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[crazy] I have heard through the "grapevine" that some lakes may require a float tube/tuber to have a visible 12in.by12in. swatch of orange on his/her tube or person. Has anyone else heard this or am I off base!
It probably would not be a bad idea to have a 12 by 12 square orange flag on some sort of 3-4 foot dowel to be more visible to boaters. Does anyone do this or am I being ridiculous.
As usual please chime in with your comments.........
JD
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local lake here.. Lake Wohlford specifically requires square patch above the water line...
[url "http://www.lakewohlford.com/"]Lake Wohlford[/url]
MacFly
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Macfly55,
Thanks for the heads up. I am just beginning this tubing thing, but I have shore fished Lake Wohlford, Dixon, and Cuyamaca numerous times over the last several years.
I especially like the alpine feel of Cuyamaca. Are these good choices for tubing in the fall and spring?????
JD
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JDF,
You are more than welcome.. like I said I know for sure Wohlford requires it but not sure about the other ones.
I dont float tube yet so I am like you and stuck on the shore for now.. I just read this area of the site for information more than anything else...
Here is another site you may want to go to if you are fishing
[url "http://www.sdfish.com/lakes/index.html"]SD lakes[/url]. This site gives a general run down on SD area lakes.
Hope this helps some...
MacFly
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Most bodies of water do require it as per Coast Guard regulations.
Coast Guard in the lakes?????? Yes! The Coast Guard writes all the fresh and salt water safety rules no matter what body of water you are in.
My tube doesn't have the orange patch. I fixed that by using one of those orange safety vests that you can get at Home Depot. I dawned the vest over the back seat. There is better than 12 x 12 visible.
My other tube is bright yellow but has a 6 x 24 orange stripe on the back.[cool]
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[cool][#0000ff]Not all states have the requirement for the patch of orange on your tube. They should. Even with high visibility, tubers are still vulnerable to power squadron idiots who run around a lake wide open and don't look forward or change course unless they hear a crash.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The big downside of being easier to see is that it makes us better targets for water skiers and PWC wackos. If you get two or three tubers (wearing orange) out on the water, suddenly you have racing pylons and they start their slalom runs on you. It has happened to TubeBabe and me on a couple of lakes in Arizona.[/#0000ff]
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Recently I observed a jetski moron miss a 20 foot ten ton cruiser by inches.
A little red patch is not sufficient for such idiots, it is the same type drive their cars into stationery objects in the early morning hours. Should a bridge or wall also have to have a flou patch?
It is a new problem, and here in Ireland for a while, restrictions on speed within certain distance from shore, and near swimming areas were tried, but too many young warrior types disregarded every such rule with their jetski. They seem to really enjoy "buzzing" youngster groups out for a day sailing in small sailing craft more than anything.
Now in Ireland we have had local authorities ban fast PWCs on many "fishing" lakes and they have now been coralled into fewer number of designated PWC lakes, where the only anglers will be in boats, and at the other end of the lake.
It took a big lobby by angling clubs to achieve the bans, but angling tourism as an industry and loss of earnings due to fishing tourists not returning to "race-track fisheries", finally got the laws passed.
My advice ...do not rely much on the visual protection given by a warning device like a fluo patch. It depends upon the oncoming driver actually looking where they are going.
Somebody (TD?) mentioned air horns ... I suspect they might work better, but the real cure is to agitate to get problem drivers removed.
A lobby is not difficult to do, because the horrible jetski-hits-swimmer accidents take place where childrem go to swim, and parents will naturally come to the angling side of the debate.
Remember many of the state authorities running the lakes are also parents or grandparents.
I enclose extracts from an Irish government debate on the legislation which illustrates just how little support jetski drivers have outside their own little circle.
Quote:
I wish to address the issue of the use of speedboats and jet skis in our coastal and inland waters. It is hard to find anybody who would speak up for jet ski users. Anybody who has the pleasure of spending a day at a popular beach or lakeside location will know the annoyance caused by noisy jet skis and the danger they pose to human life. ..... The problem might be cleared up by now but perhaps the Minister of State would clarify the matter when recapping on the Bill.
......Jet skis also have an environmental impact, particularly on fish and marine life. We have a large tourism sector in Ireland and fishing is very popular in my constituency in County Clare, especially in the inland lakes. The last thing we want to do is damage fishing stocks and marine life. Many jet skis leak diesel and oil, and that matter should be controlled. We do not want to send the wrong message to Irish and foreign tourists who use our waters. There is nothing of merit to say with regard to jet skis.
....The current position with regard to jet skis is unsatisfactory. Regulation of the use of jet skis varies under by-laws introduced by local authorities. .... providing ultimately for the forfeiture of craft and disqualification from use of offenders and providing also for implementation of the legislation by the Garda (Irish police)
....[/url]
There have been fatalities associated with jet skis and I hope the increased regulation in this area will minimise the likelihood of serious or fatal accidents in the future. The most high profile person to be involved in one of these accidents is the singer, Kirsty MacColl, who was killed by one of these crafts while swimming off the coast of Mexico. ...... Previous speakers spoke about the use of jet skis in foreign tourist resorts and the fact that areas are assigned for the use of jetskis off the coastline. In that way they do not interfere with swimmers and other holidaymakers.
....I have seen these craft operate, and young people take great delight in using them. They are macho craft for macho types who race across the coastline and back again at high speeds, not thinking of the dangers to themselves or others. .... We all know the impact of water at 60 miles per hour and the consequences that can result for the person on the jet ski or others. It is important that local authorities are given the power to control the use of jet skis and speedboats, whether on inland lakes or offshore.
UNQUOTE
As you see, they have virtually no friends. This might encourage you to contact your government representatives, request action before a death, etc..
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When I go tubing in the Saltwater, I am also required to have a signalling device. Be it an airhorn (preferrence) or a blow whistle, I am required to carry something to make noise in the event of a nearing craft.
As was mentioned, the Coast Guard regs are not enforced for all bodies of water. They are written but some of them are a little extreme. Therefore, one body of water may chose to adapt the regs to fit the needs of the local public.
As far as wacky drivers go, there are plenty of them in the area that I live in. Many of them dive boat just like they drive their cars. That goes to show that they shouldn't be behind the wheel of neither.
When others don't follow the rules and regulations it doesn't matter what we have for signaling devices, signs nor symbols. Sometimes others just don't care of have the attitude of "That doesn't apply to me".
I hope you have save day today.[cool]
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[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3][cool]Some SoCal lakes also require that one carries and audible devise like a whistle or air horn. I prefer the airhorn which I also carry while wading. Might help to scare off a bear or two. LOL[/size][/green][/font]
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[cool][#0000ff]There is a saying here "in the colonies"..."Locks are made to keep innocent people innocent." Laws and regulations are similarly enacted to help protect us from ourselves. Unfortunately, there will always be the element of people who do not believe that the laws apply to them...that they are subject only to their own selfish whims.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It is frustrating, but the best we can do is assume the responsibility for our own individual safety. Just as on the road, in an automobile, we cannot rely on others to always be alert or to obey the laws that protect us. By keeping ourselves highly visible and by having an airhorn to sound an auditory warning, we might help prevent a preventable encounter. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just as important is not putting ourselves in harms way. Here in Utah, as in many states, there are fishing lakes that are less likely to have large numbers of water skiers or PWC operators. They are often better for tube fishing than the busy lakes. But, even on lakes that are good fishing and popular with the power squadron, we can sometimes sneak in a few hours of safe and quiet fishing before the crazies take over the water. Timing and discretion can prevent irritation and the potential for disaster.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Happily, more and more individual waters around our country are waking up to the irritation and danger of the PWC crowd. They are being completely banned in some places and severely restricted in others. Not enough soon enough. Until there is a law that dictates that all operators have to pass a test...and are even subject to being licensed...like for driving an auto...there will be hordes of young and foolish operators making life miserable for others who just want a quiet and peaceful fishing trip.[/#0000ff]
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... [#0000ff][size 1]But, even on lakes that are good fishing and popular with the power squadron, we can sometimes sneak in a few hours of safe and quiet fishing before the crazies take over the water. Timing and discretion can prevent irritation [/size][/#0000ff] ...
You have it there ... 5 AM is not a time these types are likely to put in an appearance.
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