markham STANDUP jetski lake

[sflsurfrider]

this is a good short-term solution i think. it'd be cool if the let us do it.

but we should be pro-active and at least try to help correct the couch problem. i think a nice big sign (like you see at public pools) is a good idea for starters.

like the big flourescent bouy that says "no wake" that always gets treated as something to manuver around at full speed right by the launch area?

if these assclowns cant obey a simple "no wake" bouy, why would you think that a sign that tells them what common sense should dictate would do the least bit of good?

there is no correcting the couch problem. its grown like an epidemic. it seems that EVERYONE has one. its like one cop trying to diffuse a riot of hundreds.

hopefully, if it gets done, itll at least be until the west ramp opens back up. i can live with that.

 

[fwi]

Rick,
Does your wife know about your avatar?

 

[GDFL]

I can see it now.....Joe Badass on his RXP sees the bouy and sign that say standup jetskis only so he follows the rules by blasting through the area while standing up. Maybe punishment by death would get people to follow the rules. Publicly hang the first person blasts through there and the problem is over.:biggrin:
Garrett

 

[SuperJETT]

How big is that place, like feet wide?

 

[RoyalFlush@PCB]

nahhh, this is covered under the EXTENDED warranty........

i am now, right sponson-less

If you would get 360 degrees of rotation instead of 270, it wouldn't be a problem. :smile:

Check your paperwork, I'm sure this was addressed.

 

[Idok]

If you would get 360 degrees of rotation instead of 270, it wouldn't be a problem. :smile:

Check your paperwork, I'm sure this was addressed.

at:

 

[kid4now]

So what happens when the lake is divided. Now the stand ups will only have a very small area to ride in. Once we step on the other side to tune and test in some straight runs they will be screaming and holloering (sp) get off our side and rightfully so. There have to be rules and they have to be enforced.

Maybe a sign that asks couchs to avoid running high at speed at the end of the lake due to slower moving standups would be a start.

Just my thoughts.

 

[sflsurfrider]

So what happens when the lake is divided. Now the stand ups will only have a very small area to ride in. Once we step on the other side to tune and test in some straight runs they will be screaming and holloering (sp) get off our side and rightfully so. There have to be rules and they have to be enforced.

Maybe a sign that asks couchs to avoid running high at speed at the end of the lake due to slower moving standups would be a start.

Just my thoughts.

i thought of that and honestly do not have an answer. it would be nice if people could just use some common sense on their own instead of having it be explained to them.

it would be so much easier if couches were just banned.:dunno:

 

[Boris]

Sounds like you guys have a crowded lake problem.
One solution (although might not be the most convenient) would be to drive over to the other coast.
Estero bay is big enough that you can find a spot where you can be all alone for the whole day.

I guess I'll see how bad of a couch problem you guys have when I come over to your side of Alligator Alley.

 

[sflsurfrider]

its really not that bad at all. the lake is far from crowded.

i think education and kicking people out for infractions after a warning every weekend would be a huge step. segregation is not the long term solution. theres usually only one or two people that are the 'problem'

pwc strength is in numbers, all our numbers.

every sport faction has it's falling outs tho, so this is just normal behavior. mx'ers HATE quads... harley guys HATE sportbike guys.. skateboarders HATE rollerbladers... surfers HATE bodyboarders.. thats just the way it is, but we have to find a way to get along. while everyone is trying to ban us and close down our riding spots, fighting amongst each other isn't really going to help any. if they see enough weakness and really want to come after us, they'll just start citing us for reckless endangerment the first time someone does a barrel roll or even just a nosestab in the surf.. i dont want it to come to that. it almost did a few years ago in sebastian with the whole surfer vs pwc debacle over there.. it was to the point where we were swinging at each other in the water.. yes, literally. the dnr were just sick and tired of hearing it.. that's not what we want.

education is the key IMO. segregation won't work.

this one of those topics that can just go on and on and on.. there's no easy answer here.

thinking about the markham lake situation even more, the segregated areas wouldn't even probably work because they have a hard enough time getting these kids just to show up to work to watch one side of the lake.. i dont see how theyd have the resources to staff/watch both sides.. it's already $10 just to ride there for 3 hours as it is now.

you must be doing the early morning sessions, because the afternoon sessions ae VERY crowded. this has nothing to do with my hatred of couchers. its a safety issue plain and simple. you can call it segregating out of hatred or you can call it separating for the purpose of safety. regardless of the intent, the result is safer water.

separating the lake at the opposite end wouldnt be practical because it would require more staff. thats why i also said the boundary should start at around the 4th or 5th parking spot then go straight across. that was my original idea. that way, we're still all parked together and no additional staffing is necessary.

and, yes, it would be nice if the staff did something more than collect your cash and tell you when to get out of the water.

 

[Rickster]

Rick,
Does your wife know about your avatar?

I thought that was my Wife, damn...:cool2:

 

[Rickster]

:banghead: The Staff at the lake are nothing but teenagers, and do not know the law. They are there to collect money, and that is it. They need someone there enforcing the rules, and getting the Park Rangers out for those that do not enforce the rules.

I don't think segregation is the answer, but I do think keeping the number of skis on the lake at any one time is. I beleive the rule is no more than 17 ski's at any one time, but that is double what is safe for the lake IMO.

Besides, if they give the standups the southern portion of the lake, who honestly believes the couches will stay out? They will just go by the Buoys and probably stand up on thier couches while riding.:banghead:

I laughed the other day, when one family that spoke broken English could not figure out how to start their 0 hour Aquatrax they just pulled from the Dealer. This after the lifeguard would not let them in the water, and I had to explain the law to him on riding a newly purchased ski. The same day another family come out, launches their ski and then and ontly then realizes they did not bring their lanyard.

 

[sflsurfrider]

i wasnt about to help some complete noob start his couch. THATS all we needed was another non-english speaking noob on a couch. "MEEDA MEEDA!!!"

i believe we said "take it back to el dealer". i dont help couchers anymore. i will tow them if they need a tow, but thats about the extent of it. i sometimes will lend my tools out, if i see he wasnt riding like a jackhole. otherwise, ill tow them in and hand them one of steves cards and say "good luck."

 

[Rickster]

i don't mind teaching someone how to start their ski. i'd be willing to help anyone at the lake who needs some help. i don't care what language they speak. i do not feel like i am better/smarter than someone else just because i ride a standup..

Neither do I, but I beleive the Aquatrax comes with a factory locking code, and to be honest I don't know anything about them, except for riding one once.

The Guy with the lanyard, if he asked me, I would have given him a spare. The lifegaurd told me what the problem was after they left.

it's not about what ski they ride, it's about education, or the lack of it.

I agree, it's about the lack of education, and unfortunately, some people do not want to learn. They don't think about a throttle being stuck, or a steering cable breaking, etc...

we should be encouraging people to join our sport, and willing to show them the ropes (to those who want to listen).

I agree, and the amount of time that I fix fix other peoples skis at the lake, would attest to this. The problem is when people go out to the lake, it is usually with Friends and Familes, and their pride does not allow them to listen to others. 'This is my ski, and I know how to ride it' is a very common view.

What we do with standups, could be considered dangerous to others, so I understand that. And that is what I consider to be the biggest problem with sitdown and stand up riders. They view what we do as no differently than splashing the shores, doing 180's and flipping off their passengers, et.

On a side note, I don't care what your background is, but I do firmly believe that if you live in the US, you should have a command of English. When I go to Japan, I try and speak Japanese as much as I can. It's simply common courtesy. :biggthumpup:

 

[Rickster]

Normally when I go to the lake, I take my WaveVenture for my Daughter, and ride the SJ around myself. That is why I don't want to see any sort of segregation happening.

My Daughter likes to watch Daddy, and play with the sand/rocks on shore, and if I could not do that, I would not go to the lake as often.

75% of the riders on the lake are decent people, I only concern myself with the other 25%, which could be controlled with a higher standard of Employee controlling the lake.

BTW, I was the one that explained the law to the Lake Employee for the Spanish people so they could ride, although they knew nothing about the law or how to start the ski. I just don't know enough about the new ski's to be messing with someones $12K investment.:biggrin:

 

[Idok]

Neither do I, but I beleive the Aquatrax comes with a factory locking code, and to be honest I don't know anything about them, except for riding one once.

The Guy with the lanyard, if he asked me, I would have given him a spare. The lifegaurd told me what the problem was after they left.


I agree, it's about the lack of education, and unfortunately, some people do not want to learn. They don't think about a throttle being stuck, or a steering cable breaking, etc...

I agree, and the amount of time that I fix fix other peoples skis at the lake, would attest to this. The problem is when people go out to the lake, it is usually with Friends and Familes, and their pride does not allow them to listen to others. 'This is my ski, and I know how to ride it' is a very common view.

What we do with standups, could be considered dangerous to others, so I understand that. And that is what I consider to be the biggest problem with sitdown and stand up riders. They view what we do as no differently than splashing the shores, doing 180's and flipping off their passengers, et.

On a side note, I don't care what your background is, but I do firmly believe that if you live in the US, you should have a command of English. When I go to Japan, I try and speak Japanese as much as I can. It's simply common courtesy. :biggthumpup:

think of the look they would have given you if you'd have just handed them a ziptie :biggthumpup:

 

[sflsurfrider]

i'm sure we're trying to reach the same goal. i've never liked the segregation idea either. i also dont want to be all crammed up in the same spot with 8 other standups. when i ride flatwater, i like my flatwater, well, flat. ;-)

it's hard when youre doing s-turns, turning around, jumping, then coming back for another s-turn, turn around , jumping for other less-experienced stand-up riders to also know what you're trying to do, and they end up riding thru the setup wave you just tried to create.. that can also be frustrating, which is why i dont want to have just a small area for all of us to ride in. we make alot of turns and usually require a small space of our own even within the room we're sharing.

can you exaggerate a little more?

its even more frustrating when a couch zips by at 70 mph through your setup wake. am i wrong? :dunno:

if you were to actually go out there and check out the area that im talking about, youd see that its not such a small area.

go ahead and pass out flyers in portugese. ill bet the couchers will still be jackasses.

:hail: segregation.

 

[fwi]

I thought that was my Wife, damn...:cool2:

Sorry Rick, i guess I never saw her from that angle!:biggrin: :biggthumpup: :hail: :smile:

 

[Boris]

So, anyone going to the lake this weekend ??

I was thinking of taking a drive over the Alley and checking it out, providing I can get out of working.

 

[sflsurfrider]

not sure about this weekend depending on if i choose to work or not tommorow. maybe waterfreak will be there. PM him