[flattymatty]

Sorry... I need to vent a little here..

I have personally barely avoided several collisions as of lately with "Smaller" boats with ZERO lighting.

Personally, I would love to see Coast guard MANDATE that all vessels of ANY size, self powered or otherwise be required to have the standard port/starboard/stern or "running" light activated at ALL TIMES during the night.

Turning on and Shining a little light at me frantically right before I'm about to run your A$$ over and turn you into FISH FOOD is a very nieve and just plain STUPID. BE SEEN at ALL TIMES and BE SAFE...


FURTHERMORE....

If you truly Value your investments in hoopnets I highly suggest that they are lit well.

My kelp cutter has no problem doing it's job. It would be good common sence and HIGHLY RECCOMENDED to put a light on your gear while fishing an area of high boater traffic. Other boaters could be put in great Jeopardy of their own lives, passengers, and personal property through these foolish "STEALTH HOOPERS" actions.

Personally I strongly feel U.S.C.G. should require any deployed floatation devices intended for the use of fishing have lighting. Sport AND Commercial.





Capt.Flattymatty
"PREVAILER"

"to fish or not to fish..now that's a dumb question!"

 

[JSea]

UhhOhh . . .

When the commercial Lobster guys find out YOU want them to light each
of their buoys on each of their traps . . YOU won't be able to hide.

Most boaters hooping that I see have NAV lights, but them sneaky ones
and some small skiffs that drop off divers . . . if I see that stuff
I'm on channel 16 immediately. We certainly don't need any accidents!

I disagree that everyone should have lights or light sticks on their
hoopnet floats/buoys. I'll never forget 5 seasons ago when no less
then 40+ boats were working a local breakwater, stacked 4 deep in
rows of 10. The red and green lights were blinding at times causing
more trouble versus creating safety. It looked like a Christams Party!

I'll catch up with you one of these days!
Sorry for not returning your last telephone call. :-(

John.
Parker 2320 'FloMar'.

 

[flattymatty]

John,

C'mon now, you mostly fish an area where commercial activity is not allowed, however up here yonder it's a different deal. OK. let me reiderate my complaint and edit in a more reasonable fashion. How about any deployed floatation devices within 3 KM of any port or harbor intry... Or at least 2 well lit markers that signify a line of deployed gear, one on each end...AT LEAST. It's about safety and awareness of what is in your surroundings while navigating at night.

I have seen several lobster and crab bouys floating freely after boaters obviously came across and ran over unintentionally while underway at night. Not everyone is equipped with a radar with 2 washers shimmimg it down a bit If that was my investment in commercial gear, you wouldn't find it just outside the harbor intrance within the 1 mile bouy, or crab gear set directly in course line to Santa Cruz or capa. Just seems silly and not well thought out is all...

My MAIN gripe is unlit boaters that put themselves in potentially fatal circumstance. If these clowns keep it up, it will be enevitable to read a newspaper headline that says:

"Local Fisherman Missing and Presumed Dead Due to an Unlit Boat"

Mr. Joe Idiot was pronounced missing and presumed dead after encountering a collision with another boat just outside the intrance at the local harbor. Several witnesses had seen that Mr. Joe was cruising around the harbor while fishing for lobster with no navigation lighting. "You just couldn't see him out there!" one witness claims.
Mr. Joe was known to be an avid sportsman, and after interviews with friends and family, they just couldn't understand why he would be out there with no lights.

The family and friends are praying for a miracle that they find him alive, but local authorities and the U.S.C.G. are presuming the worst.


Capt.Flattymatty
"PREVAILER"

"to fish or not to fish..now that's a dumb question!"

 

[Squibblips]

I believe any boat (with includes anything with a motor) must have navigation lights when operating at night or in limited visability. I also believe that the hooping around the breakwater(s) can hinder navigation safety for other boats....that's the thinking behind not letting commercial lobster fisherman set traps there. Thus, it wouldn't bother me if they "closed" hooping within 100 yards of any entrance to any harbor....well, maybe my frustration results from not being able to actually catch a lobster at the breakwater! Have fun out there! Mike

 

[flattymatty]

>>I also believe that the hooping around the breakwater(s) can hinder navigation safety for other boats....

Only if you cannot see them in the water.


Motorized vessels under 12 ft are required to have one light activated at all times. over 12 ft. are required to have port/starboard/running lights activated at all times. What has been a common occurance is people shutting off their lights and cruising around unlit. If I have a bearing on a kayak or small inflatable and they "black out" and move around, they stand to have a late dinner of T6160 in their face, or any other boat bow for that matter. Self powered vessels such as kayaks do not have lighting regulations that I am aware of. This is where I am in disagreement.

I care not to have or have to respond to a yaker being struck by a powerboat. If your smart enough to obtain a job, buy a kayak, rig it out for hooping, then stretch the brain cells a bit further and put a light on the f####ng thing!

Just be safe and use your brains out there gang...


Capt.Flattymatty
"PREVAILER"

"to fish or not to fish..now that's a dumb question!"

 

[andrew2]

Some free diver died there last night ... I don't know the details, but condolences to his family.



On another note, is anyone aware of any movement to ban hoopnetting for lobsters? I heard some dock talk, but don't know if it is true or even possible.


Hope the wind lays down. I need to get wet.

 

[Badger]

Heard he was critical at St Johns Regional, hope he makes it. Happened the night before. He was not new, shallow water.

Also, I think the county would like to shut it down to alleviate drama caused by Hooper's. The wars out there are not going unnoticed especially when the HP, CG or DFG is called out and it's a pain in the ass for these guys.



Light your lights dammit!!!!

 

[golsen]

I have to agree with you Jim...an accident related to unlit boats, or boats going on the rocks because of unlit buoys, will most definitely lead to the "authorities" evaluating hooping on these near shore structures...I light mine, not because I don't know where to find them, but so they will be identified by other boaters...I definitely don't want to be responsible for someone wrapping their prop, going on the rocks, and potentially hurting themselves...

As for my own plan...I drive slowly, and cautiously when others are around, and keep an eye out for others and their gear. I think common courtesy and common sense will go a long way to insure safety, and an enjoyable time for all..You have to consider that there are MANY people out who have dramatically less sense and experience than one would hope...got to help protect them from themselves...

My #1 plan, is to go when and where the crowd factor is minimal...let me just say, it has worked out VERY well for me so far this season! Way more fun, and zero aggravation...

Andale

 

[Badger]

I definitely don't want to be responsible for someone wrapping their prop, going on the rocks, and potentially hurting themselves...

BINGO! Well said Greg.

 

[Badger]

Who is talking about commercials John? Forget navigating the islands out here at night during commercial season. One visit to Smugs a few weeks back and you would be amazed the number of traps 2 to 300 yards off.

 

[Moorefish2]

Good points Jimbo and Greg. Pots are as thick as mud in that zone and all the away past y-banks.

 

[JSea]

Here's Matts post verbatum . .
Do you see the word commercial now?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry... I need to vent a little here..

I have personally barely avoided several collisions as of lately with "Smaller" boats with ZERO lighting.

Personally, I would love to see Coast guard MANDATE that all vessels of ANY size, self powered or otherwise be required to have the standard port/starboard/stern or "running" light activated at ALL TIMES during the night.

Turning on and Shining a little light at me frantically right before I'm about to run your A$$ over and turn you into FISH FOOD is a very nieve and just plain STUPID. BE SEEN at ALL TIMES and BE SAFE...

FURTHERMORE....

If you truly Value your investments in hoopnets I highly suggest that they are lit well.

My kelp cutter has no problem doing it's job. It would be good common sence and HIGHLY RECCOMENDED to put a light on your gear while fishing an area of high boater traffic. Other boaters could be put in great Jeopardy of their own lives, passengers, and personal property through these foolish "STEALTH HOOPERS" actions.

Personally I strongly feel U.S.C.G. should require any deployed floatation devices intended for the use of fishing have lighting.
[blink]Sport AND Commercial.[/blink]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John.
Parker 2320 'FloMar'.

 

[flattymatty]

Well just because my personal feelings about how responsible other people are in regards to their own safety and other boaters won't change a thing John.

It will take someone dieng and having their families sue, sue, sue the cr#p out of the coast guard, harbor patrol, and the owner of the deployed gear. The commercial aspect is really not the issue, as they don't run around in little boats with no lights deploying 10 unlit marker bouys in a high traffic area. Their gear is farther out and less likely to be an immediate hazard with no time for response before parking a boat on the wall. Please stop derailing my point here. The forget I even mentioned the word commercial.

 

[JSea]

I'm not trying to derail anything Matt.

When Jim says to me who's talking about commercial I have to let
him know his eyes are bad, and let him know I'm not going crazy.

Unfortunately, after a well put together post . . .
Then those 3 words at the end made both applicable to the rest of your post.

Nuff of that . .

The STUFF you described is not new.
Maybe it is up there?
Maybe it is because you yourself are now encountering it?
It's been around for years and years, even before the recent hoopnet craze over the last 5+ years.
I've heard stories from 20 years ago where certain guys had certain spots they anchored on to Party,
and while partying they'd drop the hoopnets over.

Wasn't there a song surrounding this?

Do a little drinkin', pull a few hoops, get down tonight get down tonight.

There are other ways to handle this in addition to venting here.

Like I said, when I see this I drive right up to a boat w/o ANY
lights at all and tell them they are creating a potential safety
issue for every other boater in the area. I ask them to please turn
on their lights immediately. If they don't have any . . well above
I stated what I do . . channel 16 ASAP, and I don't care if it's the
Harbor Patrol, the Sheriffs, or the Lifeguards that come out to talk
to them. Yeah it's taxpayer dollars, but I'd rather have that then
to have the Coast Guard Helicopter out there as well due to a
potentially fatal accident.

Take care bud.

John.
Parker 2320 'FloMar'.

 

[flattymatty]

no worries John, it's all good.

Just don't want to see that chopper fly in either.


Capt.Flattymatty
"PREVAILER"

"to fish or not to fish..now that's a dumb question!"

 

[Badger]

Hey.

Don't make me come down there and
show you what the other end of your
wick looks like rainman.

:+

 

[Fiskadoro]

RE: Banning things in the water

Interesting thread; So hoopnet floats should be lit or else?

Well while you guys are asking for a hoopnet ban there's some other things you should ask to get banned as well.

Lots of Nav buoys and channel markers have no lights should they be banned? I guess so...

I know a guy who hit a treelimb: How about banning all trees within a mile of any stream, river, or coastline.

I know a guy who sucked up a plastic bag and ruined his motor why not ban all plastic bags?

Whales are not lit...Ban them!!!

Rocks and boilers are not always lit. I guess the Corps of Engineers could remove all rocks along the coatstline....ban them!

What about points of land in general. They do tend to stick out!!!!! and boats tend to hit them!!!!!...ban them and remove them all.

You ever notice most boating accidents happen at night. That will most definitely lead to the "authorities" evaluating dangerous nightime activities...How about a non commercial ban on all boat traffic at night.

Small craft advisories...forget advising let's just ban all boat traffic when it's rough or windy.........it's dangerous you know!!!


I guess banning all that stuff would create a huge beurocracy that would cost the taxpayers a ton of money....

Hmmmmmmm I have an idea for an alternative. Boaters who are too stupid to avoid running into things at night should just stay home.

Works for me :7

Jim

 

[Badger]

RE: Banning things in the water

You should have kept that lil yellow floating bus, LOL

 

[Hotdog]

RE: Banning things in the water

>Hmmmmmmm I have an idea for an alternative. Boaters who are
>too stupid to avoid running into things at night should just
>stay home.
>
>Works for me :7
>
>Jim


LMFAO!That would eliminate 95% of the fleet!
Good one Scooby!

 

[JSea]

RE: Banning things in the water

Just the chuckle I needed after too much ocean tonight.

John.