Phones In Boats

[ozski]

Whats your policy? Who has skied with a driver that wants to be on their phone every time you drop only to look up when its time for the next pass?

[Kelvin]

I always make sure there is a phone in the boat in case there is an accident. I want to be able to call for help. It’s also the music source in my boat.

[ral]

@ozski , unfortunately, all the time... It is almost impossible to get anyone under 35 out of the phone for more than 2 minutes... It is annoying, but an undesirable fact of life. I have seen drivers texting/voice messaging while in the course.

[JackQ]

I do not feel comfortable for someone that does that, they will not be concentrating on the pass, but thinking about what they are going to text at the end of the pass. Either they put the phone in the glove compartment, or I would not ski behind them, period.

[lpskier]

Well, the sport has to be fun for everyone. If I have to spend a long stretch in the boat to make my skiers happy, what gives them the right to dictate how I do my job? All I owe them is a good pull and to be ready to go when they are. Why should I sit there numbing my mind while the skier and passenger jabber between passes? I have a life, too.

 

Tournaments and lessons are a different story.

[6balls]

I guess my crew is old, no one looks at their phones in the boat unless s'one calls them and they recognize it as important/urgent...and likely expecting it so listening for the phone. IF my driver was jacking with their phone all the time while I'm in the water I'd say something.

There are times I'm "on call" and have to check, but even that I can usually wait til a set is done (unless it's one of @Razorskier1 's epic 45'', 30 pass sets)

[Jetsetr]

If your need to be jacking on your phone while driving, you’re not going to drive for me. End of discussion. Fortunately my drivers don’t have the need to be in constant communication. We are not that important. Don’t care what they do when we take a break or resting between tugs.

 

I have my phone onboard for emergencies, calls from the COB or CEO, or as needed for important calls. If I get one of those calls when I’m driving it can wait until we drop and take a quick break.

[ski6jones]

When a skier is in the water it's all about them. Nothing should interfere with that in any way. There are few things so important they can't wait 15 min.

[JackQ]

John, Everyone is different. I typical wait 30 sec at each end, up to 50 sec if our water is high and need to water to settle, that is from boat set down, until rope tight and ready to go. If my boat crew has to get to their phone for the 20-40 secs before they need to get boat straight and rope tight, I don't want them driving me. When i am sking, it should be about me, not them.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

.

[Orlando76]

You guys sure are picky.

 

If I had someone to ski with I wouldn’t say crap, play on the phone, Apple Watch, heck make a sandwich I don’t care. As long as we can ski together and not run one another over....

[Horton]

are we so bored that this is what we are talking about?

[keithh2oskier]

At home I spend way to much time on my phone. The lake is the one place I am happy without it. Guess I need to tell my wife I need to ski more to avoid being on the phone. I wonder if she will buy it...

[dave2ball]

Pretty simple. For me. Phone in boat for emergencies. When skiing all phones on secure place. A person on the phone will not give a good ride. Too many distractions

[UWSkier]

Only time I can recall active phone use by the driver when I was skiing was for passive listening.

 

Organizer: "Matt, are you on the line?"

Me: "Yep, at 28 off."

Organizer: "What?"

Me: "What?"

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-iZxF6BFgG/

[Jetsetr]

@UWSkier I’ve been in the same position! Good thing the CEO skis with me!

Common sense has to rule the day...unfortunately it’s not very common anymore ?

[BlueSki]

@UWSkier, we have done it too. I loved that my ski buddy was willing to drive while on a call. I think I let the lake settle for an extra minute for the time when he had to speak. The driving was great. He finished his call and immediately started his set. Good times.

[keithh2oskier]

@UWSkier @BlueSki

 

 

[Keith_Menard]

Owning a small business, I have to have my phone with me and occasionally I have to take calls for emergencies before a set or at a drop. I will NEVER pick it up while I am driving. If it is something I can't handle in short order, I will have them drop me off at the dock and someone else can drive who can focus. We are all out there to get a break from life for a bit, I hate if I screw that up for someone. @ALPJr and @pregom might have a different perspective though :)

[skiinxs]

Does it count if the phone you are looking at when the skier drops at the end of the pass is running Sure-Path :smiley:

[escmanaze]

Shoot man, I can't say I've ever had a problem with a driver messing around with his phone while pulling me. If I ever skied with a guy that did that, I just wouldn't call him anymore - he's crossed off the list.

 

The spotter on the other hand often has a phone in his hands, especially to record the guy skiing. Obviously I have no problem there. If a disinterested spotter happened to be on his phone, I still wouldn't really care, because I really only need him in there for the weight anyway.

[escmanaze]

This actually just reminded me, last time I was out, it was me, a ski buddy, and my 10 year old boy on my boat. I was out skiing, and I had just dropped and my father in law called. My 10 year old answered. He starts trying to ask me questions out in the water in stuff. I told him to tell Grandpa I would call him back in a bit. After he hung up, I let him know very clearly that while there's a skier in the water, phones don't get answered. He was happy to comply, of course. He just didn't know. He's 10 after all.

[pregom]

@"Keith Menard" I think you said it right. When you drive, you drive. A couple of times I remember you asked me to answer on your behalf and I had to try to remember names and details long enough to relay them to you. Thanks for driving!

[2Valve]

I'm at a loss to understand what could be more important on a phone when you're in a tournament ski boat with your buddies.

[keithh2oskier]

@2Valve surfing BOS...

[lpskier]

@JackQ Different skiers require different amounts of driver concentration. And drivers that pull 50 pulls a week need less concentration than drivers that pull 5 pulls a week. And it matters if there is a passenger. If there is no passenger, the skier usually wants to talk to the driver at the ends. If there is a passenger the passenger and skier have the conversation and the driver sits there.