Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

[KD4UPL]

One of the lakes I frequent here in VA, Lake Moomaw, is in the National Forest. On the NF website it says boats can't be over 25'. One the army corp of engineers site (they built the lake) it also mentions the 25' length restriction. This is a lake of nearly 3,000 acres with no HP restrictions. I was trying to figure out if a 25' boat was okay but not 25' 1" or if I could go up to 25' 11" but not 26'.
I asked the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries officer. He was unaware of the restriction. He called the Sargent in charge of the area. He was also unaware of the restriction. The officer looked it up on the internet and agreed it did say that. His thought was maybe it only applied to the launch ramp.
Anyway, I guess if these guys don't know their own rules they can't stop me. I doubt they carry tape measures anyway. I'm tempted to just buy a 26' boat and be done with it. But, I'd hate for a more informed officer to kick me off the lake. Does anyone have any experience with length restrictions? How are they enforced: titled length, measured length, LOA, hull length only, etc?
I figure I'll quit asking the local authorities, I like that they don't know about the rule.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

Don't ask the people that don't patrol the lake. You could get away with 25.6 most likely. Usually the length restrictions are there because of low clearance somewhere on the lake. When you start getting over 25ft in length a lot of boats have radar arches that won't pass under any bridges.

Just looked up the lake and i see there are three bridges. What is the clearance off the water?

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

I've fished (fresh and salt water) all over Va and have never heard of length being checked.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

I've fished (fresh and salt water) all over Va and have never heard of length being checked.

There is always the first.
Corp of Engineers lakes are a diff thing.They have the law there for a reason.What that reason is i don't have a clue. There is one near me (25ft) and the reason is because of low bridge

 

[KD4UPL]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

That's interesting that it showed 3 bridges. I only know of one and I've been all over that lake. The bridge I'm aware of has such shallow water underneath it I don't go anywhere near it. It's at the far north end of the lake where the river runs in, it's really just a shallow river at that point.
That is a good thought, however, as I do boat on Lake Anna which has numerous bridges, many of them pretty low. That's something I had forgotten to think about with the larger boat. I would like to have a tower, not as much for towing but for mounting a bimini, speakers, lights, antennas, etc.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

That's interesting that it showed 3 bridges. I only know of one and I've been all over that lake. The bridge I'm aware of has such shallow water underneath it I don't go anywhere near it. It's at the far north end of the lake where the river runs in, it's really just a shallow river at that point.
That is a good thought, however, as I do boat on Lake Anna which has numerous bridges, many of them pretty low. That's something I had forgotten to think about with the larger boat. I would like to have a tower, not as much for towing but for mounting a bimini, speakers, lights, antennas, etc.

I to have boated on lake Anna. That was done for the power plant.(Dominion Power) Nice lake with nice bass. You could get lost on that lake

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

That's interesting that it showed 3 bridges. I only know of one and I've been all over that lake. The bridge I'm aware of has such shallow water underneath it I don't go anywhere near it. It's at the far north end of the lake where the river runs in, it's really just a shallow river at that point.
That is a good thought, however, as I do boat on Lake Anna which has numerous bridges, many of them pretty low. That's something I had forgotten to think about with the larger boat. I would like to have a tower, not as much for towing but for mounting a bimini, speakers, lights, antennas, etc.

Bridges at Moomaw Lake
moomaw.lakesonline.com/POI/Bridges

Kelly,( N. of the McCallister) McCallister, (S.end) McClintic ( N.end at the 603)

Is there a swinging bridge there that people cross on?

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

... Does anyone have any experience with length restrictions? How are they enforced: titled length, measured length, LOA, hull length only, etc? ...

If they ever started checking for over-length boats;
The model number on the side, 265 vs. 245, might be a giveaway.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

I have never been checked but with that said most boats say it in some form or another on the side of it. My bayliner which is 25 feet is a 250 and my stingray which was 21 feet was a 215LR. All in shiny chrome lettering on the side of the hull.

 

[Brian 26]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

Does VA have the hull length on the registration? MN does and I would think if there is a legal restriction that is the number they would use, not a measurement by the officer or a model number.

With that said I've seen the MN registered lengths vary by a couple feet, it probably is whatever the guy at the dealership writes down when the boat is first registered.

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

More often there are HP restrictions but length is not unheard of. They may never check-- but if stopped for any other reason they just may. Marinas that rent slips by the foot measure and round up. Most boats are actually around 2' longer than stated hull length due to OB/LO, pulpit, swim platform.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

The lake that I will have my pontoon boat on has a 26' limit. I am thinking that the reason is because of wake size since there are a lot of very small outboard fishing boats on it.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

Does VA have the hull length on the registration? MN does and I would think if there is a legal restriction that is the number they would use, not a measurement by the officer or a model number.

With that said I've seen the MN registered lengths vary by a couple feet, it probably is whatever the guy at the dealership writes down when the boat is first registered.

I would agree with this, but check with local LEOs. Here in TN, my boat is a 17' on paper but if you actually get a ruler out she's an 18'. Legally (according to everything I've checked into) I'm a 17'.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

The boat manufacture will state a model # and the give you the overall length which can vary from inches to a couple feet. For example. Mine is a FourWinns 288. The OAL is 30 ft

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

I would bet that they would first look at length by model designation. So if you are in a 25-class boat (i.e. 250CR, or 252) you are probably fine. Obviously the regulation is a bit vague if it says no vessels over 25', as it doesn't specify how the measurement is calculated. Could be running surface, LOA, etc.

 

[KD4UPL]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

thalasso, thanks for the website. Lakesonline will be bookmarked for sure.
The crazy thing is that 2 of those bridges don't exist. McClintic does but not the others. I don't know if they were planned and never built or maybe existed before the lake and were torn down. Now I've got another interesting mystery to look into.

My thoughts were kind of like what has been suggested. If I have a boat with a 25 in the model number I'll probably be fine. There's boats that are 24x that are over 25' and a lot of the 25x boats are more like 26 but probably no one will have a tape. Actually, my current boat is a 206 but the title says 19'. I don't know how that happened.

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

I'm not advocating for or against the regulation; however, if there's ever an accident or incident involving your vessel, there's a potential that it could create a "His boat was over the lake limit" situation. While we can all agree it's not probable that there will ever be any issue if one ran a 1' over the reg. vessel length, just give it it's due diligence before you pull the trigger on something that exceeds.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Anybody ever been checked for boat length?

I'm not advocating for or against the regulation; however, if there's ever an accident or incident involving your vessel, there's a potential that it could create a "His boat was over the lake limit" situation. While we can all agree it's not probable that there will ever be any issue if one ran a 1' over the reg. vessel length, just give it it's due diligence before you pull the trigger on something that exceeds.

Good point. Unfortunately, we have to think that way these days.