onto the seat with no hands...if you know what I mean It's a shame that more people don't have better common sense, I am convinced that most of the people out there are good boaters. Of course it only takes one jerk to help form an opinion. We could always team up and rivet our boars together....then we would have a 21 footer of course with a electric motor on one side and a small gas motor on the other we would only go around in circles. Woooot!! springs just around the corner!!

[ravlegend]

no it was a different boat, more of a deeper displacement type hull,  the kind that throws an extremely high (4ft) wall of water down the sides. and it whitecaps all the way to the shore.

 ... I thought for sure I would be swimming for shore with a bushel basket under my arm!!

---Brad

Brad -

When you see an oncoming 4' wave, what exactly should you do?
Hold on for dear life?  or steers the boat toward the shore line ?(thus perpendicular to the oncoming wave)

I glad you have planned out what items to save and what not prior to any mishaps...

[R D]

Brad -

When you see an oncoming 4' wave, what exactly should you do?
Hold on for dear life?  or steers the boat toward the shore line ?(thus perpendicular to the oncoming wave)

I glad you have planned out what items to save and what not prior to any mishaps...

You go head up into it and keep enough power on to keep you that way

[Crabslayer]

Not excusing anyone for boat operation as everyone is responsible for their wake, however, the Wye is a large body of water especially near the mouth and an 11' jon boat is not the best boat to be using.  Especially this time of year as temps are falling.  It may be ok in protected portions of the Wye but where larger vessles are running you may want to reconsider.

[R D]

Good advice, I spent the summer with broke ribs from big boat wakes and I was in a 24 skiff,it was mostly from me not paying attention, 

[04ness]

Brad -

When you see an oncoming 4' wave, what exactly should you do?
Hold on for dear life?  or steers the boat toward the shore line ?(thus perpendicular to the oncoming wave)

I glad you have planned out what items to save and what not prior to any mishaps...

head directly into it under moderate power. dont take it at an angle or broadside, you will easily flip.  usually on a small boat, the first wave is not a problem,the problem is, when you come down off that wave and hit the 2nd, the bow will plow into the wave and water will come over the bow.

[04ness]

Not excusing anyone for boat operation as everyone is responsible for their wake, however, the Wye is a large body of water especially near the mouth and an 11' jon boat is not the best boat to be using.  Especially this time of year as temps are falling.  It may be ok in protected portions of the Wye but where larger vessles are running you may want to reconsider.

I know im pushing the envelope with my boat, but I do exercise extreme caution. I dont go that close to the mouth. the areas I crab are fairly "protected", maybe a small wind chop. the only concern is the larger vessels that go down the channel. and if they are where they are supposed to be I can work around their wakes. but when the deliberately come to the edge of the channel, on the wrong side, and not at least back off the throttle then I feel its their negligence. There are also many kayakers out there where Im at as well, I personally would have more consideration for others trying to enjoy the waterway as well.

[R D]

I know im pushing the envelope with my boat, but I do exercise extreme caution. I dont go that close to the mouth. the areas I crab are fairly "protected", maybe a small wind chop. the only concern is the larger vessels that go down the channel. and if they are where they are supposed to be I can work around their wakes. but when the deliberately come to the edge of the channel, on the wrong side, and not at least back off the throttle then I feel its their negligence. There are also many kayakers out there where Im at as well, I personally would have more consideration for others trying to enjoy the waterway as well.

You are not using caution if you are pulling traps next to the channel in a 11 ft boat that is best suited for being a flower bed in your yard, i have been on a few SAR'S for people in small boats who thought the rest of the world should cater to them because they wanted to go on the water in a bath tub,none of them ended in a happy ending

[04ness]

You are not using caution if you are pulling traps next to the channel in a 11 ft boat that is best suited for being a flower bed in your yard, i have been on a few SAR'S for people in small boats who thought the rest of the world should cater to them because they wanted to go on the water in a bath tub,none of them ended in a happy ending

Hi R D,

didnt want to turn this into a pissing contest. I take full responsibility if something should happen on the water(god forbid) I dont feel anyone should "cater" to a boater in a smaller vessel, everyone has a right to enjoy natures bounty. and I wouldnt think of trying to venture out into the main part of the channel.  I know big boats throw big wakes and I respect that and even envy the larger boats out there.

but, someone to deliberately go out of their way to come as close as possible to me is no different than someone deliberately trying to run me off the road.  He was three feet from my trap floats and they were nowhere near the channel. he did this 3 times!

bottom line, everyone has the right to use the river, but everyone has the responsibility to use it safely.

Good luck down there and be safe!  ------- Brad

[R D]

My bad then,but you posted that you were to the side of the channel and the big boat was in the channel,

[SHELLFISH]

04ness, This falls under common courtesy. There is just too little of it out there! The captain of a boat is responsible for his boat and his wake. Let him explain his "I was in the channel and therefore right" attitude at a civil/criminal liable hearing! The plaintiffs attorneys would have a field day!
When in my boat, and I see a canoe or kayak paddling about, I slow down to an idle and motor by him until I am clear.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

[R D]

if i am in a narrow water way i will slow down for them BUT i am not slowing down for every idiot who wants to go out in the open in a small boat or canoe,be no use to ever leave the dock because you would have to idle everywhere you go,  and the "responsable for your wake" will only carry so far in court. Youy are negligent if you go in open or navagable waters in a vessal that is not safe or seaworthy for those waters

[04ness]

if i am in a narrow water way i will slow down for them BUT i am not slowing down for every idiot who wants to go out in the open in a small boat or canoe,be no use to ever leave the dock because you would have to idle everywhere you go,  and the "responsable for your wake" will only carry so far in court. Youy are negligent if you go in open or navagable waters in a vessal that is not safe or seaworthy for those waters

I totally agree, if someone is trying to cross the ocean in a rowboat they are negligent.  If a larger boat is trying to buzz by a small boat that is out of the navigable part of the channel, then he is being negligent.

lets all have fun and be safe. the photo idea of a rogue boater is a good idea, if a trouble maker is out there, post his pic so all can look out and beware. Im sure the DNR visits this site from time to time, and would be interested in the problem causers out there.

----Brad

[fisheyed]

worse than going fast in my opinion is when they slow down just a little to try to be courteous and end up making a bigger wake than they had when on plane. everyone should know there boat, be respectful and stay alert. doesn't matter whose fault it is when your dead.

[max]

he's right....it don't matter who's fault it is when yer dead.