Can't fix Ignorance

[BigN8]

So yesterday the family and a friend and his 2 kids decide to go our in the evening for some wakeboarding. We have Subway in the cooler for dinner and a few cokes and beers and head out. Do a little riding along the north side of the old levy on Lewisville, basically just north of party cover. Kids decided they wanted to tube a little also. So we dragged them a little, and my buddies daughter get a cut along her eye from the goggles she was wearing. I rush her back to the marina and my buddy and her go to ER. My family and the other boy go back out to just relax and have dinner.

Well, the hole time we were riding and tubing there was an older 21 foot I/O anchored back up in party cove. We decide to give them space so we anchored north of them a few hundred yards along the levy out of the wind. It was windy.

Just as we break out the sandwiches and start eating those guys pull anchor and a dude starts slalom skiing. He's pretty good. They split the water between my boat and the levy, so the boat was within 50 feet of my boat, and the skier makes a cut right at my bow and soaks the entire front of the boat. I'm thinking I want to just cut my anchor rope and go run this douche bag down, but I stay calm and enjoy the evening. He makes a couple more passes, same thing splitting the water between me and the shore, but doesn't spray us anymore. Then on next trip by he falls right in front of the boat. I just give him my best dirty harry face and don't say shit to him.

The other guy in the boat gets in the water and starts wake boarding. He makes a run North and then starts heading back towards us. Same freaking thing he tries to make a cut right at our boat, and spray us, but cuts too hard and literally falls 20 feet off my bow.

The boat driver circles around to get him, but instead of picking him up on the port side, he picks him up on the startboard, the boat comes about 4 feet from my boat, and the shit head driving the boat catches my freaking anchor line in his prop!!!!!

Are you fucking kidding me?!?!?! We are the only 2 boats on this entire section of water and this douche bag catches my anchor line in his prop. We get the line out, then the wind starts pushing his boat into mine at which point while guarding my boat from damage I finally lose it and start calling them a bunch of idiots.

The slalom redneck starts cussing at me for anchoring in the "ski lane" and that they were here first. I then explained there is plenty of water out there that is protected from the wind and we are the only 2 fucking boats on the water, he could have been a little more considerate. And, also yeah they were hear first but they were anchored up in the cove. If I had seen them skiing I would not have anchored where I did. The guy called me a few explatives and said it was my fault and that I was a dick for not thanking him for untangling my rope from his prop!!

I basically reiterated my stance that I thought they were all a bunch of reckless dumbasses, and they have violated several boating laws, plus endangered my kids who were swimming in the water. The boat driver whow was an older man lecturers me about how long he has been driving boats, then I say well it looks to me that you have about 1 weeks experience since you managed to almost collide with my boat and hang your prop in my anchor line. All of which are very rookie moves.

It's probably a good thing I don't carry my 9mm on the boat, because I probably would have pulled it out on these assholes.

 

[txav8r]

I have seen the exact same antics on Ray Roberts by those that think they are the only ones on the water. I too am glad I didn't have a gun. After the fact, had I just thought a little, I would have just called 911 and reported the boat. It was reckless and as you say, it was breaking a half dozen laws as well. There is no "ski lane" protected and offered to them on these lakes. But there certainly is a protective area around a boat at anchor! Have you thought about filing a claim against this guy for damage to your rope? Another thing that is something I thought about well after the incident...I have a video camera right on my phone. And from now on, that camera and the phone itself will get used, the department of parks and wildlife wardens are very supportive of boating safety! Thanks for the post!

 

[Ronnie]

I'm not one to rat people out to the authorities but have considered it several times. Just making the threat and pretending to make the call after taking some video would probably go a long way or at least make the offending party vacate the area quickly.

 

[txav8r]

I'm not one to rat people out to the authorities but have considered it several times. Just making the threat and pretending to make the call after taking some video would probably go a long way or at least make the offending party vacate the area quickly.

I'm not either Ronnie, and like I said, my thoughts are all hind sight, so in the heat of the battle, I didn't think of it at all. But this guys actions, and the actions of my particular incident were beyond aggressive, and putting my family in danger. When it elevates to that point, gotta do something...and your right, just seeing you videotaping, he may leave the area. Or, he may stop and demand your phone! Even if you don't dial 911, if you act as though you have called, the situation will stabilize one way or the other. I see this on airplanes all the time, passengers demanding "their rights" and interfering with the duties of the flight crew. Their perspective changes when they are discussing their actions with the authorities.

 

[BigN8]

I wish I would have written down his registration number. I was too much in defense mode at the time. I really thought the guy was going to board my boat to throw down. I was preparing for that situation actually.

 

[Craig]

Just like the OP said..

 

[Julian]

So it was clear that they were intentionally spraying you to try to get you to move!!! Now that is f'ing crazy! Need a boat version of the trunk monkey! Ballast Shark?

 

[Kevin107]

I would've recorded that and send it to the authority. They obviously didn't care about other's safety and eventually will hurt someone. So a ticket or two hopefully will teach them a lesson.
I was too at Lewisville yesterday trying out wakeboarding for for the first time. All went well until a family of 6 in an outboard bowrider decided to tube right next us. We got a bit nervous when they were too close to us and at times cut right in front of our path. So we decided to move closer to shore so they can have 3/4 of the water. Guess what? Asshole decided it's cooler to show off their tubing skill about 50ft from us. So again, moved real close to us and continued tubing as nothing really matter. What happen to common courtesy?

On the bright side, I know how to wakeboard now.