ahh rowing teams

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Sep 29, 2006 12:30 pm Post subject: ahh rowing teams

OK guys sort of a rant but... my highschool is on the river, so thres a park around it with nice docks and a non motorized boat ramp. all the of the crew teams in the area operate out of here... well yesterday It was my highschool that was out having practice. We went wakeboarding and it soo happends that the park is right in the middle of the one stretch of decent water. The first time we pass practice is ending and there taking the last shell out of the water, everyone on the banks is screaming slow down and blah blah blah. Its not like were going 40, were just wakeboarding, ok well all the boats are out of the water and there doing like running drills on land. but every time we pass by like half the team comes running down the docks giving us the bird and cussing at us through megaphones. its not like were going in circles around the place, we pass it maybe 6 times over the course of 2 hours.... ok well we finally head back down to the private club we launch out (4 miles down the river from the park) to be met by the head and assistant coaches of the crew team.... and there pissed.... they start bitching and yelling at us for trying to sink there rowers. every they try to make is immediately shut down by my friends mom (who was driving the boat), shes a lawyer lol. but so he threats to call the police on us for endangerment of minors... then he storms off and says next time he sees us out on the river hes calling the police...

has anybody else had these problems before? Im down at the park alot and they teams do it to every boat that comes by. He says were breaking the law for creating a wake within 50 feet of a dock. But we stay on the opposite side of the river from them, atleast 150 yards away.

There is no law is there? I mean its a public river for god sakes....

jlaws · Addict Joined: 16 Sep 2006 Posts: 832 City: NC

if his mom is a lawyer dont worry about it :p but if you are atleast 50 feet away then you shouldnt worry, just keep wakeboarding, i mean it's not like they can suspend you from school can they? lol and if they do keep bitching ride in circles rofl so they will have something to really cry about..

LFADAM · Posted: Sep 29, 2006 1:09 pm Post subject:

jamesriver-rider, thats dumb. Just make sure you stay 50 ft away or more, dont provoke them, and keep riding.

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Sep 29, 2006 1:24 pm Post subject:

jpminter · Posted: Sep 29, 2006 1:37 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it. I actually went to the same high school as you (class of '03). The spot right in front of where they practice at is plenty wide and there should be plenty of room. You are responsible for any damage that your wake does but at that distance and that speed, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. If you were to stop riding through there then they're wrecking your time same as if you were to ride in circles around them. You just have to share the water. Try to be respectable and steer clear of them if you can. When I was there, the crew captains were a bunch of chalupas. I'm sure that hasn't changed. Feel free to PM me if you want.

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Sep 29, 2006 1:48 pm Post subject:

Yea the thing hes pushing is "that were putting lives of young teenagers in danger by causing wakes when there rowing and that a wake can ruin a boat when it hits the dock" And ive even got some friends on the team who are like yea its not really a big deal when wakes come but the upperclass men feel like they need to put on an act to show their superiority when other boats come by... I think the coach is like the wakeboarders who go and cuss out tubers and that kinda thing.... and hes like cant yall go out when we arent having practice, but we cant go out on weekends cuase its almost dangerous theres soo many boats and every weekday throught like december there is one team or another out there...

Justin 25 · Addict Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 797

jamesriver-rider, just make sure you stay 50 feet away. Other than that, don't worry about it.

Rhawn · Posted: Sep 29, 2006 4:39 pm Post subject:

Aye, just follow the law. If its public water, then thats all you got to do. If he is sending teenagers out on a river in a boat thats not worthy of the body of water, then he is the one endagering lives.

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Sep 29, 2006 5:35 pm Post subject:

We called the game warden and.... he has applied to get the middle of the river turned into a no wake zone but he was immediately shut down.... we are responsible for any damages that are caused to his boats, but the game warden decides if you have to pay and they can only hold you accountable for it if it was intentional....
so pretty much he has no rights to do anything...

hes brain washing these kids to think that when they're near the water the whole river is theirs.... Confused

SeaLyon · Posted: Sep 30, 2006 6:38 am Post subject:

Find out who governs the river and ask them the laws (we have to stay 100' away)
then if you abide by the law I wouldn't worrie ecept for the boat damage that may occour. I don't think it matters if damage is accidental or not, it's kinda like rear endind someone by accident...your still liable. Good luck

Loppy · Posted: Sep 30, 2006 8:47 am Post subject:

If the shells are near the dock. Make the effort to shut down and roll by slow just to diminish the chances of damage and show good faith.

If they're in the open water however, just abide by the rules of safe boating and do your thing. Like Rhawn said, its a public river and you're within the law. If your wake swamps their noodle, the liability should be right on the head and shoulders of the coach/school/district...

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Oct 01, 2006 6:39 am Post subject:

Loppy, when were pulling somebody were not just going to stop so we can go by and not distrub them, especially when its ni the middle of the only smooth water on the river.... and the game warden himself said that you could only be charged if the damage was intentional or redicules (sp) (like going by 50 times in an hour)

Dragonlady8 · Black Widow Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 9198

Doesn't sound like there will be a happy medium between the 2 clubs.
Since it's getting dark sooner, it will be interesting to see how this will pan out.

Fast351 · Outlaw Joined: 08 Sep 2003 Posts: 133 City: Dayton, MN

Yeah when you're near the dock, make sure you go surfing speed. Fill the sacs if you must Very Happy

Kewlboarder27r · Soul Rider Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 497 City: Mound

Dude do some surfing out in front for a day then start wakeboarding. when your wakeboarding they will then say thank god he is not wakesurfing Laughing

BoarderX · Posted: Oct 03, 2006 9:58 am Post subject:

this stuff just ticks me off.. I respect people, but if they're cussin and threatenin you all and you are within the constraints of the law.. they are actually the ones breakin the law with disorderly conduct. File a complaint against the coaches and their team members to the school district as well as to the local law enforcement. A few reprimands from the school district will shut them up. i play dirty...

video tape them cussing and flicking ya'll off and send it to your local news station. So long as you all are being well behaved and not returning the harrassment... They'll eat it up.

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Oct 03, 2006 11:51 am Post subject:

I do have it on video, I would have turned it in if it wasnt my peers that were the stars lol...

bjeremi · Soul Rider Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 433 City: Owasso

POst video

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Oct 03, 2006 12:47 pm Post subject:

its only like a little clip of one of the first times we went by, the quality is bad but ill post it anyways...ill toss in a couple crow atempts too

shaggyboarder · Posted: Oct 03, 2006 12:56 pm Post subject:

There use to be a crew team that would ride on the intercoastal by my house, when they were rowing they wanted us to slow down when passing them so we slowed it down a little to pass them but little do they realize we were making a bigger wake for them. if you show a little effort that your trying to keep a safe distance and watch out for them the coaches should calm down.

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Oct 03, 2006 1:22 pm Post subject:

http://media.putfile.com/wakeboarding-jrhs theres the link, like I said the quality sucks, I want my own laptop just for editing videos cuz my familys pc just isnt cutting it, as u can see....but the first shot is the only one I got, its alot clearer on the camera, but the girls down on the end are yelling at us and then the two guys flick us off as they walk away, unfortunately its the only one I got on tape, cuz it was definatly the mellow-est of the encounters we had.... but yea then theres some random clips of me riding lol I did land the back roll...

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Oct 03, 2006 1:26 pm Post subject:

hold on ill get it to work...

DadKid · Outlaw Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 140 City: Ottawa

Sounds like a problem that needs mature discussion and not verbal or other types of warfare. I'm not picking sides or defending their actions but I rowed years ago in high school. I think if you understand their concerns you've got a better chance of seeing eye to eye.

Rowing shells are relatively fragile watercraft. Taking a wake the wrong way can damage the boat or cause an oarsman to "catch a crab" Catching a crab is when the oar sticks in the water at the end of the stroke and the handle can send the oarsman flying out of the boat. This can happen when a large wave rocks the boat or if the blade of the oar digs in to a wave. The smaller the rowing shell, the harder it is to deal with. Docking a rowing shell is also tricky and a big wave at the wrong time can do damage. Having said that we used to row in the Toronto harbour where there were some windy days and some big waves. One of the issues is the timing and direction that the waves hit you. If you guys won't listen to each other's issues then I guess you need a mediator.

One other point is that if you have to ride past someone and want to minimize your wake speed up instead of slowing down as was suggested here. If we have to pass a canoe loaded down to the waterline with a lot of fat people then we speed up to 32. That leaves a waterski wake which is less than half the I/O 's out there cruising around. It's a little inconvenient going 32 because you can't do anything. But you do pass by more quickly.

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Oct 03, 2006 1:54 pm Post subject:

ok heres the new one, http://media.putfile.com/wakeboarding-jrhsfinal ... but yea theres a resivoir that has no motor boat laws and everything, thats like 10 minutes down the road perfect for rowing, but nope....

Brit Rider · Posted: Oct 03, 2006 1:55 pm Post subject:

This really reminds me of the tuber argument... "Don't they get that we need flat water?"

Its understandable that they were pissed... they did nothing to disrupt your session but your wake probably ruined theirs... especially if they were conducting timed runs. These guys are generally incredibly commited, getting up at 5am to get the good water etc really deserves props as it is a sport that requires alot of discipline and willpower.

I'm not saying you were wrong or anything but I would just not wakeboard anywhere near them if at all possible.

Legally I'm sure you are fine, but some regard from both parties for each other would go far...

can you compromise at all?

jamesriver-rider · Posted: Oct 03, 2006 2:00 pm Post subject:

jpk · Outlaw Joined: 07 Aug 2005 Posts: 215 City: Redmond

Your area looks like a river/slough which would be prime for rowing. They seem to not understand the facts of the situation (distance from shore, boat speeds vs. wake size, who owns the water, etc.), but I understand their frustration. It's very much the tuber/surfer syndrome when they tear up your butter.

We have hordes of crew rowers on our lake and for the life of me I don't understand why. There are plenty of sheltered waterways in our area, but for some reason they have to come out on a public lake in the middle of the day? Fortunately, none have complained and acted out like the ones you had to deal with.

I don't really feel sorry for rowers in this situation, mostly because it seems like an inane sport. I sympathize more with the fisherman.

alafiaboarder · Posted: Oct 03, 2006 9:28 pm Post subject:

my favorite cousin pat... fill up more sacs, load the boat out, shred up some surf, but let me come up and backlip their dock and see what they say, haha that would be so much fun. just go by laughin and throwing stuff u fall on so u can pick up and send them more rollers... ya know, gotta show them by example how u truly feel

J_DOGG · Posted: Oct 04, 2006 4:20 am Post subject:

Sounds like the row coach needs to get T-bagged so he knows with no question he does NOT own the river.

I would purposely roll out 10 minutes before rowing practice and start busting the river up. I can be a dick head like that.
I'd stay 150 feet away and everything legal PER the boat patrol but I would dam well make sure this guy didn't get one inch of good water to row on.

Getting out there before them does two things.

It puts the safety of his rowers on his head, if he sees you out there and still decides to send his kids out for row practice HE becomes the one putting the kids safety at risk. Like wise with the boats, HE decided to drop the boats in the water even though it didn't appear to be safe. All you have to do is claim (not that it would ever get that far) we were out there doing our own thing minding our own business when this crazy guy started tryn to tell us he owned the river.

Make sure you wave to him as you roll by for the 10th time so he knows who you are.

hco · Posted: Oct 04, 2006 5:44 pm Post subject:

The people who row on my lakes are s, they started a war by calling the cops and complaining to the lake administrations requesting no motorized boats past a certain point. Now wakeboard boats send them rollers and they frequently get sprayed.

J_DOGG · Posted: Oct 05, 2006 11:30 am Post subject:

hco, I mean seriously who do they think they are...

I live on a lake, pay higher taxes than anyone not living on the lake and I still wouldn't feel comfortable nor would it even fly requesting certain people not to use it when I want to wakeboard. That's just crazy talk.

Of course over the many years I have been on my lake I have Mr. nice guyed myself into a nice little private session every Sunday morning. Everyone on the lake knows we roll at 8:00 every Sunday morning to ride and they respect my time on the water and leave us alone. No one will even roll off the dock until 10:00 and even then they will wait a little bit if we are still finishing up a set. It's called respect and you need to earn it not demand it!