Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

ParallaxBill

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 27, 2006
Messages
341
Today, in a local very small 350 acre trophy bass and crappy lake it seems that some of the boaters on the water think that no wake means 1/3rd to 1/2 throttle. You'd see them flying wide open right up to the well marked No Wake Zones, chop throttle to get the noses of their boats apparently as high as they can get them to ride, then roll huge waves over the landing and swimming areas on this particular lake.

The markers on this lake read "No Wake Zone, idle speed only". I drive an 18 foot 165 HP tri hull and mine will idle along about 3 mph with no wake. Some of those jerks seemed to think idle speed is 10mph or so.

I just hate the idea they either don't know what they are doing or just flat do not care.

Rant off.
 

DayCruiser

Ensign
Joined
Sep 24, 2004
Messages
953
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

I see it happening a lot too. Not enough coppers around
 

bds85466

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
375
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

I saw a jetskier and a fisherman both get tickets up here in MN for over waking. Cops usually make it out to every popular lake on big boating days for at least a few hours. It's easy money for the state. It's interesting because the lake I usually land on requires that you navigate through a 500 yard maze of lily pads to get to the major body of the lake, and some chanels are only wide enough for 1.5 boats. I'm not a fan when people come blowing through there in the first place, but when they're at a high wake speed, it makes it extremely difficult. It's funny how "adults" will act with their "toys".
 

whywhyzed

Banned
Joined
Feb 1, 2005
Messages
1,871
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

around here it's all "speed limits" which makes no sense - the posted 10km/h is where a lot of big cruisers throw HUGE wakes. My 10' inflatable makes ZERO wake (hardly even a ripple) with the motor pinned down 15km/h, but I got a warning for that. It makes no sense here.
Commercial tour boats go whatever speed they want it seems. they fly.
 

ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

I just hate the idea they either don't know what they are doing or just flat do not care.
that pretty well sums it up bill. don't feel lonely either. i think there everywhere. at the least they're at yer lake and mine.....createns......
 

rndn

Commander
Joined
May 20, 2007
Messages
2,323
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

We all put up with these morons.
 

kwikrnu

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 23, 2007
Messages
40
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

Today, in a local very small 350 acre trophy bass and crappy lake it seems that some of the boaters on the water think that no wake means 1/3rd to 1/2 throttle. You'd see them flying wide open right up to the well marked No Wake Zones, chop throttle to get the noses of their boats apparently as high as they can get them to ride, then roll huge waves over the landing and swimming areas on this particular lake.

I am new to boating but I don't understand what the problem is. Is it against the law to create a wake outside the no wake zone? Is it the boaters fault that a wake created outside the no wake zone propells them to shore?
 

Rob454

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 9, 2005
Messages
508
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

Actually no matter what you say YOU are responsible for whatever damage your wake creates. I can idle along in my bayliner and create very little wake behind me. But then i see Mr/big shot in his super dooper off shore boat and hes cruising at whatever speed he wishes to. The problem then becomes this
a new boater sees Mr big shot and figures hell if he can di it so can I.
The problem really stems from NO EDUCATION. I mean you gotta take a test to drive a car why not a boat?
Rob
 

kwikrnu

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 23, 2007
Messages
40
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

Actually no matter what you say YOU are responsible for whatever damage your wake creates.

So, if my boat makes a wake in the middle of the lake and some guy driving his boat with kids in a tube behind crosses that wake and a kid falls off the tube and breaks an arm it is my fault because it was my wake that caused that?
 

tommays

Admiral
Joined
Jul 4, 2004
Messages
6,768
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

Actually no matter what you say YOU are responsible for whatever damage your wake creates.


Thats is just not true in the real world beyond the fact that those words are printed in some rule book


if it was you could not ever run any power boat


Of corse you need no WAKE ZONES and use common sense when your near other boats BUT your reading of it would stop all boat traffic


How far do you think a tanker wake goes (FAR) as we have a lot of traffic here in the LI SOUND bringing in all are oil


I also sail ,sailboats allways have the right away :)

NO THEY DONT there are many other rules that go with that rule

Tommays
 

Rob454

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 9, 2005
Messages
508
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

Well if someone wants to lawyer you up in court since it is written in a book and it is a RULE then YES you ARE responsible for the wake you create.
I just used that as a example. we were talking about wake in a NO WAKE zone. Lets say you go through a no wake zone and you create a wake. now the said wake moves my boat and it hits a piling and cracks the boat hull. then you should be held responsible for the damages. if you were following the rule of NO wake you woudlnt of moved my boat causing it to hit the piling and crackign my fiberglass. Say what you will in this day and age I bet some court will buy it.
and if you think that someone cant hold you to the rule youre wrong. they jsut need to have more $$ than you do
Rob
 

96 Wellcraft

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 25, 2007
Messages
38
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

We are new to boating, and were on the lake today. What is the no wake rule, whether Law or courtesy? We live on a small (1000 acre) lake which has virtually 0 no wake buoys, but we will also boat on Lake Norman (31,000) and several other lakes in the area. What is the right way to observe these signs?:confused:
 

freddyray21

Commander
Joined
Jun 10, 2006
Messages
2,460
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

SLOW-NO WAKE SPEED The slowest speed at which it is still possible to maintain steering

Is how the MO Water patrol defines it. If a buoy is marked no wake then of course maintain no wake. There are a lot of opinions on courtesy. I won't purposely get close to another boat underway as it is not only illegal but unsafe. The MO Water Patrol also states:

If operating a power-driven vessel, you must give way to:

* Any vessel not under command, such as an anchored or disabled vessel

This means boats fishing to me. Now where we boat some there is a river and if you are fishing in the river close to the bank you need to expect boats to come up and down the river pulling skiers, tuber ect, but if I can i will always give them as wide a berth as possible.

Whether posted no wake or not don't buzz the docks. It causes the boats to rock against them and may cause damage to the boats. Most of it is just common sense.
 

dgopetactical

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Messages
509
Re: Pet peeve on ignored No Wake zones.

350 ac is small anything in pa that small is electric motor only. Its hard to find a lake in pa that isnt trolling motor only.
 
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