Right of way question

I think an important point to make about dealing with all the skiers and tubers in lakes in terms of right of way is the propensity for the tubers/boarders/skiers to become "disconnected" from the boat when they intentionally and/or accidentally drop the rope.

If you are sailing for a point where they will be passing by just a few moments before, you may need to have some very quick reflexes if you are to not run the person over. And while an individual floating may be easy to avoid in a Hobie with the small amount of forward surface area, you may still have to avoid a stray ski, a board, or even worse one of those giant tubes.

Because of my fear of this happening, I sacrifice alot of speed and bearing (maybe too much) when near those boaters. I don't aim dead on and hope the boater is smart, because I know that half the time they dont even understand that sailboats cant sail upwind, or that making a giant wake at 30 knots, 20 feet off my bow, is not exactly the nicest thing to do.

And in terms of this specific situation you mentioned above, my opinion is in agreement with those above who completely see it as the powerboaters fault, but at the same time, you can not assume that the driver of the much more maneuverable powerboat understands anything about right-of-way or decency.

This is quickly turning into a rant. I'm going to stop before I start thinking about PWCs.

_________________
Peter Scranton
'14 Tandem Island "Awesome"
'03 Windrider Rave "Menage a Trois"

Windsurfers would have the greater agility. Just remember to always give RIGHT of way. So if someone is approaching you to the right, just like at a stop sign, you give them right of way. Of course if there is current (not likely with a hobie, but just incase) the boat going down stream has right of way.