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nodigg
09-03-2002, 03:12 PM
This is probably the wrong place to gripe about this but for all you new boaters with dad's boat out for the first time with all the pretty girls on board, (which I really appreciate) wink , pleeeeeeeeeese acknowledge a down skier or tube rider or wakeboarder to the driver of the tow boat whose path you are near by raising your hand. Keep your hand up until you go by the down skier and he is out of your path. If you do this the tow boat driver will not have to do a power turn to make sure to protect his skier from all the in-experienced boaters out there. If you don't acknowlege to me, I assume you are going to try and hit my son in the water :mad: ! Seems like the worst offenders are most often in those specialty ski boats with towers. How can this be true? This is what you are supposed to be out here for! Is it just me or have we all forgotten the rules of courtesy when towing a skier? Or have the rules changed and I have not kept up?? :confused:

Livin Large 27Hallett
09-03-2002, 03:19 PM
I,m with you. People that do raise their hand just makes me feel better that they infact see the down skier.

Jordy
09-03-2002, 03:22 PM
Also, make sure the driver is the one with his hand up. It cracks me up to see boats going by with the passenger holding his/her hand up, not waving mind you, while the driver is off in la-la land paying no attention. Nobody will ski behind my boat, but I do look out for and acknowlege the skiers when they are in the water. One more gripe, use your flag when skiing. I saw at least a dozen boats this weekend with skiers down in the water and no flag with 4 or more people on board just looking around. Common sense here people. Ok, I'm done.
Jordan :D

spectratoad
09-03-2002, 03:23 PM
As long as it is the driver that raises his/her hand. :D

EricinNv
09-03-2002, 03:40 PM
There's nothing more important than eye contact. Well at least in most situations

WILDERTHANU54
09-03-2002, 04:12 PM
SINCE THE FIRST TIME I EVER DROVE A BOAT, TO EVEN YERSTERDAY ON THE RIVER, I HAVE ALWAYS RAISE MY HAND FOR A DOWN SKIER. I AM OF THE FEW THESE DAYS. IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE SOME OF THESE WAKEBOARD PUNKS HAVE NO IDEA WHY I DO THIS, LOL. THERE LIKE "WHAT THE SHIT IS THIS GUY WAVING AT".
GEOFF

25Elmn8r
09-04-2002, 09:34 AM
I agree 100%. It makes me feel so much better because you know that the DRIVER is paying attention. This is also the reason I won't pull anyone at Parker on the weekend(that and the water is so rough) It is just so crowded and so many yahoo's.

HM
09-04-2002, 10:02 AM
I always wave my hand, except to those people who freak with the flag or have more than one flag hastily waving. I always drive in a manner that is obvious that I am going around someone, but people who freak out are making the situation in their own boat a stressed-out and panicked atmosphere and irritate us responsible boaters. I know there are many idiots on the water, but don't wave your flag at every boater as if we are all idiots, if you payed attention, you would notice I made an obvious change in direction to go around you.
Also, many of you need to learn how to turn around to pick up your skiers! Those high speed turn-arounds are useless, give you uneeded wear and tear on your boat, waste gas, and actually open your downed skier up for troubles. Try just coming off throttle and turn around in your own wake and idle back to your skier. You keep the "path by the skier" blocked with your boat, it only takes a few extra seconds, you'll be amazed at the gas savings, and you look like the pro you want to be. Also, when the water is glassy, these types of turn arounds minimze the wakes you send down the lake or river.
Before you blast me for critizing the old power turn, try the way I suggested a few times first. I was raised with the power turn and did it until a couple of years ago. Now everyone is the boat does not have to reach for a grab handle on the turn around. We just cruise back relaxed with the music bumpin.

nodigg
09-04-2002, 04:01 PM
Sorry folks, guess I forgot to mention what I thought was obvious. The DRIVER has to hold his hand up. Glad YOU ALL at least remember the hand signals.
I am with you on the power turns as long as I get a hand up from the driver. No hand up...I'm protecting my skier! Eye contact is great too...No hand up.....power turn coming up. I hate the needless waste of fuel and extra wear and tear and chopping up the water but the lives are not replaceable. Want to get people all upset on your boat... let some one get close to their loved-one waiting in the water by a guy with a beer in his hand at the wheel of an approaching boat.
What about this one. Last weekend I was towing and a guy in a TopCat was towing in the same cove with a flag mounted upright on each gunwhale and another being held up whether the skier was up or down.. Are we all just doing our own thing or what?
Now the big one. you guys know what your doing. How do we get this out to that guy that has no idea?
[ September 04, 2002, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: nodigg ]

comin' unscrewed
09-04-2002, 07:16 PM
nodigg:
Now the big one. you guys know what your doing. How do we get this out to that guy that has no idea?Oh, I dunno, stop for a minute and have a chat with him?

01RENEGADE
09-04-2002, 07:50 PM
GOOD POST WE PRACTICE THE RAISED HAND EVERY TIME WERE OUT SKIING WAKE BOARDING AND I APPRECIATE IT WHEN A FELLOW BOATER RAISES THIER HAND WHEN SOMEONE HAS FALLEN. ALWAYS GOT TO BE CAREFULL.

77charger
09-04-2002, 07:53 PM
i will raise my hand til the ski boat driver sees it then lower it after he knows i see the skier.have been doin it for many years.

RiverToysJas
09-04-2002, 08:06 PM
77charger:
i will raise my hand til the ski boat driver sees it then lower it after he knows i see the skier.have been doin it for many years.Just to be safe, I drive around with one arm in the air all of the time. That way there's no confusion! wink

jm2drvr
09-04-2002, 08:18 PM
when I was at the river a few weeks ago(needles) these two people are waving at me just when I started to go by them, I slowed(to about 30mph) down and kept looking at them thinking they had mechanical problems. They were really trying to tell me they had a down skier(they had no flag)and he was about 30 yds in front of me. I just happened to see him, it was late afternoon and sun was in my eyes. I stopped next to the down skier and told him to put a f***ing flag on their boat...couldn't believe it.

XTRM22
09-04-2002, 08:23 PM
I wave till someone acknowledges that I have so they know I've seen their skier. I"ve been skiing for nearly 30 years and it's something we've always done, I don't think anybody has explained the courtesy arts to a lot of the wakeboarding community. Don't get me wrong I love to wakeboard and one of my buddies has as much tied up in his Tige wakeboarding boat as I do my DCB, but he only got good at the courtesys after boating with me enough.
Chuck

THOR
09-05-2002, 06:36 AM
I always do, no worries here.

nodigg
09-05-2002, 08:36 AM
We are all on board.....Where is that TopCat guy anyway? How about a madatory instructional video requirement for new wake board tower boat owners?
How about if those pretty girls on board ride with us until their driver figures out what they are doing?

Instigator28
09-05-2002, 12:25 PM
I put my hand up to let the driver of the other boat know that I have spotted his son and that I am not going to turn him into chum. Also, when the skier makes eye contact with me, I point at him so he knows that I know exactly where he is.
Then I do a high speed pass. Just Kidding.

cigarette1
09-05-2002, 03:51 PM
Always have put a hand up and always had a red flag. When I was growing up, there was always someone assigned to the flag. Usually it was an experienced kid to save weight on the boat.
I don't get the eye contact thing ... personally, I don't think I've ever been close enough to a skier to make eye contact.

nodigg
09-06-2002, 08:13 AM
That's true about eye contact being too close. And with each passing year eye contact means a little closer eh?

BLEWBAYOU1
09-07-2002, 04:41 PM
Not only should you raise your hand to acknowledge that you see skier down the skier should raise his ski to help others see him in the water!
BRIAN

Wet Dream
09-07-2002, 07:28 PM
Eye contact might seem like a good thing to do with a downed skiier, but what happens when you are so fixed on that skiier that you don't see the second one that went down (doubles)??? Try to scan the waters and be safe.

HM
09-07-2002, 07:34 PM
If you guys have that big of a problem with people seeing your downed skiers, maybe they should stop wearing the water camoflauged navy seal gear?

mike37
09-07-2002, 08:08 PM
i have ben schooled by som old timers
hold up your hand right if skier is on right
left if on left one finger for one down skier two fingers for two down skier so on
this lets towboat know that you can see all in water
this also lets boat behind you know that you see down skiers and the direction they are in

mike37
09-07-2002, 08:10 PM
and be carfull not to use the midle finger for one skier signel

beyondhelpin
09-09-2002, 10:14 PM
Just crusing you guys side. Around here no one lifts their hand on a down skier. As a matter of fact I have never even heard of it and I have been sking for 25 or so years. What I do is to just turn the boat in way to make it obvious I see the skier. When I am towing I always do a fast u-turn when someone falls to make it obvious I am returning to the skier. Some of the driver on the lake scare me anymore when I have people in the water!

CA Stu
09-10-2002, 02:05 PM
I agree totally with the driver waving, I do it whetehre the other guy's skier is up or down if we're close enough, especially to baters towing tubes. They're harder to see, and I know when I'm towing my 5 or 7 yr old in a tube and some jackass is coming at me, not making eye contact or waving or anything, my brain turns to mush and I want to KILLKILLKILL. :mad: :mad: :mad:
However, when someone waves and lets me know they can see my monkey in the tube, I feel comfortable.
:D
A tip for the downed skier: If you get separated form your tow boat, or ther is a lot of traffic, take your ski off and stick it up in the air vertically. Lot easier for the other boats to see than just a floating head. eek!
CA Stu
"Hit it!"

Reaper1
09-10-2002, 02:13 PM
People still ski :D :rolleyes: :D

HM
09-10-2002, 03:17 PM
CA Stu:
A tip for the downed skier: If you get separated form your tow boat, or ther is a lot of traffic, take your ski off and stick it up in the air vertically. Lot easier for the other boats to see than just a floating head. eek!
CA Stu
"Hit it!"And it gives us wakeboarders more of a challenge to ollie over the ski instead of just your head. When I am boarding and see a downed skier...to make the driver feel better, I wave as I ollie up and do a blind side slide down the bow rail. I do it blind so I can make eye contact with the driver and say "Nice power turn!"
Is the hand wave one of the reasons some of you guys are referred to as Ski Nazis?
O.k.....all kidding aside, I will try to make sure I acknowledge your downed skiers with a hand wave, but you have to promise to do fewer power turns!

B-rad502
09-12-2002, 05:16 PM
Yeah, and for the damn people pulling the tubes and skiers on a busy weekend day at Lake Pleasant in Phx, watch what the hell you're doing if you are stupid enough to tow people in busy areas of the lake.
Sorry, I had to vent after the last trip out! :)

nodigg
09-13-2002, 06:34 AM
Ever notice if you are towing out in the middle of the lake with no one around, someone always heads right toward you and passes within a few yards? It's like some weird kind of telepathic, hypnotic condition that exists within boaters :confused:

nodigg
09-13-2002, 06:41 AM
beyondhelpin:
Just crusing you guys side. Around here no one lifts their hand on a down skier. As a matter of fact I have never even heard of it and I have been sking for 25 or so years. What I do is to just turn the boat in way to make it obvious I see the skier. When I am towing I always do a fast u-turn when someone falls to make it obvious I am returning to the skier. Some of the driver on the lake scare me anymore when I have people in the water!Must be nice to use a lake with only two boats on the water. Or is this where all the guys are from that come out here and ignore everyone else's safety concerns? wink

TCHB
09-13-2002, 06:46 AM
I have noticed it is hard to see the hand up with all the towers, speakers, boards and everything piled on top of the boats. Yes I agree we all should give the right of way to skiers and use hand signals.

cigarette1
09-13-2002, 10:00 AM
They, especially, should be using a RED flag :confused:

miller19j
09-13-2002, 01:17 PM
TCHB:
I have noticed it is hard to see the hand up with all the towers, speakers, boards and everything piled on top of the boats. Yes I agree we all should give the right of way to skiers and use hand signals.That’s because most of the people that have comp ski boats do not lift their hand. They don’t seen to notice it when others do either. They just look at you with a stupid look on their sixteen year old heavily indebt baby face.
Sorry I had to get that off my chest…….Wow I feel better now

superdave013
09-13-2002, 01:44 PM
You know, I grew up on a lake for the first 21 years of my life and I have never seen flags and had signals until I moved out west. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea (and yes, I do use them).
Just you don't see it in the mid west at all. I told my buddies about it (who are all hardcore skiers) and got the WTF is that all about.

78DiMarco
09-13-2002, 02:54 PM
I boat mostly at the Parker Strip. On a busy weekend or almost any Saturday during the summer you must be nutz to tow a skier on the stip. First of all the river is not that wide (50 to 100 yards) and you have all kinds of yahoo's flying up and down the river. Don't forget about the lake lice that for the most part are a bunch of 14 year olds going wild. Then you better look out for the titanic coming at you at 60 miles an hour. I think it's a good thing to use the hand signals and I always have. It's just a little common courtesy as we all use the waterways. And yes, I think the guy that pulls the high speed power turn right at me needs to rethink what he doing.

HM
09-13-2002, 03:09 PM
superdave013:
You know, I grew up on a lake for the first 21 years of my life and I have never seen flags and had signals until I moved out west. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea (and yes, I do use them).
Just you don't see it in the mid west at all. I told my buddies about it (who are all hardcore skiers) and got the WTF is that all about.LOL - I wish we had that much water in CA so that we could wonder what all the fuss is about.
I board in the back bay at Canyon Lake and we never use flags or hand waves. We all know what is going on, no need to make a fuss. Now the Ski Nazi's area we have to go through to get to the wakeboarding area is a totally different story! Some of those guys are so caught up on rules that we like to play stupid just to see how many veins will pop out of their heads and necks! J/K! We don't need to play stupid, just the sight of boat with a tower gets them going!

Kim Hanson
09-13-2002, 03:16 PM
I know this is Canada is different than there, but the best thing going is floaty with a flag about 20" tall- bright Orange. You can't miss it and most will slow down no matter what,throw it out as the skier bite's her and it is close to them. Most might even think it is an obstruction in the water.....( . )( . )........ wink

nodigg
09-14-2002, 09:43 AM
miller19j:
TCHB:
I have noticed it is hard to see the hand up with all the towers, speakers, boards and everything piled on top of the boats. Yes I agree we all should give the right of way to skiers and use hand signals.That’s because most of the people that have comp ski boats do not lift their hand. They don’t seen to notice it when others do either. They just look at you with a stupid look on their sixteen year old heavily indebt baby face.
Sorry I had to get that off my chest…….Wow I feel better nowI have to agree with all the above. Thank goodness those /ski/tower/speaker/board/rack/landing light/boat drivers don't have eough power to go fast. It's bad enough with them at 15-25mph. Hey, I sound a little (lot) predudiced. But I DO feel better having said it too!
(EASY YOUNG FELLAS) Just pickin' on ya fer fun
Keep it safe how ever you feel about the courtesy rules! Remember, give a wide birth and everyone will be cool.
wink