THE QUESTION: Some boaters complain about the "lack of respect" or "inconsiderate behavior" on the lake. What constitutes respectful/considerate boating?
Top 10 list compiled
After discussing the question below with several at a local restaurant on the water, we came up with a list.
The Top 10 things a person can do to be a considerate/respectful boater:
10. Know the rules of the "road". Take a boating course)--the Lake is not a two lane highway
9. No "Boat Rage"--doesn't work on land, doesn't work on water
8. Be aware of your surroundings--360 degrees.
7. No plowing! Keep your boat on plane
6. Obey no wake buoys
5. Idle speed within 100 feet of docks
4. Do not throw trash or discharge waste into the lake
3. No inappropriate sign language. This is a family Lake
2. Don't drink and drive. Use a designated captain.
1. Follow the Golden Rule. Treat other boaters as you would expect to betreated.
Linda Vogel, Sunrise Beach
Respect and courtesy is a learned process
Not a hard question for most. Common courtesy and respect applies in everything we do, be it driving our cars, shopping in a store, walking down the sidewalk, and yes, boating.
Why is this even a question? Because it seems, here at the lake most people leave common sense at home, be it when they’re driving or boating. That is so strange, but it is a situation we have endured here since I've lived here.
I sincerely doubt that education will help. Though the Water Patrol may try, respect and courtesy is a learned process, started at childhood.
Respect is NOT taught any more to any one. It’s take what you can from who you can and if they don't like it, tough! Unfortunately, it is the times we live in.
David Grossen, Osage Beach
Observe the Golden Rule
Respectful behavior is that which, if the roles were reversed, one would desire of the other party.
Joe Roeger, Lake Ozark
Understand what you're doing
It's my belief that what constitutes respectful considerate boating is
that the boat operator(s) understand the boating rules and try to insure
they are operating their boat in a manner that is safe and responsible.
What's that mean in English? Well, it means that you don't pull your
boat back into a residential cove at 2 in the morning with your giant
stereo blasting music for the next hour or so. There's a lot of people
who work around this lake to insure you have a good time while you're
here, give them some respect.
Respectful boating means you don't operate your boat, off the main
channel, at a speed that generates an enormous wake behind it. These
tremendous wakes cause damage in the thousands of dollars annually for
each of the dock owners. They also cause a constant erosion problem, (so
if you stop doing this maybe a lot less dirt will be in the lake water).
There's also the safety issue, your large wakes create an incredible
risk to small boaters and swimmers. You as the boat operator are
responsible for all of the damage caused by your wake (remember that!
There are lots and lots of digital cameras mounted on docks now)
Respectful boating means that when you see a dock you stay clear of it.
There's a 100' no wake zone around a dock. Yes, that applies to PWC's
as well. Apparently this is news to 95% of the boaters out there as we
see, repeatedly, PWC's and boaters coming well within the 100 ft
boundary. Last week we watched a PWC (with 2 very small kids on it)
pulling a third child on a tube come flying by our dock within yards of
the end of the diving board. Parents, jet skis make very poor baby
sitters.
Considerate boating means that you assume there's no 'right-of-way' and
you operate your boat defensively at all times (that means, for the
large boats, just because you're bigger doesn't give you the right to
not turn your wheel to avoid boats or people on the water).
Respectful boating means you pull into a cove and slow down, after all,
you're here to enjoy the lake, the scenery, the sounds, etc. If you
want to go fast, there's miles and miles of main channel to do so in.
Trust me when I say you don't impress anyone down here when you fly back
into a cove full of PWC's, swimmers and anchored boats at 50-60 mph with
your stereo blasting. We all just think the operator has real doubts
about their manlihood.....
Scott Hagan, Lake Ozark
Respect sober boat captains
Good question! First is safety - designate a sober captain!
A major
effort is being made to enforce this around the lake; so, we all better
respect that!
This factor alone will impact the poor decision making
skills often associated with inconsiderate boating behavior.
Give your
fellow lakers plenty of room on the water between each vessel and
always be
cautious of your wake and speed. Try and use common sense and treat the
lake, and its visitors, like one big happy family!!
Michael Kirchoff, Osage Beach
Regard the rights of others
I suppose that the definition of respectful boating would be to regard the rights of other boaters, private property, and the public well-being above your own selfish desires.
Don't operate a boat when you are drinking.
Obey all the posted speed limits and no - wake markers.
Don't ruin a fisherman's day by creating a large wake when he is trying to fish!
Avoid reckless behavior on jet skis. Make sure your boat is in good operational order and has enough flotation devices.
Keep the noise down, especially at night.
Show a little courtesy and be more modest in your apparel. Be cooperative with the Missouri Water Patrol and Coast Guard.
They are only trying to keep you safe.
Lastly, wear your life jackets anytime you are near the water! Somebody out there loves you!
James R. Hall, Camdenton
Put yourself in the other person's place
The question, posed: "What constitutes respectful/consideration boating?", begs it's own answer, i.e. if you are not one who tends to be respectful and considerate of others, on or off of the lake, this question probably confuses you.
Respect and consideration of others, while boating, requires both an objective and subjective answer.
The objective part of this answer involves your knowing your boat and the regulations for operating your boat on the lake. Thus you must first know how to safely operate your boat under many adverse conditions, such as in rough and crowded waters, or at night, etc.
While you may be running your boat at 40mph, at night, in ignorance of the 30 mph rule, others would interpret your ignorance as disrespectful and inconsiderate.
So know the rules.
I'll bet any member of the Missouri State Water Patrol will be more than happy to provide their printed booklet for this information.
Now comes the more difficult subjective part of the answer to the question: "What constitutes respectful/consideration boating?
While it has been said that you cannot legislate morality, I would further add that you also can neither legislate nor regulate manners, courtesy, politeness, respect and consideration of others.
The only hint of a suggestion I could possibly give would be to suggest that you put yourself in the other persons place and ask yourself would I want that person to do to me what I have just done to them.
For example, would I really want that poor guy, navigating his pontoon, to swamp me with a 3 foot wave, that I just wrecked havoc on his boat with my 40 ft speed boat? Your answer would surely be NO!
Besides, he may have gotten your boat registration ID# and turned you in.
Larry Magill, Sunrise Beach
Viking hoards on the lake!
I no longer own a boat and when I do venture out on a rental or a borrowed boat it is always on weekdays. To me, venturing out on the lake on a weekend or holiday is like visiting a Hells Angels Motorcycle Rally on a moped wearing a pink helmet or trying to navigate through a Viking hoard hell bent on rape and pillaging while paddling a canoe with seven vestal Virgins on board! It simply is not enjoyable, relaxing nor safe.
Even inexperienced tourists navigating the lake know basic right from wrong. Most of them know the rules of the road when they drive their vehicles. They know what courteous behavior is in general. The problem is that when they are here they choose not to behave and for some reason they think that the rules of polite/courteous society do not apply to them while they are on vacation. I might add that there is rude behavior on the part of residents towards tourists as well.
The rule in life should be, treat everyone you meet with the same respect/courtesy you yourself would wish to be treated by others. If this doesn't work for you, call me and we'll go out on the lake during the week.
Eric Reeve, Macks Creek
Don't live on "Lake Time"
While many boaters are experienced and understand the rules of the water, others are not conscious of some basic water behavior.
One of my pet peaves are large boats who pass too close to smaller boats where the wake is a problem for the smaller boat. Another is boating too close to the main channel shore where boats leaving a cove don't have as much time to react.
The further away from the shore when of the channel, the safer for boats entering the main channel. If boats had brakes, this consideration wouldn't be needed. But common sense are a boats brake.
I suspect that a lot of people who use Personal Water Vehicles are using them for the first time, it seems like we get a number of them that make turns in front of our boat where I need to avoid them.
Boat right of way dictates that these vehicles should give way to other boats that are on a direct course. Please slow down and turn behind a boat under way.
Turning in front of another boat on a set course is like running a railroad crossing. You may miss each other, but at some time the smaller vehicle will lose.
My Last pet peeve are boaters who think that a no wake area means that they can still travel fast enough that the wake is small.
Sorry, Guys, but the water patrol's enforcement will be for NO WAKE -- not a small wake. Besides being incosiderate, these small wakes are not good for the many docks at The Lake.
I understand that many boaters are anxious to get on the main channel, but please do it on Lake Time - not city time. You'll be on the water soon enough. Relax and observe the no wake zones. For that, I thank you!
Joe Murray, Osage Beach
Think before you do something
I think to be considerate means not cutting someone off as you go by on a PWC, not bringing your boat onto a launch ramp when you have no clue how to launch it, picking up trash not leaving it, not getting onto a dock that is not your own, watching out for smaller boats when you have a monster sized boat.
How about thinking before you do something.
Cathy D. Palmer, Sunrise Beach
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. —
