Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Close Call: lesson well learned

Darrell, I think it's a good thing you always feel unsafe. Unsafe helps keep you careful, complacent makes you more likely to make a stupid mistake.

What is safe? I think this has a lot of variables. The lower the center of gravity, the safer you are (keep the mower deck down). The wider the wheel base, the safer you are (after 5 years or so with my MF230, I wised up and reversed the rims on the front wheels to spread the tires out 6" or so). Mostly these two are set by your tractor, so a switch to a different tractor (lower, smaller), as Lou pointed out, may be better (worst case scenario, it's less weight on top of you).

Soil/vegetation conditions are also a factor. My ground is very wet in Spring (LOTS of clay), usually finally drys out in August/September. So I start out far away from the banks and gradually mow closer all Summer long. Some wet years, I don't make it to the edge at all. I also do not mow the steeper slopes when the grass is wet; I don't want the tractor to start sliding sideways and then tip or go in the pond. My worst slopes are not at the pond, they're along the State Route in front (and every two years Ohio Dept. of Trans. makes them worse) but the pond is where I am most cautious.

Now I have a sickle bar (which I still need to try out) and the pond edge & dam mowing should be much safer.