Just got this e-mail from a friend and thought it would make a good post. Anyone else been enjoying the presence of Wild Eyed Coyote "Tour Boat" in the Lighthouse Lakes this year?



On June 22nd I took a photographer, of a national conservation group, out to get pictures of Texas coastal habitat, birds, etc.

We parked my boat in a channel (Big Slough) at the Lighthouse Lakes to use for a photo platform.

She asked me and my daughter to paddle our kayaks for the photos, with the oyster reef and Roseate Spoonbills and Ibises in the background.

We had just started, when the Wild Eyed Coyote airboat tour boat came into the channel and proceeded to spook all the Spoonbills, and then he ran within 15' of me.

There was absoulutely no move on his part to either slow down or alter course.

His actions were purposely aggressive.

Just another day in the Lighthouse Lakes.

That would be very annoying. I would have to have a word with him in front of his customers.

Nothing I hate more than airboats. They have a way of disturbing the serenity for miles around and it seems being inconsiderate is a quality required to operate one.

busted, you should send the pics to TPWD Game Warden

Agree. That guy is an accident waiting to happen.

Airboats like that give the good airboats a bad name. It comes down to being a jerk, no matter what the vessel.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

can we say arse hole......pricks piss me off hope your friends day ended well

Yes, he is an A**H***.

yuppers,

Agreed wholeheartedly. Personally, I dont like airboats although I admit to being secretly impressed as to what they can do. They are noisy and disruptive and you can hear them for miles and miles. In my ranking of major nuisances, they are just below jetskis. However, I do know and like several airboat operators including some on this very board. We have several here on TKF who ARE thoughtful and considerate so be careful lumping them all together. Just like any group, there are good and bad.

That dude is a major jerk, report him, please. Do us all a favor.

A jerk going 40 mph in an airboat is much more dangerous than a jerk going 5mph in a kayak.
I am not going to die if run over by the kayak.

I would urge everyone with concerns about conflicts with airboats in LHL (or elsewhere) to contact TPWD.
TPWD can not address problems that they are unaware of.

Texas Wade Paddle and Pole lists various ways to contact TPWD here:

http://wadepaddlepole.net/action.html

There is a TPWD Commission public hearing coming up in San Antonio on August 25th.
You can voice your concerns to the TPWD Commissioners directly:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/fe ... c_comment/

Alot of bashing on here, probably deserved. But, he needs to be reported just like any other before something terrible happens. Its one thing to be loud and offensive, its another to be dangerous. We as kayakers using LHL need to be aware that this operator is running around. Used to be it was duck season, now it looks like year round. I have been on an airboat with an operator who knew how to run his vessel. Its not that hard to do the right thing.

Just hear one of those boats zooming by ruins the serenity of being out there in a kayak but what he did was completely unacceptable and should be dealt with accordingly

Heck he was the one that drove up to me in an airboat 3 times in 45min in LHL 3 weeks ago when I was there

It looks to me that he gave you all the room he could, he is as far over as he can get. Even airboats can't run on oysters! This is just an observation from the pics, you are right in the middle of the channel. I am not saying it is right or wrong, but it is still legal for them to be there and if you get in the middle of the channel, where is he supposed to go??

Your poll questions were sort of black or white - love 'em or hate 'em - and I'm not sure that's fair to people who, as the laws stand now, have every right to use the airboats to do what they want to do - within the law.

Do I like them? NO! Whether I'm wading or kayaking, they are a noise nuisance for me and ruin the peaceful serenity of a good paddle or a nice wade up into shallow grass beds that make fishing what it is for me. They also tend to cut between me and the shoreline I'm fishing more often than go outside of me, but I don't like a lot of things that are perfectly legal for others to do if they want, like UFC or MMA fighting, legalized gambling and horse or dog racing.

Airboats in LHL don't make it better for everyone, but until further notice, they have as much right to be there as any kayaker, Arseholes like that guy notwithstanding.

I'm the guy in the photo.
The airboat had several options and he took the most aggressive and dangerous route.
I had actually been next to the oysters and moved out when I saw him coming.
He could have slowed down.
He could have gone another route entirely.
He ran right by an anchored boat with guys fishing as well.
He purposely spooked the birds that were being photographed.
He knew what we were doing--he saw us earlier.
He had the entire other side of the channel to run down or the middle.
The photo is somewhat deceptive --I am not in the middle of the channel at all.
I was to one side and I was there first.

If there are any good airboat captains out there I've never seen one. I use to fish that area in a power boat and have had them blast right pass us and not even let up. They act like there are no rules or regulations or common courtesy.

C

I know of a couple, but choose to leave them out of this thread. Its all about the mentality of a vessel operator. The bigger and/or faster the craft, the more damage can be done and actions are hightened.
I have seen post about kayakers and wade fisherman acting without regard for others, but thier impact is alot less on the environement.
Wrong is wrong, period.
But, don't get hurt trying to prove a point. You see something wrong, do something about it and report the incident.

Wrong is wrong no matter what type of vessel a person is in. With as many other options that should have been taken this was not in the best interest of any boater. There are responsible boaters out there. There are also irresponsible boaters out there. Just like on the road, in the air, and on foot. All vessels can be operated responsibly, it is the Operator.

every body has the privilege to share the water. It's not beyond hard to contact the operator via phone, email, he puts in at Crab man Marina. What was done? If all it turns in to is a one sided bashing nothing is accomplished.

It aint hard- TXPD- Rockport — 715 S. Highway 35, Rockport, TX 78382; 361/790-0312
USCG-CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78419. Primary Phone: 361-939-6393/6349. Emergency Phone: 361-939-6349/6393

Enough incident reports flagged on a Capt's. License- warrants an investigation into the operator of any type of vessel. Course most people would rather bash on the internet than have the meat to do what is right.

Not All Airboaters are inconsiderate, just as not all vessel operators are not inconsiderate. This is a one sided version, send a link to him to this forum and get his side.


For whats is worth though, what kayak is that in the pic? I've not seen one with training wheels before? Interesting.

You see something wrong, do something about it and report the incident.[/quote]


You have the pictures, turn the guy in. That's the only way to get results. Hopefully

Like was said earlier, there are good and bad operators. I do believe however that someone is going to get hurt sooner or later.

You have the pictures, turn the guy in. That's the only way to get results. Hopefully[/quote]

He was called in to the San Patricio County game warden last week.


"For whats is worth though, what kayak is that in the pic? I've not seen one with training wheels before? Interesting." hogheaven

More of an outrigger canoe than a kayak.
It was built by a friend who designs and builds boats for the Texas Water Safari race.
It is both light (45lbs) and tough (carbon -epoxy hull paint turns the oysters).
The outriggers ("training wheels") allows one to sit high in a narrow (21") and efficient hull(18' long).
This provides a better paddling angle and easier fly casting position while sitting.
I can also stand and pole it for hours.
Great boat--I have been using it for three years now.

I agree with these post above, and this is an extremely biased poll.