"Safe" family speed poll

[2fast4mom]

So now I am living up to my name (which my wife HATES btw) because she likes to go fast...but doesn't want our kids going too fast!

So..in the interest of common sense, marital harmony, and general mayhem, please consult with your wife / GF (or don't) and reply to this poll.

We argued and argued about this all last night! She says my "ego is getting in the way of common sense" Hmm she thinks just like PINKIE! :lol: OK, admitted...but how many of you guys with kids have had this discussion with their mother?

What is a "safe" speed to take YOUR kids in an Allison? (Let's assume conditions are ideal.)

I am looking for the combined consensus of couples with children, NOT a bunch of chest-thumpin bravado....

 

[Leigh]

My kid is only good up to 80 then his jaws to get to flappin but considering that he is a boxer thats pretty good, but he does wear his life vest. LOL

 

[RedAllison]

LLDoggg in all seriousness I was looking for 80 on the poll and it wasn't there. I cruise at 6k while fishing most tournaments and that GPS in the 80-82 range with a 27" Trophy. I have done the same with Michelle and the kids when the river is calm. I agree with Darris that our hulls are pretty much "idiot proof" at any speed under 85ish. Michelle doesn't prefer that speed but she doesn't pitch a fit and demand that I slow down, sometimes she doesn't even say anything and sometimes she might smile and say, "Ok that's enough". She honestly doesn't know the difference between 55 and 75 (doesn't feel any different in a ProSport anyway does it?) and I feel I am safely in control at anything under 83.

Just my .01/2c,
RA

ps
I thought you was smarter than this anyway, arguin with the mother of YOUR children. She already has a "speed limit" in her mind and no amount of postin, pollin or anything else is gonna change a womans mind. Know whut I'm sayin???

 

[2fast4mom]

Know whut I'm sayin???

Tha shizzle I possesseth. :wink:

 

[2fast4mom]

She honestly doesn't know the difference between 55 and 75 (doesn't feel any different in a ProSport anyway does it?) and I feel I am safely in control at anything under 83.

Cathey doesn't pitch a fit either, at the time. But I hear about it later after it has had a chance to settle in...when she asks me questions like, "WHY is nobody else on the delta going that fast with their family onboard?" and "If you read about a boating accident in the newspaper, and saw that the 'boat was travelling in excess of 70 mph' when the incident occurred, how many out there would be like...duh...what was he THINKING taking his babies that fast?"

She says that she has watched the GPS and after about 43 mph in the backseat, things begin to get "violent". Just the buffeting and the need to hang on and the general feeling of insecurity with Juliet by her side. I am not insensitive to this and I will be the first to admit I may have a "blind spot" for safety where speed in the Allison(s) are concerned. I guess it comes from having hooked it 3 or more times and knowing the limits of safety and knowing the 'feel' of the boat under me. I get defensive when she calls my judgement into question but you know, ANYTHING can happen. If you hit a log at 83, hook and scatter the occupants, if you live you may have a lot of time to regret going that fast in the first place.

I know, I should have put 80 and 90 in this poll, thanks for checking in with your thoughts RA.

 

[LAAllison]

Family Speed Limit

I feel safe up to about 70 with my Grandchildren on board. They aren't bothered by wind in the GS and the sides are high but my wife doesn't like us to go that fast with the kids. When we go along the Intra Coastal Canal and are beside the highway she wants me to out run the cars but not with the kids.

 

[deadeye99]

safe

I have to say safe depends on conditions and your abilities. I try to not take my kids (4,7,9 years) over 80. Not that I feel unsafe but how would you ever explain to others or justify to yourself if something happened! My 2003 feels so solid in the 90's with my new 280 it's scary. Bob

 

[Texan]

Before I got my Norgskog GPS Speedometer, my wife pretty much knew that anything over 5K on the tach was too fast for her. She's kinda like a govoner in that regard, tappin' me on the shoulder and telling me to slow down. My runnin' buddy, who is in a STV has a wife that looks over his shoulder and starts whuppin him at anything over 3K. My son on the other hand, who is 7 and thinks that the Alli is the fastest thing on Earth, is good with any speed. When I'm at my top end and don't think there's anything left in it, he would be there poking me in the ribs telling me, 'Faster Daddy, faster!' Do I go there? No. He's my only child and I'm not going to put him, or my wife into a situation that I can't get us out of. So, generally speaking, 50-60 is where I feel safe with the family in the boat. I've got plenty of times when I can go out there and let er rip without them to get my fix.

 

[GFinch]

Don't have kids but have a wife that had a serious stroke in 2000, shes still my WON Bass team partner. She isn't able to hang on for dear life(only has use of one arm) like before so my typical summer speed with her in the boat is in the 40s. She has previous experance flying out of the boat at about 65mph(ski boat wake). Into the counsol head first(early hyd steering flaw).
A log, at any speed, wouldn't be acceptable.

I think i'll take the Super Trap off so I cant hear her screeming, I don't think she will let go with her good arm so she can hit me!
Gary

 

[Rocket]

:roll:

 

[2fast4mom]

My son on the other hand, who is 7 and thinks that the Alli is the fastest thing on Earth, is good with any speed. When I'm at my top end and don't think there's anything left in it, he would be there poking me in the ribs telling me, 'Faster Daddy, faster!' Do I go there? No. He's my only child and I'm not going to put him, or my wife into a situation that I can't get us out of. So, generally speaking, 50-60 is where I feel safe with the family in the boat. I've got plenty of times when I can go out there and let er rip without them to get my fix.

My son is 9 and it's the same thing. Well said Texan!

 

[Blue Gray in PA]

I've had the entire family along on attempts at top speed but conditions govern everything including how fast I'll push it. With that said, 86 with the four of us but no one complained and everyone seemed to want more...I guess I married right..

 

[V6MERC]

We(Wife, two boys and I) can cruise at 60 and she's fine with that, but as soon as I start to get it up on the pad good, she knows, cause she says she can feel i in her butt...

The only time I go much faster then 60 with them is when somebody thinks they got something that'll run, and want to play for a second...

 

[propmanjay]

When it comes to speed I gave up reasoning with my wife a long time ago. She is fine up to about 70 then I feel the fangs coming out. I have had my son up to 105 but he has far too much trust in Dad. In my boat I think you would have to try to get into trouble at 80. So I would say that 80 in an Ally would be very safe speed.

 

[badbait]

My advice on this subject is as follows. First consider who your passengers are and don’t go any faster than they enjoy going. If your going to be going fast make sure everybody has a life jacket on and that you haven’t been drinking. Always make sure you are tied into the kill switch. If you have some non-boaters in the boat 50 may be very fast for them. After more than forty years of driving boats I finally realize how little I know.

 

[Jessie]

I try to stay in the 60-70 mph range when my grand-son is with me. To some non-boaters,50mph is fast and can be really scary. Remember the first boat you ever owned? I thought I was screaming at 30 mph.


PS Remember the Boss is not always right, but she's always the Boss.

 

[Darth VMAX]

With the choices available, I voted 70 mph (my boat won't go 100 LOL) But I feel safe with a boatload (4-5 people --kids) in the upper 70's if conditions warrant.

 

[Casey G]

I voted for 43

when my 10 month old is in the boat sitting on my wife's lap I never go more then about 25 mph or so. when it's just me and Amanda I stay below 40 mph 99% of the time. once in a blue moon I get on it just to see what she'll let me get away with that day. she's been over 100 a few times and both times it took a week for the bruise's to go away.

I don't mind risking my life, but with passengers it's just not worth it to me. and honestly I have more fun cruising at low speeds then driving fast anyway. more often then not when I go to the river my boat never sees above 4K.

 

[mha]

I think a lot of this post has to do with the age of the kids.

There's still a limit to what I would run with wife and grown kids, but with the 2 yr old grandson and his mom it's gonna be pretty slow!

I consider my little man fragile cargo!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Texas Dear]

I think 60 - 70 mph is fast enough with my wife and kids in the boat as long as the conditions are right. I get bruised up too if I go to fast and she lets me know about it.

Texas Dear