Power Turns...UGH!!!

[BKinSoCal]

I know this horse has been beaten half to death, but it amazes me that there are still so many people out there doing power turns, including Nautique owners. In particular, I ride on the Parker Strip on the CA/AZ border. There is a beautiful 2011-2012 Blue & Black 230. I've seen them on the water on multiple occasions and they repeatedly do power turns to go back and pick up their fallen rider sending massive rollers up and down river affecting everyones water, including their own riders. I would think they would get it, but I guess being a Nautique owner doesn't make them observant to the obvious.

IMO, the only times to do power turns are when your rider/skier is in jeopardy of being hit by another boat/PWC or they have taken a significant fall and are obviously in bad condition (not a standard fall or even one that rings the bell a little bit). Otherwise, power down, make your turn and go back and get them without throwing up huge wakes for everyone on the water to deal with.

So if you happen to be the guy driving the 230 mentioned above, my only request is stop with the power turns. It will only make things better for everyone on the water, including your riders. I'm not casting stones as all of us have had to learn this at some point. It just took someone to point it out in most cases.

Here's to a great summer on the water. Everyone be safe and have fun!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtXa1a824TY

[swc5150]

In defense of any Nautique owner, I grew up on a lake where everyone did power turns to pick up a skier. I guess everyone felt is was important to get back to the skier fast. I was "set straight" when moving to a different lake just 6 years ago. Of course, when I was growing up it was all small-wake 3 event boats whipping around, which didn't really churn up the water much. When we're alone on our lake, I still whip around to pick up my bride. When others are out, I respect their water.

[dh0125]

my bet is the person doing powerturns is not part of planetnautique what we've learned is most everyone is willing to change if you approach them calmly and explain the damage they are causing. in fact, we've made a few friends and now trade off taking our boats out.

[BKinSoCal]

I agree they probably are not part of PN, but I'm hoping they are. I know it's a conversation that can be had and needs to be constructive. That's how I learned many years ago.

[BKinSoCal]

In defense of any Nautique owner, I grew up on a lake where everyone did power turns to pick up a skier. I guess everyone felt is was important to get back to the skier fast. I was "set straight" when moving to a different lake just 6 years ago. Of course, when I was growing up it was all small-wake 3 event boats whipping around, which didn't really churn up the water much. When we're alone on our lake, I still whip around to pick up my bride. When others are out, I respect their water.

Even if we're the only ones on the water, I still won't do power turns to pick up my rider as it still affects their riding conditions. But my wife doesn't ride and my buddies all know power turns mess up their water when they're riding.

[swc5150]

Our lake is small and tapered, so back rollers disipsate almost immediately, and our wake is tiny to begin with. Again, I'd never burn around when we weren't alone. The guy that taught me the correct way became a good friend.

[scott resick]

I loooooooved power turns. When I was 19 and bought my first 86. But a seasoned BU owner approached me and asked if Id like to learn to barefoot. Not only did footing become a passion of mine and he became a great friend but I also learned how to drive a boat. I've since "mentored" 2 youginz in the ways of the water. Just chill out, save your fuel for the skiing. I once made a girl bleed by throwing her across the boat. That 14 years ago and It still embarrasses me to think about.

[tdc_worm]

i just stopped riding all together. i tried and couldnt power turn fast enough to pick up riders in order to get in the 30 minutes of good water on lake austin before the wallies, tubers, cruisers, and surfers start wreaking havoc at about 7am. that which put our sport(s) on the map is quickly ruining the ability to do it safely...

[Chexi]

I am amazed at how many nautiques I see here in Texas and how few nautique owners in Texas are PN members. I see big SANs doing power turns, pulling tubes in big S patterns right in the skiing/wakeboarding lanes, and other general bad boat behavior. There are many nautique owners who did not buy their boats out of good sense, but rather for status, because they liked the gelcoat pattern, or for other stupid reasons. I think these people irritate me the most, because I would like to think that being a nautique owner makes one different, but it does not. There is a cross section of clueless people with no common sense and no boating sense across all of the different boat manufacturers. Fortunately for me though, I have been blessed recently with a number of the less knowledgeable boat drivers being at least courteous enough to either leave the area when I break out the sky ski or stop and watch in awe. Not that I or my crew are any good... they just have never seen it before.

[jonfo]

there is a lot of increased risk approaching somebody in the water at speed, not to mention what the passengers in the boat have to endure when you cross your double up in a loaded wakeboard boat. there was a link to some uscg statistics a few years ago either on here or wakeworld that almost all persons getting hit by a boat was by their own driver, not by another boat.

[migs]

Funny how people still actually think that they get back to their rider FASTER by power turning. Ignorance

[GCSuper]

I could sit on my deck at the lake every weekend and do a video on how many ways there are to do power turns. Nautiques, BU's, MC's included. It's a rare occurrence to actually see someone who knows how to drive a boat. This past weekend, there was a big BU teaching a kid to wakeboard. He could get up everytime, but fell quickly, so the driver would do a power turn everytime he went to pick the kid up. I felt sorry for the kid cause he was getting swamped. Looked like the ocean out there. We also had a big IO pulling a tube in tight circles and staying in an area you could throw a blanket over. I've never seen the water get so messed up by one boat. They did this for like an hour, must of left for lunch, then came back and did it for another hour, same spot. He couldn't even throw the kids off. Didn't know how.

[johnboyy7]

i tried to explain that very thing this past weekend to a lady that was driving and also not having to cross her own wake. blew her mind. i was a guest on their boat so i didnt want to press the issue.

on a positive note, i explained this to my wife and she was all about not having to cross her own wake. easier and doesnt have to worry about dipping the bow. so i guess im 1 for 2 with the ladies.

[swc5150]

Funny how people still actually think that they get back to their rider FASTER by power turning. Ignorance

I guess I'm ignorant, but if my wife takes an OTF at 3 ball, I can be at her doorstep in seconds.

[River Monsters]

i tried to explain that very thing this past weekend to a lady that was driving and also not having to cross her own wake. blew her mind. i was a guest on their boat so i didnt want to press the issue.

I turn to port and then cross my wake to pass the rider on my starboard. This puts me into the middle of the river coming around faster and then back over my wake slow and blip the throttle to keep from nosing in (if necessary). Are we suppose to turn starboard and the come around? Seems like that would be a wide turn.