The issue, if there is one, is pointing a weapon at someone else, loaded or not.
Depending on your state’s laws, he could be charged with “brandishing.” It can be charged with “finger guns” under a sweatshirt, at least here in Michigan. In fact, committing a robbery with “finger guns” under your shirt can be charged as armed robbery here.
She Has a Point, Pointless Though It Be
Harpoons and crossbows,
unpointed, unbolted,
risen up from midships
will leave some senseless quite jolted,
as they sense a great umbrage
at their proclivity,
to be a prick in need of stick
to whack better sense for them at sea.
However crossbows and harpoons,
unbolted, unpointed,
leaves one kerfluxed in time frame
that’s severely disjointed,
twixt a medieval madcap
and Melville midst sea,
A Moby Ahab meets Mohammed
new-age crusade history.
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If you threaten someone with a weapon you can be charged with assault. In Michigan it’s legal to shoot the person that threatens you (if you feel that your life is in danger) since it’s reasonable to assume that the weapon is loaded. I’m not sure about the rules around open carry of a harpoon.
What if someone points their jetski at you? Even though a jetski isn’t a weapon, is it reasonable to assume they are intending to threaten you? 
I’ve just pulled out my phone and pretended to film them. Cameras tend to make jerks go away.
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I like, and have for years used, the defensive technique of using shallow water to distance myself from the rare occasions where I felt harassed by jetskiers or other motor boaters - I especially relish those situations where there are areas of submerged stumps (there is one river in particular I can recall where such areas were as abundant as jackasses with motor boats). And I empathize with the spirit of the chap with the crossbow. It brings a smile to my face. But realistically, I must say, I see some problems with that approach.
I’m sure everyone here has heard the warning, usually the first thing anyone says when firearms instruction is offered; “Don’t ever point a gun at anyone unless you’re prepared to use it.”
A crossbow, even one of ancient design, is a serious weapon. I’d follow the same policy with that as I would a gun. Because there’s just no predicting how someone, especially someone who is likely to have been drinking and is already behaving in a reckless manner and showing utter disregard for the safety of others, is going to react if they feel threatened by a lethal weapon. Should they happen to be armed - and there are plenty out there who are - you really don’t want to encourage them to act in a way they consider, however mistakenly, as “self-defense.” An armed jackass in a state of mind where they believe their life is in jeopardy is not something one wants to encourage or be anywhere near.
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Ironic that Michigan apparently has laws around brandishing weapons which might cause someone with an unbolted medieval prop to be charged, yet their constabulary gives a pass to those who wave military munitions at citizens on government property.
Though, having lived in Michigan and having deep familial roots there, I long ago gave up on trying to make sense of the hypocrisy of its culture.
As to the “concealed finger” scenario, the crime is not the finger but the commission of the robbery under threat of bodily harm through a lie about a nonexistent weapon.
And I would argue that raising anything that might appear to be a weapon towards someone who is threatening to cause you bodily harm by charging at you with a much larger and faster watercraft is a defensible act of self-defense and “standing your ground.”
I also wonder about exactly when it would be considered OK to defend yourself against someone threatening you with a vehicle like a car or boat. Dunno. Prefer to just get out of the way (and perhaps take a video as mentioned).
I have my own opinions around firearms laws but rather than get into that discussion I’ll just mention that I don’t think Michigan laws are unique. Willow - the laws in your state are same as Michigan.
I do think there should be consequences for anyone intentionally pointing a crossbow at people to intentionally threaten them.
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We also see a lot of “swimmers” with kids playing around at the boat ramp or put-in. They seem to be oblivious when we come drifting in with our canoe to “take out” and they don’t get out of the way. Maybe they think canoes and kayaks are not “real boats”. Or maybe they view the boat ramp as the shallow end of a pool.
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Along with the folks who show up at the last minute for a group paddle, are the folks who announce half way through the paddle that they have to be back by a certain time that’s sooner than the published paddle duration.
There are also the beginners or renters who start off heading downwind (gee, this is easy!). If that’s heading for a protected shore where they can land, I generally leave them alone. But if they’re headed for possible danger, like getting blown out to sea, I’ll nicely suggest they head into the wind first.
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We had a scenario where we had to tell someone they were doing it wrong. We had stopped at an island on a big lake in the Cascade Mountains for a snack and swim. When we got back on the water the wind had picked up. 2 canoes and a kayak had taken off and never looked back. As leaders, we stayed with the last canoe. The paddler at the rear would take a few strokes then drag his paddle to make it act as a rudder. They were not making any headway. The wife would only make a few strokes and then stop. We kept trying to explain how to paddle correctly and that the wife had to keep paddling. We finally took their bow line and attached their canoe to ours. He still wanted to steer the canoe by dragging his paddle. We shortened the line and told them to just paddle as hard as they could and we would do all the steering. I had to get down on my knees and work my whole body to try to fight against the wind. My husband worked hard to keep us moving forward and straight. We had been told he was an experienced paddler. It seems he was only experienced in paddling kayaks and not canoes. It would be nice if people paddling canoes would learn how to steer them.
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There are Fish and Game boat launches in my area (paid for by hunters and fishers) where there have been some heated confrontations between fisherman and weekend swimmers, water skiers and paddlers using the boat launches as beaches.The state has had to send game wardens to the launches to warn people and even give out tickets for repeat offenders.
We buy fishing and hunting licenses every year to help pay for these public boat launches even though we don’t hunt anymore and aren’t serious about fishing. But we’re always respectful of the boaters and park well away from the trailer section of the parking lot.
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Decades ago my outdoor club was one of many organizations that tried to fight the PA state department of Natural Resources and the Fish and Game commission’s plans to require annual launch permits or boat registrations for paddlers which would be mandatory for launching on state owned shores and ramps. I was one of the few in the club that argued that the fee and sticker (still only $10 per year per craft) would give us standing to use the ramps and waterways. The regulations passed anyway. While it is a slight nuisance and expense (especially since in any given year I have had 3 to 8 boats I use) i have found having a state sticker “launch permit” displayed on my canoe or kayaks does cut down significantly on conflicts with fishermen and power boaters since it’s clear we are paying our share and have standing to use the ramps. I always make the effort to not dawdle or block the space the trailer loaders need for access. There has also been more effort and expense by the state since requiring the fees to include launch accomodations for paddle craft in their infrastructure including some that are specific to us alone.
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Brandishing can get you in trouble. Don’t do it.
The guy with the weapon is the first one to get hit in an altercation.
That is why some people don’t like open carry.
That’s great! I wish more outdoors people would buy licenses to help with upkeep, development, and law enforcement.
All boat access sites in Michigan, as well as parks and trails, require a Recreation Passport for entry. Problem is many are small and there’s just no way to enforce it.
Just the state-owned ones require a rec passport in Michigan. There are many, many township ramps, city ramps, federal ramps and Metropark ramps. Oh, and the “vendor-maintained” federal ones that don’t honor the annuals for the forests – Pines Point on the White is the only one of these I know of. Ridiculous system.
True about the township/village parks. There’s also plenty of roads in my area which dead-end at the water’s edge. Those are my favorite sites since they’re usually deserted. That said, I buy a rec passport each year although I’d never use state BAS.
I can use the Ludington boat launches for free, but for boaters it’s $10 a day or $70 for an annual (outside city limits) and $30 in city limits. I have the state pass. The Huron-Manistee National Forest is $30 for one or $45 for two vehicles – so you can get one for $22.50, or it’s $5 per day for the HMNF ramps on PM, the Pine, the Manistee, the Little Man, the AuSable…At least we are better than the Tober Mory area, where you pull into some remote dirt drive with no water access and there’s a sign telling you to pay to park with your phone…