Hi Ron, The reason is that we small / sail boat owners provide all sorts of sport for the mentally handicapped powerboat drivers. We make lovely slalom poles for them. Another example: The scene: The narrow channel behind Ram Island leading into the Mystic River (speed limited). We had the sails down and furled, and we're about to make the next to last turn into the Mystic River, and sedately power up river to our marina. My wife had a kettle of hot water on the stove. The coffee pot had the Melitta filter perched on top; filled with coffee grounds. She started pouring the hot water into the Melitta filter when I see two power boat jockeys - coming full bore, side by side (in the the narrow channel) and planning to pass me Port and Starboard. I yelled down to my wife to hold the coffee pot and filter, but it was too late. Their tremendous wakes rolled us on our beam ends. Coffee, coffee grounds, and hot water all over everything; the bunks; the cabin sole carpet, and my wife. I asked my wife to hand up my flare pistol (Yelled, very politely: give me the damn flare pistol I'll fix them....) My wife remonstrated with me - as wives will do in a stressful situation like that , that it was illegal to shoot powerboat drivers out of season, - and by the time I convinced her to do what the Captain ordered her to do, the powerboats were long gone.... However, as the husbands sitting on their flying bridge were passing us, they yelled down to their respective wives sitting on their back porches with drinks in their hands. The wives doubled over with laughter at the sight of our predicament. How cute! The one nice thing we have going for us is that the high horsepower boat owners no longer can afford to even leave the dock. Let's all give a cheer for $5.- and $6.- a gallon gasoline charges on the water. Present gas prices should thin the herd considerably. Our local Hartford newspaper had a very tragic story about the plight of the owner of a 30 foot something, with 2 X 250 HP outboards on the back burning 30 gallons of gas per hour, and of others of that ilk. Now they stay at the dock in their marina and entertain. They no longer can afford to go to Block Island and spend $200 on fuel to go over and back.... Or run over to Greenport, NY for lunch. When I read that, tears rolled down my cheeks. Those poor people.... How sad..... But how wonderful for us sailors! ... then I dried my tears of joy, went to the kitchen and built myself another Martini to ease their pain.. Connie Ronnie Keeler wrote:
From: htmills@zoominternet.net> To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:18:50 -0400> Subject: M_Boats: Powerboat/Sailboat collision> > Some on the list have sailed in the waters mentioned in these two news> articles, which are about a large powerboat running over a sailboat, killing> the sailboat skipper:> > > > http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080719/NEWS/8071> 90335> > > > and> > > > http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080720/NEWS/8072> 00366> > > > > > Tod Mills> > M17 #408, 1987 galley model> > BuscaBrisas> > > > > > _______________________________________________> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boatsTodd,
Hasn't anyone told you that "might Makes Right"? It is just downright criminal how so many of us small boat sailors are out there every day getting in the way of powerboats. What right do we have in a crowded channel at a mere 5 knots when there is a boat behind us "needing" to travel at 40 knots on autopilot while mixing martinis for his friends? Shame, shame on us.
Ron M17 #14 Griselda _________________________________________________________________ Keep your kids safer online with Windows Live Family Safety. http://www.windowslive.com/family_safety/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_fam... _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats