The Pine Island Cut is tricky enough, with all its underwater rocks lining both sides of the canal. Throw in some less than responsible speed boat operators, and this can be a real problem!

Subject: Dangerous Behavior MM 347 to 355
Cruising News: Mothers' Day when transiting the Rock Pile at half tide falling, we were passed at 45-55 mph by two 40+ foot deep-vee boats (Cigarette-like, both white one with red and blue and the other with red and yellow graphics). 
The first boat passed us westbound 60-70 feet away.  When he returned east bound, he was 30-40 feet off our beam. 
The second boat came up from behind us at speed as we were approaching the new bridge near marker 15.  She passed us 10 feet off our port side throwing water on our deck.  The young female operator turned to look back at us with a big "gotcha" grin and looked forward just in time to avoid smashing into the bridge construction equipment.  Her speed never varied, and we pegged her on our radar at between 47-53 mph.
I discussed this with a local fisherman the next morning at MBYC.  He nodded and said it was a real problem in spring and fall weekends (mostly) when it was too chilly or rough offshore.  He didn\'t know of, and I couldn\'t find any reference too speed limits in this rock-challenged congested area.
You can't hear these boats coming unless the wind is behind you, and you are distant from the sound of your own engine.  They can travel a half mile in 35-40 seconds.  So a glance backwards now and then is only randomly helpful.  We've set our radar alarm to warn us of traffic much farther astern now, But that\'s only party useful.
Chris Waln