Trump Boat Parade

[RonNP]

This is not a political thing but just a question. I respect everyone's choice regarding politics and their choices.
Today I've got a Trump boat parade leaving my marina. I found out about this yesterday by chance. It was posted all over Instagram and Facebook but I missed it. Apparently there are going to be a few hundred boats parading down the river for a few miles. This is happening in a few hours.
I noticed on the news yesterday that a few boats sank with the parade in Texas. No smart ass comments needed.
My question...have any of you participated? Did you feel safe? The majority of the boats I suspect will be smaller craft than my 63CPMY. I'd like to get out and take a look but I'm not sure about being among hundreds of little boats in a relatively narrow river.

 

[captainwjm]

Just say no.

 

[madhatter1]

I did one in Clearwater Florida. Very crazy with so many boats in close proximity. Total chaos as all the small boats had no radios and did not let the bigger boats go first. Yet it all worked out and everyone worked very well together given the circumstances. My wife was bugging out because our bow pulpit was over the sink on a MY in front of us. Be he was constantly bumping forward as we were so that’s as close as it ever got.

And off to band camp we go!

Jim has to do what he has to do.

 

[RonNP]

I did one in Clearwater Florida. Very crazy with so many boats in close proximity. Total chaos as all the small boats had no radios and did not let the bigger boats go first. Yet it all worked out and everyone worked very well together given the circumstances. My wife was bugging out because our bow pulpit was over the sink on a MY in front of us. Be he was constantly bumping forward as we were so that’s as close as it ever got.

And off to band camp we go!

Jim has to do what he has to do.

Thanks! That is the exact information I was seeking. I've done a Christmas Light boat parade before but those were very well organized and all of us shared one radio frequency for information. I'm just not convinced the little guys of any political affiliation know how to manage around us Hatteri. I think I'll just sit this one out and let them parade by me. I'm on the end tie so they will all have to leave and return in front of me as the public boat ramp is only 1/4 of a mile away.

 

[Scarlett]

We are anchored in Newport Beach at the moment, which is Orange County Ca. Which is huge Trump area. There are about 25 boats in the anchorage and all but 3 are flying multiple Trump Flags. There is a parade today that I will bet will be the biggest in the country, should be interesting to watch. John

 

[Boatsb]

We've had a bunch h in Florida and other than controlled cars it was fine.

1 boat sank a while back. Probably a searay. No people hurt.

They had on in jersey yesterday for all. I heard there was even one Biden flagged vessel. No one bothered them. They just figure they were lost and confused.

 

[oscarvan]

Well, if it's anything like the 11 pm breakup of the 4th of July fireworks I wouldn't be anywhere near it. I am sure ALL the operators are highly trained and sticking to club soda.

I watched the one in Kent Narrows MD and it was quite "entertaining" which means no one died. But I know several of the participants and they were NOT highly trained and sticking to club soda.

 

[Westfield 11]

If you want to be entertained, take a beach chair and a cooler down to the ramp and watch them back and retrieve their boats!

 

[madhatter1]

Every year we can we do a Veterans Day boat parade in Madeira Beach Florida. Every year it starts out organized with a plan at Thursday captains meeting. By Saturday of the parade all is mostly forgotten and the chaos begins. Even though the lead boat has started to move everyone sits there wondering if they should also start. Then everyone proceeds to cross known shallow areas and run at different speeds.

It’s all volunteers so nobody really expects things to go smoothly and we all work with each other. FYI we only fly patriotic red white and blue for this event. At least most don’t break this rule. It is an amazing event to be part of.

 

[rob71]

we enjoyed participating in a parade a couple of months ago.
A couple hundred boats of all sizes along the Intracoastal.
It was a good bit of feel good fun with lots of honking and waving.
I just watched another one pass by my Marina a few minutes ago.
About 3 dozen boats, but all were Vietnamese for Trump !

 

[rob71]

We are anchored in Newport Beach at the moment, which is Orange County Ca. Which is huge Trump area. There are about 25 boats in the anchorage and all but 3 are flying multiple Trump Flags. There is a parade today that I will bet will be the biggest in the country, should be interesting to watch. John

It will be hard to beat the Clearwater Fl parade of last month !
About 1200 boats. It took 2 1/2 hours for them to pass. All going around 4 knots.

 

[madhatter1]

Unofficial count for Clearwater was over 3400. We were passing under Indian rocks bridge with hundreds of boats in front of us and heard on the radio there were still boats in the gulf outside of channel wains to get in.

 

[bigbill]

i did one in mississippi. it was great until the smaller boats decided they couldn't go slow for that long. started at about 7 knots then to 12 then to 15. i exited the parade and anchored by one of our barrier islands for the rest of the day. about 250 boats in this one

 

[kingsley_oasis]

In Jacksonville it was busy a while back, lots of close maneuvers, but no paint exchanged. Toughest was waiting for parade to start holding position, once it got going at least every one was going the same direction. Even had a push boat with a tow.

 

[MadHatter53]

The one here on LBI was HUGE !!

 

[Pascal]

Joined one in Miami a couple of months ago. Not very big, maybe 100 boats near the end, but everybody behaved pretty well. Local police escort even a Dade county PD chopper. Was a lot of fun.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Lake Murray in SC, as reported, 3,417 boats. While it was over the Fourth, that’s about 3,000 more than usual.

 

[zigzag930]

We participated in the Trump parade here on Sat near Pine Island (SW Florida). Several thousand boats reportedly participated making it one of the larger parades to take place.

Everyone was keeping distance and there were no reported incidents. Most boats were in the mid 20' range, but several much larger and a few smaller boats as well.

This was an incredible sight to see and we were happy to participate.

 

[Photolomy]

We had one in Brevard. No sinkings, but too many boats for me to comfortably join.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=356172522022299&extid=H55i75mYvl8fJ0VF

 

[Boatsb]

I was out of town but friends said they had a great time.