A thrill ride for tourists...

[ancora]

We were on our way to the first raft-up of the year and saw this boat tearing up the waterway. The barrel along and do a hard right or left turn, throwing up a wall of water. When they first started the business, they were doing doughnuts but the CG put the kibosh on that and now they do ueys.

 

[Wilson]

I've seen that boat hauling @ss around the harbor a few times. Seen the doughnuts as well, looked like fun to me. Don't know how they manage to make money. Last time I saw them out there was only 10 or so people on board.

 

[BruceK]

We have those on Sydney Harbour. Something similar was used on some rivers in New Zealand, still is, on the Shotover river and others. Propulsion is by a jet nozzle so they can operate in shallow rivers.
I hope you enjoy having them, you are welcome to ours as well. I regard them as a menace, both on the water and off. On water they create massive wake, on the hard one was sandblasted next to my boat, messy, noisy, dust everywhere.
The passengers are harnessed to their seats for safety, I have read of a number of cervical spine injuries due to sudden forceful changes of direction
Apart from those minor quibbles, a great addition to any waterway.

 

[Brooksie]

There was one in Key West. What a pain to those anchored. Don't know why the CG dosen't look upon it as "unsafe operation" ?

 

[ancora]

I'm willing to bet that these gondolas make more of a profit than the "go-fast" guys.
The gondolas were made in Italy and plié the waters around Coronado Cays in the San Diego south bay. Talkin' to a gondolier who says the boat hulls are "off-set" to allow the use of only one sweep and not go in circles.

 

[ancora]

Oops...sorry for the double exposure

 

[markpierce]

I'm willing to bet that these gondolas make more of a profit than the "go-fast" guys.
The gondolas were made in Italy and plié the waters around Coronado Cays in the San Diego south bay. Talkin' to a gondolier who says the boat hulls are "off-set" to allow the use of only one sweep and not go in circles.

Yes, they are twisted and unbalanced.

 

[psneeld]

There was one in Key West. What a pain to those anchored. Don't know why the CG dosen't look upon it as "unsafe operation" ?

What exactly is unsafe? any more than amusement rides?

Wakes? I liveaboard and there's a VERY wide disagreement as to what an "unnecessary" sized wake is.

But it could be the "go fast" could be out of order...or maybe people in an anchorage that isn't really that well suited to be "an anchorage" could be the issue.

The entire planet is not 'no wake"....yet some think wherever they are it is....

 

[ancora]

When they passed us going full bore, they left a miniscule wake. Don't know what they have for power but it must be a whole lotta horses to keep that hull on top of the water, and a fuel burn to go with it.

 

[psneeld]

When they passed us going full bore, they left a miniscule wake. Don't know what they have for power but it must be a whole lotta horses to keep that hull on top of the water, and a fuel burn to go with it.

Being the captain of a wake making , thrill ride boat I'm sure needs constant attention to keep passengers and other boaters safe...but it in itself is not a problem...poor decision making by the capt would be.

 

[BruceK]

In NZ and Aust. they are usually referred to as "jet boats", because of the propulsion.
They are less "sightseeing" than "thrill seeking" in operation. Operators hurl the boats into sharp turns and spins, displacing lots of water, causing much more disturbance than simple wake.

 

[capt jerry]

I agree as a delivery capt for 30 yrs you could be out in the ocean and pass somebody by 300 yards and they get on the vhf and and yell that you gave them a wake

 

[dhmeissner]

Thanks for the excuse to post a Gondola pic....