"Big Wakes!" What to do to stop the madness!

[Ryan]

For what it's worth, I don't trust the buddy on it's own. Bungees get old and fail. I run a redundant rope through the danik hook that I have the anchor buddy tied to on the top side, down to the same box anchor on the bottom side. I play out enough rope to allow the buddy to do work, but not enough to allow it to hit max stretch. It's not as clean as I would like it with the extra rope but I would assume at that point, the system limit is your rope and not the wrapped bungee. The two ropes, the anchor and a small buoy all fit in the anchor bag that came with the box anchor.

Pretty sure that is exactly how they recommend to use it. Good work.

 

[Chad Axelson]

I was on the Stargazer (note one word) last week. (Hi Dave!). We were actually in Iceberg at the beginning of the week but were by the Escalante on Thursday. We have the speed boat pictured but only use it for scouting/exploring and the occasional kiddie tube ride. And yeah, the wake/surf boats annoyed us in Iceberg too. View attachment 5375

Was not your boat for sure!

 

[Kurt Douglas]

I'm glad someone (looks like many) else feels this way. We had our houseboat at the very back (we thought at the time) of Bullfrog, anchored on an island. When we got there any further back had rock sticking up and was only about 2'deep. With rising water in came a huge houseboat, , further back in. With it came the jet skies and surf boats. The rest of the week the jet skies and boat came flying in and out of the cove, causing the lines to come loose and my fishing boat that was on the beach to get slammed. Oh for our old slingshot that shot huge water balloons a long way.

 

[Don Sprecher]

The impact that rude, inconsiderate, or oblivious wakeboard and wake surfing boat owners (and other boat owners, but these are the biggest offenders) are having on our family's safety and enjoyment of Lake Powell from May to September is significant. A serious question - What can be done to stop this madness?

The examples are numerous on WW posts. The problems we've personally had with 'big wakes' in the past couple of years is significant enough that it impacts every trip we take that we stay out on a beach. To the point that we consider NOT GOING. It's that significant. Last year we had our 25' Cobalt just about sunk when anchored to shore bow out by huge surf boat wakes coming over the bow (it would have sunk had we not "intervened"); we've had our large 40,000 lb. cruiser picked up and slammed onto the beach making horrible sounds more times than I can recall; we've had wake/surf boats continually and maliciously cruise behind our beach and boats making huge waves slamming swimmers into the houseboat, turning over kayakers, etc. I could go on but you get the point. This happens EVERY TRIP nowadays!

I don't have a solution as many of these problems are caused by boat drivers who really could not care less about what their wakes are doing to those on shore, even when asked nicely as WW member BKiser did last week (mentioned in another thread). We've also asked operators, many times, to be aware of and lower their wakes behind us - sometimes they have and apologized, many times they just don't care; several reactions have included harsh words or giving us the finger or flashing us/mooning us (unfortunately, we've reciprocated the bad words on occasion out of sheer frustration and as a great example to our kids and guests).

BTW-we do have friends with surf boats and they are great fun for persons of all ages! It's not the fault of the boat that these issues are occurring, it's the owners!

I call clueless people on Lake Powell "Oblivions", but many of these boat captains are not oblivions, what they do is done knowingly, maliciously and on purpose. I don't even think enforcement of existing laws regarding "being responsible for damage caused by your own wake" will stop the problem, as most of the time, known damage does not occur, it's just plain dangerous and inconsiderate.

Any thoughts to answer my question - What can be done to stop this madness?

p.s.-I just thought of one thing I/we could do. Take photos or video of the perps and post it on WW if it has enough clarity to see the perps and their boat number. My personal experience says NPS doesn't care/won't do anything about this problem, but pure public shame might be somewhat of a deterrent.

We had the same problem on Lake Mead years ago while fishing striper boils.
Jet skiers and boats cruising through large boils that many boats where fishing same boil.
Our solution was a wrist rocket slingshot, with paintballs for marking the boat/jetskier.
Then we could contact NPS and they would find boat with paint marked on it.
The law says there must be a minimum distance from other boats.

 

[Joel Belmont]

I know this sounds a little childish and immature but I had the same kind of thing happen to us last year in halls creek with people surfing too close to us. They went back and forth for hrs one day causing waves crashing on the beach so bad you could see orange for about 30 feet from the shore !
We had been camped for 2 days when this started so noticing they were camped a little ways towards the bay and being an early riser like 6am I motored over their way and flipped my captains call exhaust on and having a 350 V8 and did laps in their cove. It wasn’t long till many heads popes up from the roof of thier house boat! I did it a few more times and even stopped so they could see my boat in case they wanted to discuss the situation later. Yea they never came back. Some times you have to fight fire with fire ! It sad to say there are more and more morons that are clueless to any decorum on operating a boat.

I get the frustration, but only taking the more difficult road of talking with people and educating them on laws and courtesy will change anything. They may have left you alone but probably did the same thing to other boats. There's been many times tent camping with a group of teenagers in a houseboat across from me that won't stop blasting loud music until 2-3am (I have kids 4, 6, and 8 that are asleep or trying to by 9-10) where I've wanted to take the easy 'retaliation' and park my boat near theirs at sunrise and start playing really loud music... but that never solves anything. As other posters have mentioned, it would be MUCH more effective at making sure the problems don't keep happening to go over to them and say "hey friend, are you enjoying the lake? I wanted to ask you a favor... Did you know... (etc).

Just my 2 cents on how to achieve the real change we all desire here. If someone is a jerk, and then I'm a jerk, we both lose the opportunity to grow and change.

 

[Bill Sampson]

I don't. The advantage of the Anchor Buddy is it will stretch in wind/waves, putting less stress on the anchor. The other advantage is you can set it, pull in close to shore to get out in shallower water, and then let some line out so you don't have to worry about the boat hitting ground. Same happens when you retrieve it.

They work really well.

I agree with Ryan. I have the Anchor Buddy and it works well for me.

 

[Cookie]

I have used the anchor buddy in the past, I will not anymore. I had my boat tied to it, and the boat was 30 ft off shore. We were out on an excursion in another boat, weather hit us and we weren't in camp. We got back and the wind stretch the line enough for my boat to be bouncing off the shore and houseboat...………..gel coat did not survive. Point is, they are fine in good weather, you would be amazing how far they will stretch with constant forces against it.

 

[PowellBride]

They need to make more canyons “NO WAKE ZONES” like Lost Eden Canyon next to Halls Creek. Just be ready for more people camping in that canyon. Sq

If only anyone paid attention to the No Wake sign in Lost Eden. We tried cursing the canyon, but with a boat ignoring the no wake on my A-- we turned and left. Every time we went past after that we watched boats entering. 4 for 4 - no one slowed

 

[gznokes]

Dang! That is the idea I needed to hear. Thanks for sharing! When you set the system up this way do you feel confident letting the boat sit on anchor even if it gets a bit rough and gusty?

 

[Gem Morris]

Dang! That is the idea I needed to hear. Thanks for sharing! When you set the system up this way do you feel confident letting the boat sit on anchor even if it gets a bit rough and gusty?

You just have to allow for the maximum possible stretch and make sure your boat won't touch shore when the wind blows it that far. Also add a back up "maximum stretch line" as mentioned above.

 

[Dave I.]

When I worked at the lake (Bullfrog & Halls) there was a joke amongst the employees that none of us have ever seen the drop box at the entrance gates where people drop off their common sense when the come to the lake.

I do understand the frustration and have experienced it ourselves. We were in Moki canyon and fishing along one of the walls there in our 28' pontoon boat. It wasn't a wake boat but they were going just under planing speed so they were making the biggest wake they could and probably not even realizing it. That wake sent us up against the wall several times, lost 2 fishing poles and did damage to the boat. We got out of there before they could come back out and cause any more harm. We didn't confront them because what good would that do?

That was the las time we had that problem. How? We quit going to the lake during the busy summer months. We have found the end of September/ beginning of October is the perfect time to go to the lake. That's when people at the lake get respectful of each other and that drop box at the gate isn't nearly as full.

Happy boating everyone.

 

[Mrs. BigDogGuy]

We use the anchor bungee, too, and also run another rope along side it. We make very effort to boat camp in Last Chance when no one, or very few others, are there, March/April or October/November. It’s been 10+ years since we did a summer stint, no thank you!

 

[Ryan]

When I worked at the lake (Bullfrog & Halls) there was a joke amongst the employees that none of us have ever seen the drop box at the entrance gates where people drop off their common sense when the come to the lake.

I do understand the frustration and have experienced it ourselves. We were in Moki canyon and fishing along one of the walls there in our 28' pontoon boat. It wasn't a wake boat but they were going just under planing speed so they were making the biggest wake they could and probably not even realizing it. That wake sent us up against the wall several times, lost 2 fishing poles and did damage to the boat. We got out of there before they could come back out and cause any more harm. We didn't confront them because what good would that do?

That was the las time we had that problem. How? We quit going to the lake during the busy summer months. We have found the end of September/ beginning of October is the perfect time to go to the lake. That's when people at the lake get respectful of each other and that drop box at the gate isn't nearly as full.

Happy boating everyone.

Dave if you were walking to your car in a parking lot and saw someone back into it and drive away what would you do?

Sorry. I just don’t get the idea of having someone damage your equipment. You know who did it. And not do anything about it.

 

[John P Funk]

Sorry. I just don’t get the idea of having someone damage your equipment. You know who did it. And not do anything about it.

I agree, if it's going to cost me money. I would definitely get names and insurance information to make a claim for my insurance company. We have to demand people be responsible for their actions(willful or not). Otherwise what has happened will continue to happen.

 

[Dave I.]

The damage wasn't substantial (only $150 to repair) and definitely not worth the headache of going to chase them down and probably getting in an argument as it was stated before, then going to chase down the elusive rangers to report the accident, then turn it into insurance so we can try to prove that it was their fault, all for $150 repair that I can do myself.

Point being, you guys don't need to get into attack mode because I didn't report it before you know all the details. We were in the middle of our vacation and didn't deem it worth going back in to the marina. The damage didn't hinder our trip and we still had a good time at the lake.

And reporting it to the insurance company won't make people be more courteous to others on the lake. Like I said, most people leave their common sense at the gate, especially during the summer months. Since we started going in the fall, we've never had another issue like that. It's a different caliber of boaters that time of year.

Again, Happy boating everyone.

 

[Ryan]

@Dave I. sorry if you felt attacked. This is obviously an important issue. One of my frustrations (in general and here specifically) is when people have a problem yet won’t do anything to solve it.

Wakes, from any type of boat, can cause damage. It is my belief that the perpetrators are not all boat owners but a few. Complaining on a message board, or worse yet doing some type of retaliation isn’t going to improve the situation.

The statement is broad, not aimed at just you. If this is important enough to complain about, take some action. I stand by my advise that if someone was repeatedly coming by causing problems, or certainly if they damaged your boat, you need to confront them. Otherwise their actions will certainly continue. Complaining on a message board is basically yelling at cloud

 

[Dave I.]

Since this incident happened about 7 years ago, I wasn't complaining. I was just giving my experience on the topic. Yes the topic is a big problem on the lake but getting confrontational with the boat owner is not always the best answer. In todays world, people get shot for less. My wife and I talked it over and it wasn't worth the headache of what "should" have been done. To put it into perspective, we've had more damage done by wind storms at the lake than what that wake did, but you can't sue Mother Nature

When you quoted my message and reference me directly in your message, I can still see how you were directly attacking me and my decision. It's wasn't a general statement. But you say it was and I'm fine with that. Water under the bridge and nothing to get worked up over.

Just everyone be courteous and boat happy and a lot of the problems would go away. Also know the rules.

 

[JFRCalifornia]

Dave— Given your circumstances, I would have done exactly the same as you. Sometimes there isn’t a perfect solution, but good judgment always comes in handy at difficult moments.

And yes, wakes are a problem. Confrontation isn’t always helpful. I’ve been there.

 

[John P Funk]

No situation ever changed by doing nothing. Personal responsibility is a concept that seems to be dying in our society. Obviously we need to instill it into our children’s character, but I see no reason why we can’t reasonably expect others to have some level. If they don’t share our “values”, we need to see it as a teachable moment, like we would for our own children. It doesn’t have to be confrontational, more educational.

 

[birdsnest]

No situation ever changed by doing nothing. Personal responsibility is a concept that seems to be dying in our society. Obviously we need to instill it into our children’s character, but I see no reason why we can’t reasonably expect others to have some level. If they don’t share our “values”, we need to see it as a teachable moment, like we would for our own children. It doesn’t have to be confrontational, more educational.

Yeah , but just make sure you have a bat in case they don't want to be educated. These are not children and obviously their parents missed the window of opportunity for teaching which sometimes makes an unpredictable and potentially dangerous person.