Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Jet Skis(PWC) vs. the Fishing Community

While on the subject of the Jet Ski(or PWC-personal watercraft, if you prefer), I have something to add. --not much of a segue, but I am new to this whole blogger thing.

A real pet peeve of mine while out on the waters trying to land that elusive bass are the multitudes of Jet Skiers. Don't get me wrong, I personally love these little machines. They really are a blast, and I could ride one for hours at a time. The problem lies with the few that have no respect for anyone else out on the lakes at the time. They come whipping in, no matter what little secluded area you happen to be in at the moment. They have even gone so far as to spray me, knowing that I would never be able to catch them. I understand that some think this is relatively funny, but believe me, it most certainly is not at the time.-at least if you're the one being soaked... I have had many outings become a bust due to these mischevious creatures, and it seems to be on the rise in recent years. I understand that most of these stunts are being done by the younger generation, and no, I am not so old as to forget being there myself. So have your fun, but respect the rights of others. In addition, the increase in accidents have been steadily increasing with these watercrafts. Please be careful out on the water, do you really want to hurt yourself or others as a result of one of these foolish stunts?

Many states have passed several laws that are specific to just the PWC. Each state and region have their own laws, and it is your responsibility to know what these are. All owners and operators should review the local laws prior to going out on the water--that includes you teenagers as well. There are pretty steep fines for breaking these laws, at least around my area. One should take a safety course(no matter what your age) prior to operating these machines. With a simple online search, you can find out what laws pertain to the area in which you plan on operating your watercraft.

Please be respectful of others and ride safe. There is no reason why we all can't enjoy the lakes together this season.

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