Santa sighting?

[Matty]

This morning while having coffee watching boats go by the house my wife exclaimed " look at that boat!". I thought she was excited about a large or good looking boat. To my disappointment it was a red classic ranger tug speeding in a slow no wake zone. Looked like full throttle. Heading south in New Smyrna Beach Fl.
I always like to see Ranger Tugs go by. But this was a bit disappointing given we all want safe waters and protected wildlife. Someone should be getting coal in their stocking.

 

[BB marine]

Matty as you know, because it is a Ranger Tug, it doesn't mean the captain knows the rules of the waterways. The captain may not know what slow no wake means or idle speed Manatee area. We have been introduced to many boat owners "Captains" like you described in your thread this year as we made the trip from Chicago to Florida. The positive note to this that may make you feel better, none of them were piloting Ranger Tugs or Cutwaters. It is amazing when you watch captains piloting their boats through NO WAKE or idle speed areas they believe running at above hull speed is fine and do not realize the size of the wake they are leaving. We have stayed at several marinas that are exposed to the navigational channel and have well marked no wake signs. Along with the signs most newer electronic chart plotters with updated maps will show on the plotter or tablet screen that the area you are navigating in is a NO WAKE or Idle speed zone. Yet they plow though leaving a wake. There are a lot of new boaters out there that us folks that have been boating for years call idiots. The truth is they are not idiots they just don't understand how to operate a boat. In the last couple of years I believe that particular group of new boaters is growing in numbers!!! Stay safe out there and look out for them.

 

[Matty]

Agree. Tried to keep it light. Hoping maybe the Captain would read the post. If it wasn't so dramatic of speed I would not even thought about it. By in large I would imagine RT Captains may be more relaxed and good rule followers. But I am biased.