@TnRiver46 I reckon we need radar on our/their rigs now. 

Heaven forbid we place any responsibility on the person gripping the tiller 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

And now it’s even getting blamed for a high speed crash. Hell, come to think of it, livescope stole my wife and kids 

I've been using FFS to pick stocks on the stock market.  I'm just trying to make as much money as possible before Wall Street bands it. 😃

@Tennessee Boy

AIS identification is on hand-held VHF/GPS/DSC marine-band radios, and you apply for an MMSI, which locks the radio to the hull for life.  Everyone I know who paddles offshore uses this technology.  

You classify your boat with the MMSI application, and paddlecraft shows up on AIS nav screens.  

MMSI also helps identify you if your boat gets recovered for any reason, e.g. blown away, stolen and found, etc.  

Regards

A few years ago, a guide ran over and killed a kayaker crossing Aransas Channel in the dark.  The guide didn't even know what he hit until he got back in and looked at his boat, then reported it.   It was the kayaker's fault - illegal without a 360 light - though most boats in Aransas Channel come off plane when they get to Lighthouse Lakes marker 60 channel crossing.  

 

This was the spot.  Maybe SFB takes many forms.  

Not all boats come off plane when they see kayakers crossing the channel (Marker 1).    

In fall tides, we also see power boats poaching the 10,000-acre SNA preserve and no-prop zone.  

@bulldog1935 that’s very helpful information, does this apply to freshwater vessels as well and can you possibly share a link for this information? 

https://www.boatus.com/products-and-services/membership/mmsi

 

And sorry, marine band VHF is limited to marine operations, which includes offshore and ICW, and specific high-use fresh waterways where US Coast Guard has a presence.  Most lake sail-yachters I know apply for inland VHF license.  

1 hour ago, FloridaFishinFool said:

TnRiver46 said: "It’s so wonderful and magical that you’re only allowed to use it a third of the time?"

 

I agree. 1/3 of the time? How does this make sense? Its like saying we are 2/3 of the way to a total ban. Almost there.

 

I am glad they are now reducing the screen sizes in front of the driver though. They were really beginning to block more and more forward view. I bet this will play a large role in the lawsuits.

 

There has got to be a better way.

 

 

 

The lawyers and their lawsuits may start looking at boat manufacturers to blame for how the boats are designed that could be considered behind what led to this situation. But MLF did allow it. If they go that route then maybe the brands and manufacturers who made them are also going to be dragged into this before its all over.

 

Clearly change is here and more is to come for sure.

 

I can’t figure it out, the manufacturers started putting the units in the dash, where they weren’t blocking forward visibility - but those weren’t big enough. Ram mounts were put off to the side for a second screen. Now you need to have a washer/dryer set right in your face, or you can’t be competitive? The size/position of the gimbals here tells me that odds are forward visibility absolutely sucked in this boat, and attentiveness probably suffered accordingly…..

I’m not blaming the electronics, but I do believe the excess played a part.
 

And let’s be honest, we’ve all seen or known “that guy”…..the one so dependent on watching the screens that common sense goes right out the window. There was a dude here over the summer that ripped his skeg off and tore up a brand new Z19 trying to navigate with his GPS at night….never even looked at the “reef” buoy that he ran into. 

@bulldog1935 still potentially useful. I fished ICW in Jax, Mayport area and I’m thinking that there is a Coast Guard presence on the Great Lakes but I’m not sure. Perhaps @A-Jay knows. 

@F14A-B

13 minutes ago, F14A-B said:

@bulldog1935 still potentially useful. I fished ICW in Jax, Mayport area and I’m thinking that there is a Coast Guard presence on the Great Lakes but I’m not sure. Perhaps @A-Jay knows. 

The US Coast Guard is tasked with having a presence in federal and international waters.

For the purpose of this discussion, we will focus on federal waters.

Basically that means waters that have shorelines in at least two different states.

and/or at least one other country besides the USA.

So the Great lakes, large long rivers like the Mississippi and inland lakes like Lake Tahoe and

Lake Champlain.

A-Jay

 

@ElGuapo928

The only AIS system I saw in-use was on a 25' cuddy, and cap'n had all the reefs programmed-in.  

Deck-hand showing samsonite snapper, which was caught by my buddy.  My part in that fish, after we fished through our bait, I caught the fly-rod bluefish cut-bait that caught the samsonite snapper.  

I also got suspended snapper on fly rod sinking line, to notch-up my fly-rod species list (now over 120).  

14 hours ago, Glenn said:

Well, they just announced half the 2026 opens prohibit FFS.

Thanks @Glenn, that’s some great news! As @FloridaFishinFool rightfully pointed out, other than mlf’s high school series total ban of FFS, its use use is still only restricted. Meaning no one has “turned back”. 
 

I’m not at all anti-FFS, actually think it’s some amazing technology. That said, it will never be on my boat. I have two Garmin units with gps on my boat. All I use them for is to see structure and for water temps. Way to old school for FFS. Heck, I don’t even know how to use the gps function! 😂

 

Do think that something needs to be done about the line of sight at the console. Also in favor of horsepower restrictions. 

3 minutes ago, volzfan59 said:

Also in favor of horsepower restrictions. 

It's not the HP that needs restricting - it's the speed. I don't care if you got 500hp behind your boat...just move at a speed where you have full awareness and control.

 

Personally, I think they need to institute a speed limit on all tourney anglers.

Not just a speed limit but also maybe some distance limits as well.

 

I have often thought it is absolutely absurd for a bass pro to travel 20, 40, 60 miles in a boat just to catch a fish!

 

I would never do such a thing. Unheard of for us locals here in Florida. We may drive 60 plus miles to catch a fish, but not in the boats. I always stay within 5 miles of a ramp and usually less than 3 most of the time. There is no need to put so many miles on a boat to fish, and then because of time limits in tournaments have to add wings to a boat just to get there & back at 60, 70+mph.

 

Maybe the lawsuits are correct that MLF was creating a deadly situation by creating the environment that compelled bass fishermen to race as fast as they can to get to their spot.

 

I'd call for speed and distance limitations.

 

Here in Florida the absurdity of it all shows up in the Elite Series at Palatka and Harris chain of lakes. Too many miles to cover in too short of time periods.

 

It seems to me what Boyd Duckett is doing with MLF is using the MLF to sell products. And his rules for MLF revolve around selling those products. Like bigger faster boats. Show them on camera flying up and down rivers as fast as they can to help sell them. Can't have rules limiting the camera view of products to push and sell. MLF = sales pitching through pro bass fishing on camera. Rules shaped to the products to hawk.

I don’t disagree with a sped limit@MN Fisher. It’s just a 150 won’t go as fast as a 250, 300, etc. Before retirement, we used to get calls complaining about people speeding on some road or highway section. As I’ve said numerous times to these callers, We’ll get to it as soon as we can,  but we can’t be everywhere all the time. Same thing goes for wildlife/conservation officers, water patrol, etc.

^ Easy way to make sure - every boat in the tournament has to have a tracker and they're monitored (AI maybe) during water time. If they exceed the tournament speed limit, they're immediately disqualified...no 'I slipped', no 'I wasn't paying attention'...no excuses period.

This is why I think the 18’/150hp standard should have stayed….not only were speeds under more control, you thought more about how far you were willing to push it. 
 

And I don’t see the boat manufacturers having an issue with it - during the days of that standard there were a lot more manufacturers. Ranger had what, 8 different 17’10” models in ‘89?

TX coast benchmark boatmaker Shoalwater offered a 90-mph bay boat - you won't find it on their website.  

At that speed, only the motor foot is in the water, and the boat is a hydroplane.  

Boat-show demo nose-up flipped and killed one of the demo passengers.  

MN Fisher said: "^ Easy way to make sure - every boat in the tournament has to have a tracker and they're monitored (AI maybe) during water time. If they exceed the tournament speed limit, they're immediately disqualified...no 'I slipped', no 'I wasn't paying attention'...no excuses period."

 

 

Boom! And there we have it. Trackers. And I'm talking crazy talk huh?

 

And that manatee are a personal agenda and have no connection to this subject and lawsuits.

 

Please consider when MLF comes to Florida and is paying fishermen who win a tournament $100,000.00 to fly up and down our lakes and rivers here.

 

In both the St. Johns river and Harris chain of lakes, both locations are infested with manatee populations just trying to move around and feed and reproduce hoping to be left alone.

 

And then here comes the crazy train MLF circus of way over powered boats flying up and down our lakes and rivers endangering our manatee. To date there are no records or instances of any professional bass fisherman having hit or killed a manatee. Yet!

 

We are talking literally hundreds of miles being run at high speeds by MLF pro's. What are the odds?

 

Fortunately, the manatee usually stay along the edges of lakes and rivers feeding in cover while the crazy train circus flying up and down the rivers and lakes is out in deeper water closer to center of channels or lakes so this has kept them apart for now. I can see why biologists are concerned and want change.

 

But if and when that day comes when any bass pro hits, injures and kills a manatee here under tournament conditions compelled by big money, there will be outrage unleashed for them around here. I hope that day never comes, but it is because of events like that that compels change.

 

Tracking devices is a simple solution we already have. Why not implement it before another tragedy happens? Just crazy talk I am told. Not any more!

 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article60223771.html

 

FWC: Manatee killed by boater in Fisherman’s Channel

By Alex Harris

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1223524205709948/posts/1366109248118109/

 

What’s happening Harris Chain Of Lakes  · 

 

Stephanie Young

 ·March 25, 2024 ·

Reminder to slow down and keep an eye out for Manatees on the Harris Chain! Friend filmed one this morning going under his boat in/by the Burrell Lock this morning. Watch to end for good view. Hit one of these at speed could get thrown from your boat, and of course don't want to hurt them either."

 

 

It is also a danger to the boater who hit them! Keep that in mind as well.

 

Change is good. Change is necessary. That is my whole point to bringing manatee into this discussion. These issues do overlap, and is not a personal agenda. It is an agenda for ALL humanity.

@MN Fisher I like that idea but, I see one fail point to it. Wind/current. That can change your speed faster for a few seconds. There would almost have to be a time limit. Just like a cop has to trail you a certain amount of time before they can pull you over if they are behind you and you’re speeding (at least here). Or grossly over the speed limit. If they catch you on radar or times that’s different. 
 

I think if you speed through a no wake you get disqualified for the season. Not only is it unsafe it’s completely disrespectful in most cases. 

32 minutes ago, Susky River Rat said:

Wind/current. That can change your speed faster for a few seconds. There would almost have to be a time limit.

Personally - those come under the heading of 'pay attention'. If you can't keep your speed constant even with wind and current, get off the water.

 

33 minutes ago, Susky River Rat said:

I think if you speed through a no wake you get disqualified for the season.

Nope - speed through a no-wake zone and you get permanently banned.

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Personally - those come under the heading of 'pay attention'. If you can't keep your speed constant even with wind and current, get off the water.

I respectfully disagree with this you have to have time to react to changing conditions. I have watched my gps speed change half a mile per hour instantly than go back. That is why there needs to be a tolerance in my opinion. You’d be to busy watching the reading than whats in front of you. 

^ Then just a bit slower so that those 'hiccups' don't put you over the limit....easy enough.

Ample forward visibility in the Pro-V Bass.

A-Jay

It's a horrible tragedy, but it was most likely an accident. Accidents happen, it's part of life. The lawsuit is not about making a change so everyone else is safer from now on, it's about money. The people that lost loved ones see their chance to never have to work again, and their lawyers are going to do the best they can to make it happen.