Oops...sorry old MC

[TGoss]

Our lake is relatively small (3.2 miles around). I was out on Sunday surfing with my family....there was an old MC sitting in the middle with a boat full of people. I was driving my 2016 SAN230 and probably got within 150 yards of them.....I was retrieving a fallen surfer and noticed my waves were heading their way towards the back of their boat. Sure enough I swamped em. They stood up and looked at us with arms raised. What is protocol there? I felt horribly.

[Kmayotte]

Drive over, apologize.

Did you? I would imagine the driver would be heated but if you were empathetic cooler heads would prevail.

Related: I got roughed up by a 32' Baja going about 30+ mph. He did a 180 degree turnaround me at the end of our bay while my 8 year old nephew was in the water learning to waterski. His wake converged on the already nervous 8 year old and tossed him around pretty good. He did not want to ski after that and had himself a good cry. Heart-breaking...

The driver didn't even acknowledge us at all even though I was waiving my arms and he was only 100 ft or so away. His speed and proximity were scary and I was fuming. I see the boat ripping around and get mad every time.

[TGoss]

I regret that I didn't go over and apologize. I think I justified it in my mind that I was plenty far away. No excuses in retrospect. As I said, its a small lake so likely I will see them this weekend and make amends. Usually on a Saturday its busy and not obvious where the large waves are coming from. We are coming to an end of our season in Indiana and the lake traffic is less now that school is back in session. It was clear they were my waves that went over their boat.

I hope your nephew gives it another try. Im sure at 8 years old that was a scary moment.

[DealsGapCobra]

The fact you brought it up the way you did tells me that your heart is in the right place. We all do dumb things once in a while so, it the MC owner is at all reasonable, he will accept you apology. Just understand that he will most likely remember you and be mad when he first sees you...if he speaks first when you get close, let him vent and still apologize.

[Kmayotte]

I regret that I didn't go over and apologize. I think I justified it in my mind that I was plenty far away. No excuses in retrospect. As I said, its a small lake so likely I will see them this weekend and make amends. Usually on a Saturday its busy and not obvious where the large waves are coming from. We are coming to an end of our season in Indiana and the lake traffic is less now that school is back in session. It was clear they were my waves that went over their boat.

I hope your nephew gives it another try. Im sure at 8 years old that was a scary moment.

Maybe there's a local forum or facebook page you can post to head it off at the pass.

My nephew DID give it several more tries before he went back to MD. He crushed it and we even rode doubles. He stayed up for about 25 minutes behind the boat! He gave my legs a run for their money.

[vanhanbr]

My nephew DID give it several more tries before he went back to MD. He crushed it and we even rode doubles. He stayed up for about 25 minutes behind the boat! He gave my legs a run for their money.

Nice, was he learning off the G?

[seth]

Are you power turning to pick up a fallen rider? If so, stop doing that!! There is not much you can do when wakesurfing, it ruins the lake for everyone.

[G_WaTT]

Are you power turning to pick up a fallen rider? If so, stop doing that!! There is not much you can do when wakesurfing, it ruins the lake for everyone.

I agree that I often see people throttling around to pick up riders. That's a big "NO NO." Unless you have a boat heading for your downed rider, throttle off and idle in the turn around and go back for the rider like it's a no wake zone. That said, the deepest part (10') of our local mud hole is somewhat close to the shoreline making it the only decent place to surf. It is also where most people fish. I can understand the frustration they may be feeling, but I too am frustrated as I that's the only area to surf and I don't want to be the a-hole ruining someone's fishing.

Although, I did feel bad, it was comical to see a guy fishing and saw the tsunami coming off my G as we surfed by. He got up, grabbed his chair, and moved up higher on the shoreline.

[Quinner]

Are you power turning to pick up a fallen rider? If so, stop doing that!! There is not much you can do when wakesurfing, it ruins the lake for everyone.

Exactly!! Additionally in most states you are responsible for any damage your wake may cause.

[Nautiquehunter]

I live on Lake Lanier GA [ 700 miles of shore line over 100 feet deep] so you would think there is plenty of room even on busy days. My wife likes to slalom ski so most week ends we head to a small cove next to Bald Ridge Marina . Its pretty much just big enough for a ski course and 1 boat at a time so the people that use it have developed a rotation system so everybody gets perfect conditions for their run. This starts at 7 am or earlier and works well until around 930 am . By then the tubers, wave runners and recently wake surfers start . I don't get it. All of those activity's can be done in rougher water but they still come back to the ski cove and tear it up so it sucks for everybody including them. It all boils down to ignorance or just don't give a dam about anyone else. You sound like an experienced driver . The fact that you were on such a small lake and swamped another boat says what about you . You should feel bad . This whole wake surf craze with the titanic size boats will self destruct if the drivers don't self regulate . I an already reading stories about lakes that have imposed restrictions on wakeboats to save docks and shoreline . Wise up people you don't need butter to surf . If you think maybe your wake is too big for the lake it probably is.

[TGoss]

I dont do a power turn to retrieve my fallen surfer...I know better than that..I throttle down and wait for wave to pass and then go back. Still got em...they were hanging out sitting on back of their boat.

[TGoss]

Again I repeat...I was 150 yards away from this boat. not like I was 50 feet. I am well aware of my surroundings and try to be respectful of others. I find if I want to ski I have to pick my times to do it...not because of surfers but because of all boat traffic. your lake must be different than ours...we don't have areas specific for skiing such as skiers cove...but ours is a small lake.

[Wayward]

I live on Lake Lanier GA [ 700 miles of shore line over 100 feet deep] so you would think there is plenty of room even on busy days. My wife likes to slalom ski so most week ends we head to a small cove next to Bald Ridge Marina . Its pretty much just big enough for a ski course and 1 boat at a time so the people that use it have developed a rotation system so everybody gets perfect conditions for their run. This starts at 7 am or earlier and works well until around 930 am . By then the tubers, wave runners and recently wake surfers start . I don't get it. All of those activity's can be done in rougher water but they still come back to the ski cove and tear it up so it sucks for everybody including them. It all boils down to ignorance or just don't give a dam about anyone else. You sound like an experienced driver . The fact that you were on such a small lake and swamped another boat says what about you . You should feel bad . This whole wake surf craze with the titanic size boats will self destruct if the drivers don't self regulate . I an already reading stories about lakes that have imposed restrictions on wakeboats to save docks and shoreline . Wise up people you don't need butter to surf . If you think maybe your wake is too big for the lake it probably is.

No offense, but your entitlement to that portion of the lake doesn't make you any better. And that's coming from somebody that tows skiing about 5 days a week, but also wakeboard and surf often. This lake has no coves, and the ski course (which I own, and is dropped in and maintained by myself and my friend next door), is right in one of the most open portions of the lake.......

Sure, we would love to have it in a private cove, not have to constantly fix it, and be able to use it any time of day......... but we realize that, surprise, other people like doing other stuff. They like tubing, surfing, riding jet skis, etc. I don't expect them to understand our love for skiing. They have just as much right to that area as you do.

Maybe this just pisses me off, because I had a skier run up on my boat last week, while getting ready to wakeboard, and asked "why the **** cant you wakeboard somewhere else? We are trying to ski over here. You are tearing up the butter and you don't need that to wakeboard."

The look on his face was priceless when I told him "Sure thing, Bud! I'll actually do you one better! I'll put my boat away, grab my pontoon, and come back up here and pull MY slalom course out of the lake."


To the OP....... 150 yards may seem like plenty of room, but if you are swamping boats, it's obviously not. What you should do is definitely apologize, learn from your mistake, and try out 250 yards....

[75Tique]

Definitely apologize. That being said, you live on a lake roughly 3 miles around. Me too, that makes our lake about 150 acres. Weighted boats and surfing have been banned on our lake and I am completely on board with that. I think our lake (and yours?) is too small for surfing. Too disruptive to the lake, other boats, shoreline, bulkheads, docks......

"Well aware of my surroundings and try to be respectful????" You swamped the guys boat.


"Although, I did feel bad, it was comical to see a guy fishing and saw the tsunami coming off my G as we surfed by. He got up, grabbed his chair, and moved up higher on the shoreline."

This pretty much captures it all. Rude, arrogant, disrespectful surfers that think because they can buy (didnt say afford) a monster surf boat with an 8 foot wave and 12,000 watt stereo, that they own the lake. This is why more and more lakes are looking into surfing bans. You guys should give some thought to taking up a water sport that actually takes a little bit of skill. Surfing is pretty much just glorified tubing.

[TGoss]

Wayward...I would be ticked as well if a skier asked me to go somewhere else to wakeboard. you have just as much right to smooth water as they do. as for my swamping of the MC, I have large waves come at me all the time that would swamp my boat...I just know to power through them. This guy was sitting and chilling with friends in the middle of the lake....he obviously didn't see it coming and that's why I feel badly. I will make amends this weekend. did you pull your slalom course?