Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

[ildoc]

I'm still in my first year of boating, so this may be old hat. After reading a previous post about no wake zones, etc., I became curious about courtesies outside of "No Wake" areas.<br /><br />We have a new house on the main body of a private lake,eg, outside of any no wake zones. I've noticed relatively rapid settling of the stone seawall along our shoreline and wonder if it's due to the wakes of passing boats. <br /><br />We have one neighbor who tends to make high-speed 360's (or at least 270's!) to go pick up a downed skier and throws out a huge wake that crashes into our dock and seawall to the point that water will wash over the planks in the dock as the wake comes in, then literally crashes into the wall. Is this illegal even though we're not in a no wake zone? Or just discourteous? Any other rules (written or not) about turning at speed, etc. and throwing out huge wakes?<br /><br />Sorry about the long-windedness.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

I have no doubt that one of the cause of damaged seawall is due to wakes. Sorry about your problem guy I know your pain. I would never buy a house on the main lake. Most lake have with low main lake bank have a good 30yds no wake zone stretching from the shoreline but still doesn't give much protection. I'm afraid there are no rule about wakes in an unrestricted speed areas.

 

[ildoc]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

Are you saying the law making a boater responsible for damage done by his wake does not apply outside of a no wake zone?

 

[jtexas]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

by settling - you mean like settling deeper into the lakebed? bet there's an engineer somewhere who'd share an opinion with ya on that. A university engineering dept maybe?<br /><br />There may be a boating law in your state about minimum distance from shore at more than headway speed - think it's 50' here. But you didn't ask about legality you asked about manners...I gotta say...I'd avoid excessively waking my neighbors boats, but I don't really think it's bad manners to throw a wake against a seawall.<br /><br />But isn't it having the same effect on their property? If y'all are on neighborly terms a discussion of it might be a possibility - they might come round to sharing your concern.

 

[ildoc]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

Perhaps "collapsing" would be a better term. The lake was down last year due to our drought, so it seemed the wakes "crashed" against the wall rather ran sort of "sloshing" like they do when the lake is full. <br /><br />A friend of mine told me you're supposed to slow down before turning around to pick up a skier. I haven't, as of yet, pulled a skier. What's everyone's opinion on that?

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

Depends on the traffic and if the skier is in any type of danger from other boaters.<br /><br />Also, it would be hard to pinpoint this damage on just this one boat wouldn't it? Is he the only person that does this?

 

[tommays]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

I boat in a crowded area and other than No WAKE ZONES ,no body could use any powerboat and not have the wake hit something .<br /><br />I only have a 19 ft boat BUT i am sure its wake bothers somebody who is say fishing in a 14 ft boat even if there a 1/4 mile away or more<br /><br />And i cant really expect the guy with the 40 ft Searay not to get on plane on a Bay thats 3 miles wide <br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[KRS]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

It's a private lake, ask the lake owner if it's illegal. Most laws for a public lake won't apply on private property.<br /><br />If it's owned by the subdivision, then there should be a governing board. The Chairman is probably the jerk doing donuts

 

[arks]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

Originally posted by ILDOC:<br /> A friend of mine told me you're supposed to slow down before turning around to pick up a skier. I haven't, as of yet, pulled a skier. What's everyone's opinion on that?

There's no written law discussing it, but my old boat (23' deep V cuddy- 4000#)would settle deep and throw a monster wake if I slowed down and turned to pickup a skier. My SOP was to keep the speed up and make a relatively quick turn, then pull down to idle after the boat was heading towards the swimmer. It created a much smaller wake and also kept the tow line well away from the prop. <br />Ask your neighbor to try it- you'll both be surprised how much smaller the waves hit your property. <br />BTW- if his wake is causing physical damage to your property (dock, seawall, boat) he absolutely IS liable for it. That's the law everywhere. The problem you have is proving it.

 

[tommays]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

BTW- if his wake is causing physical damage to your property (dock, seawall, boat) he absolutely IS liable for it. That's the law everywhere. The problem you have is proving it.

I really have to wonder about that one on big areas of open water<br /><br />Its one thing to speed through a Crowded Anchorage and a lot different if your wake hits a seawall 500' away which was put there to WELL be able to withstand the waves from passing boat traffic <br /><br />Which are pretty minor compared to both the fresh water thunder storms i see on Lake George and the beating they get from the Ocean storms down on Long Island<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[michael-lagrange]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

I would have to say thats a courtisey call if rules have not been established on that lake. If one perticular boater is giving you problems-- confront him to move to a non-residential area.<br />good luck ILDOC and stand your ground if need to.<br />However as tommys said that is a problem you share with alot of lake side owners such as yourself.

 

[swist]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

"Reponsible for any damage done by your wake" is indeed a tough call in a lot of cases. A large boat (or not even all that large - displacement type lobster boats can throw huge wakes) can generate a wake which can travel a huge distance. It hits a dock and throws someone in the water - can you sue the boat owner if there is personal injury or property damage? How do you identify what boat it is, and prove your case?<br /><br />Another example - last year a 17' boat capsized when struck by the wake of a freighter passing "nearby". Nearby wasn't all that close, and even if it was it takes forever to stop or slow a freighter. How can they be responsible for their own wake in cases like this?

 

[Manipulator]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

Do you have any empty beer bottles and a good throwing arm? Preferably 40 ounce hoosier bottles. Next time chuck a few at him, he'll get the hint.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

This is like the people who buy a house next to an airport and then complain about the noise - ridiculous. You bought a house on a popular lake. You ought to expect everything that comes along with that. If your wall is crumbling then I guess you have to build a better one.<br /><br />Yes, it's harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts.

 

[jaymasta]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

This is like the people who buy a house next to an airport and then complain about the noise - ridiculous. You bought a house on a popular lake. You ought to expect everything that comes along with that. If your wall is crumbling then I guess you have to build a better one.<br /><br />Yes, it's harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts.

I agree! we have the same problem here out by our airport, there is a seniors oriented retirment area, and they get airport gets numerous complaints daily, of aircraft flying to low, to loud, taking off to close to the city etc etc. yet they chose to move there, and this area almost doubles with seniors every year, and the complaints just keep going up and up, frustrates the hell out of me!

 

[skibug]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

This is like the people who buy a house next to an airport and then complain about the noise - ridiculous. You bought a house on a popular lake. You ought to expect everything that comes along with that. If your wall is crumbling then I guess you have to build a better one.<br /><br />Yes, it's harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts.

Yep, it sounds to me like your sea wall is not constructed well. A properly constructed sea wall will withstand many years off wake and wave abuse. My parents live on a water way and their sea wall is over 40 years old and still going strong despite the wake and waves that hit it. In the next 5-10 years or so they probably will need to replace it.

This question you have should have been a part of your thoughts before the purchase of said property.

 

[ildoc]

Re: Beyond

Re: Beyond

This is like the people who buy a house next to an airport and then complain about the noise - ridiculous. You bought a house on a popular lake. You ought to expect everything that comes along with that. If your wall is crumbling then I guess you have to build a better one.<br /><br />Yes, it's harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts.

Yep, it sounds to me like your sea wall is not constructed well. A properly constructed sea wall will withstand many years off wake and wave abuse. My parents live on a water way and their sea wall is over 40 years old and still going strong despite the wake and waves that hit it. In the next 5-10 years or so they probably will need to replace it.

This question you have should have been a part of your thoughts before the purchase of said property.

My question here is NOT about the relative merits of living on the main lake, seawall construction (I'm preparred to deal with that) but rather etiquette on the water. Yes, perhaps it's LEGAL to blow by at high speed and inundate everything in site with your wake, but is it RIGHT?!?

 

[Mark42]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

What is "Right" for some folks is not "Right" for others.

I think in this case, it is a matter of what the laws are regarding how close a power boat can be operated at above wake speed to your sea wall.

If a boats wake is causing your sea wall to deteriorate, just watch what happens the next time a major storm comes through.

At any rate, you can ask the guy to be more considerate of your sea wall and it's failing condition. See what happens.

 

[Always Broke]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

I wrote a long letter about the law concerning wakes and being considerate, I deleted it. I like Manipulator’s idea better, an eye for an eye .) If ya buy the beer I'll come up and give ya a hand tossing the empties

 

[Ron G]

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

Re: Beyond "No Wake"...more wake etiquette?

My 2 cents wakes are wakes you cant stop them,you can controll some of the bigger ones but people are people,is right to be at the mall or somewere and say hi to somebody and they walk bye and say nothing back?rude is rude and theres now laws that will stop that and its just overflowing to the water,be carful if ya go in front of a board or something you may ended up with a motor resrictio or an entire lake no wake zone:^