Forgot to post this earlier this week.

Fernando, Razzbo and I are doing some testing on our skis. There's a sherrif who's about 70 years old in a boat, pulling everyone over. Fernando comments that I'm going to get busted, and I say "no way for what?".

Lo and behold, this guy blips his siren and pulls me over on my ski. He then informs me that I am "not allowed to accelerate or turn" my ski while he's on patrol. WTF?! So I asked him what he hell am I supposed to do if I can't accelerate or turn? He said "bring it somewhere else." Real nice....

Boog...... where was that at?, a good friend of mine(PARKS AND WILDLIFE OFFICER) told me that it WILL, get better, he explained it like this, he said ,he hears ,a lot of the p/w officers that have been on the force for a while , used to be able to relax, and even watch the game on the weekends, because it was mostly boats, now with the ever increasing amount of us on the water, they actually have to go out and police the waters, I can tell you he told of a lot of instances where,some were so mad ,when they went out on the water, they made up there own rules...how about this, one time while riding I was told if I was going to ride in this particular lake , I had to pin my whistle to my jacket, or get off of the water, seems miniscule, but we did it any way to not spoil our day......

Time for the old man to retire.

I say complain to the Sheriff's Internal Affairs department if they have one (do sheriff's depts even have internal affairs? Or just city police? I have no idea ). In any event I wouldn't let this kind of crap go without kicking up some dirt...a couple phone calls and letters just to let his bosses know that he's becoming public enemy number 1 on that lake.

I'm going to provide some commentary on this one. I know the police officers that work our local lakes. The officers that work the lake are cool. They want to be there and they understand why other people want to be at the lake. That doesn't mean they don't do their job. They inspect boats sometime on the ramp before letting them go in the water (check for up to date registration, insurance, etc.). If people are out there getting stupid drunk and causing a problem they make them leave or take them to detox. They don't get out there and try and squash people's fun.
I would suggest doing this. I'm sure the sheriff's department has an internal affairs dept. but calling them isn't necessary. Just call the sheriff's department and ask to speak to whoever is the supervisor over the lake officers. Be polite and tell the supervisor what happened and that you don't understand why you wouldn't be allowed to accelerate or turn you ski. See what he says. Technically the deputy's suggestion is a safety hazard anyways. Eventually you would idle right into the shore.

OK, then there's the sensible approach or my half-cocked, both barrels loaded approach. Might want to test the adage "You catch more bees with honey" first but if that don't work I say let 'em have it!

The guy was harmless enough, as long as he was just "warning" everybody. But the thing that scares me is if this guy starts handing out tickets out there on the water.

I would have asked him to elaborate on "not accelerating or turning" Does this mean no WOT runs and no carving, or is he just being an old guy that hates jetski's? there are lots of them around...

The water cops on my lake in michigan ride F12x's...they have actually asked me to race my GP12 before...We just called it a "test" to see if their craft was performing at 100%!

I operate my PWC in Ontario Canada.

I like the idea of the police being out there, I have seen too many stupid people on skis and operating boats that it warrants police intervention.
I did have a run in with "the new cop on the beat" though.
I was ancored in 4 feet of water, relaxing catching some rays on the ski. I had removed my layard.
I was relaxing and over motors the OPP (police). He was courtious and asked why I was just sitting there. I expained I was ancored and just catching some rays.
He was ok with that, then he started into the questions.
Officer: May I see your Boat Operators Liscence?
Me: Yes, retreiving it from the waterproof storage.
Officer: Air horn?
Me: Yes, right here
Officer: Whistle?
Me: right here
Officer: Flashlight?
Me: Right here and it works!
Officer: Flares?
Me: Officer, flares are not required on PWC's in Ontario
Officer: No flares, that will be a ticket!
Me: They are not required
Officer: Fire extinquisher?
Me: Not required sir.
Office: No Extinquisher, another fine.
Me: Excuse me sir, but your mistaken, do you have the Ontario Boaters Handbook?
Officer: No, don't need it, Im trained
Me: Well I do, and here on page XX it clearly states what is required for operating a PWC in Ontario waters.
Officer: Let me see that, its out of date.
Me: its the new 2004 edition.
Officers buddy driving the boat: He is right, he does not need extinquisher or flares.
Officer: throws my boating book back but it falls in the lake.
Me: Thanks (a little sarcastic tone)
Officer: Be glad Im going to let you off this time.
Me: and you will next time too because Im not in violation of anything.
Officer: Yea! and just leaves

Was not a bad situation, probably was his first day on the water and had not learned the regs.

scott-y

Yeah, I asked him to elaborate, and he handed me a pamphlet and drove off. The pamphlet was the Texas boating laws, and of course had nothing about accelerating or turning. Like I said, he was mostly harmless, but it makes you wonder.

I am glad for the presence of officers out there, but where do they get these guys?!

he cant do that!

so long as you were in "open waters" and outside the required distance from the shore line (above plane) and not in a "NO WAKE" zone....

unreal!

Around here they like to stop everyone who seem to be out having fun and acting right, but i have yet to see anyone in a 30 plus foot boat with 10 people hanging off the back at 70 plus miles an hour visiablly drinking passing people on all sides of the waterway and in blind curves.

90% of the problem lies in the irresponsible pwc rider/owner.

i go out on our lake in the pontoon and get cut off almost everytime by some kid (some adults as well...) on brand new pwcs. THEY ARE THE PROBLEM.

imo, there is too many people on these things that dont know the rules of the water OR simply do not wish to honor the rules of the water.

There are sure a buch of idiots out where i ride, running full speed in no wake zones, cutting off boat traffic, jumping waves too close to the back of the boats....alot of people get hurt out here...They dont have enough cops on the lake to be everywhere to make it safe...i tend to get to the lake around 7 in the morning and im off the water by 2:00 so i wont have to deal with all the idiots..

IMO---i think watercraft (anything on the water that has an engine) owners and pilots need to be schooled and tested in order to be able to buy or operated one on public waters (maybe thow in boat lauch etiqutte while they are at it), just like a drivers license...it would be a safer place...

FullBoogie, DOnt you have Triples on your ski? I doubt a 70 year old in a boston whaler is gonna catch you on triples.. now if he has a Young dude in a Dumas Scarab nearby, id be a bit worried... id just take off and go futs around the far side of the lake somewhere, if he comes and gets ya, just nail it back to the launch and get out!

Tom-

Nah, no triples, but everything else - fully ported (cylinders/case) 1300 conversion with all the goodies. Yeah, I could have outrun him (and I briefly thought about it for fun), but I'd probably end up doing a smokey & the bandit jump over a road, into a ditch, and landing on someone's front porch.

My friend had a similar experience with a Bull d!ke sherriff by Palo Verde on the Colorado river she had him pulled over for 45 minutes trying to nail him and finally gave him a ticket for decals that were under 3" long. The decals were long enough. He had to take the ski in and show it to the Sherriffs at the station.

I think she thought he was drunk or on drugs since he has long hair.

We were all sitting at the shore laughing our a$$es off at the whole scene.

My friend spent a month getting that straightened out. I don't imagine anything happened to the sherriff.

hondas on my lake also-guess thats the only group that will buy them-ouch

You left out the part about the cavity search and the flowers that he send you a day later!!!!

Hey SFZ...I wonder why the other cop that finally saved you didnt butt in in the first place...Secondly, I dont even know whey they stopped you..You were not under power..

Hmm, now that I think about it..Do you have to be under power or just floating to be subject to the laws?

Being on patrol on a very large lake can be one of the harder duties in law enforcement. On Lake Powell for example, there were a half a dozen or so fatalities (mostly kids) due to carbon monoxide poisioning from Houseboats a few years ago. The Park rangers or police are always the first responders. And with kids dying that would be a very hard and grim event to deal with. I respect them for that...however...

This harassment that you guys are talking about is totally below par. I would get the officers badge number and make a big issue out of it.

I was harassed on Lake Saguaro in AZ a few years ago because I had CF tags. And for no other reason. I will never go back to that Lake again.

In general I go out of my way to ride at areas where Johnny Law, boats and other PWC's don't frequent. I am faster than most and don't need to prove it. And the less boat traffic the better as far as I am concerned. I hate even having to talk to the man on the water. My street racing days taught me to stay away from the law.

But I wouldn't let the water cops ruin your spot. Report them and get them off the water.