Anybody else avoid the water for holiday weekends?

[jr49erfan1]

Man its killing me. I'm a new boat owner, and the weather here in NorCal is finally getting nice, but all of my friends who have owned boats in the past (and have had bad Memorial/Labor Day experiences) stronly suggested I stay off the water this weekend due to crazy drunks on the water and sh** water conditions. At least the weather is going to be nice from now till October-ish...

[bubba]

Head out early morning.

Yep, we head out early morning to do our sets and we are off the water by lunch time (sometimes that isn't soon enough). Weekends and summer holidays bring out un-informed boaters, unfortunatley all you need to become a boater is buy one.

[Hogdog]

Anybody else avoid the water for holiday weekends?

Avoid this weekend like the plague. Next weekend is usually quiet!

[01bigair]

Not bad here in Seattle, took my new to me 06 220 out for a spin in the rain had the whole 25 mile lake to ourselves. Maybe the rain kept the yahoo's in. Boating is what it is, you get dingbats and you get respectfull people, but it's America and to each his own!! There's no law against telling some idoit how to drive his boat. I feel alot safer on the water than do on the road up here!!

[BrennanK]

It was great today. We had a cloudy day so not too many people, just a little windy. I got 2 new skiers up for the first time. All in all is was a blast.

[teamenzo]

Seattle represents!

We have 13 days under our belt so far this year. 4 sets today on glass conditions until noon! Not bad for Seattle!!! Threatening sky kept most everyone off the west side lakes.

[hourglass]

i won't be making it out either. broken boat, friends with boats are working, and even if that was not the case there are too many morons on the water to get a decent straight away. oh well. it will just make the next time that much better.

[bwana50]

Yep, I'll probably stay home today, even though it looks like today may be the best day this week, weather-wise. I work weekends, so I've become spoiled by having a nearly-empty lake during the weekdays.

[mhaaland]

We try not to,our lake is a reservoir that gets way choppy when it gets loaded with boats! To many people drinking and no boat etiquette. Iowa had five water deaths this weekend from people getting hit or being drunk and stupid and drowning.
We did get out twice this weekend but made sure to get off the water when allot of people started showing up.
I feel there should be drivers safety courses for driving boats. I know it's not an over the road vehicle but lakes get packed and people need to know how to handle that responsibility!!

[skiswm]

jr49er, you probably made the right choice. The delta (which I am guessing is where you'd go) can great crazy as can Lake Berryessa. If you head out next weekend I think you'll find it pretty good. I usually head out in the Tahoe area for Memorial Day but this year we didn't because the water was too cold. Reports said it was in the mid 40's and we had snow Thursday before Memorial Day so I think I made the right choice to leave the boat at home. Felt bad for all those guys trying to figure out how to chain up their trailers so they could make it over Donner Pass Thursday night.

[74green]

Avoided the lake all weekend. Ventured out today around 4…was still like an ocean.

[Mikeski]

yes and no. In the past when I kept my boat on the water I found that the first morning and last afternoon (or evening) are actually great times to hit the water. Midday you can expect some chaos on the water. Hitting the launch ramp for the first outing with a new boat on a big weekend is definitely a big no-no.

[jr49erfan1]

Skiswm, yeah Berryessa is where we go. Weekend trips for me are a family operation, so Im sure the scene out there would have been no bueno. I've officially made it thru the weekend, took the family hiking at Rockville Sunday, so all is not lost.

Mikeski, I've taken the boat out 5-6 times since we brought her home, but I'm definitely not ready for how crazy the Markley cove ramp was sure to get this weekend.

Weather went for promising later this week, to cr** according to my phone, so who knows when we'll get back out there. I'm supposed to cruise up to Sac on Thursday and pick up 600lbs in pop-bags, and then hoped to hit the lake on Friday, but now who knows.

[Link]

I grew up on a lake and we would not go out on a holiday weekend. It was like a family rule.

I just bought a Nautique this spring after being without one for years, so the wife and kids have been dying to get out. We got to the lake at 8am on Memorial Day and skied/tubed/kneeboarded for about an hour and a half. There were only a handful of boats out and I have to say it was a lot of fun. By noon the lake was swarming with boats, and worse, SeaDoos. We had some friends over and I took them out against my better judgement. It was miserable.

Bottom line, get up early and get your time on the lake in before the Wallys come out. You don't have to totally sit it out.

[oakfu]

I make it a rule not to go out on holiday weekends. Just not worth the headache. I will make up for it with a couple of weekday evening sets!