Wake Zones

[MikeP]

I agree that the less gov (state/local, whatever) regulating, the better. Unfortunately, self-regulation doesn't seem to work unless the particular activity is so limited it only involves a small group of people.

As far as people putting up there own private signs - it frequently works oppositely. Not far from where I worked in NY there was a T-shaped residential intersection that had a stop sign posted (by the local gov) on the base of the T - where it intersected with the "main" street, just as would normally be expected. A local homeowner with his house at the T made up his own Stop sign for the main street traffic because he didn't like people going so fast in front of his house. The result? Many people would speed up just to go by his house and stop sign.

Yeah - I was usually one of them.

Related - I saw a good quote on a BritBike forum: "If Norton made an airliner, would YOU fly on it?

[thoward]

I have run the ICW from SC down to Palm Beach, the St. Johns all the way down, from Mobile to Ft Myers and across the OCW. The only place in the ICW we can put the 60c on plane is across Lake O. There is just no reason to get in a big hurry as you are only going to hurt someone. I do run small boats like my 13' Whaler in the ICW and if someone feels the need to swamp me with a large boat wake I can assure you, given those conditions, I have a tendency to make errent casts with a 6oz chicken rig. That said, even I have a hard backing down when someone is doing something silly like tying off to a marker to eat lunch in a jon boat. Personally I have never really had much problem with sail boats and only a few issues with PWCs. I guess it really boils down to the capt.'s experience on the water with multiple watercraft. I remember, as a kid, going out in a 15' Bonita with my dad and admiring the big beautiful boats trolling by. The folks were allways nice and I thought how cool it must be to have a big boat. I would hate to be the one to make that kid think big boaters are nothing more than a bunch of rich a-holes.

[luckydave215]

Having a 60 like Howard's, I can see how he might not get on plane in the icw. My wake is greatest at about 16-17 knots, where it's 6' or so. At higher speeds it calms down, but you have to get to ful plane(and get back) through those speeds, and you'll suddenly have to slow when you want to make the least wake, and instead make the most.

[GaryNW]

I remember a case about 20 yrs ago where a 60' fishing boat was stopped and healed over from hauling in his net outside SF bay. The Enterprise cruised by at speed and rolled the fishing boat over (no lives lost, as I remember). After a few years of denying responsibility, the Navy eventually paid up. More about public relations than responsibility.
In another case, a group of beachfront homeowners sucessfully stopped the state of Wa from using a high speed foot ferry (it was a big cat) because it's wake was just the right pitch to erode their beaches. The economics no longer worked-if they slowed down- even though the passage in question was only a few miles in length, so that fast ferry experiment died. Probably one of the Victoria Clippers now.
Gary

[thoward]

First, maximum speed is regulated by state and local authorities and indicated by signs noting in-channel and out-of-channel speed allowed. But, maximum speed is not necessarily the safe speed in any given set of conditions. Safe speed is defined by federal law and interpreted in such a way as to require that boat operators go slowly enough, use all available means to determine risk and take timely, appropriate action to avoid/prevent an accident.

If you are in an accident or cause one, it will be assumed that you were going too fast, regardless of the posted speed for the area, or that you did not take appropriate action to avoid it. (Inland Navigational Rules Act of 1980, Rules 6, 7, and 8)

Second, by state law boaters are responsible for their boat's wake and any personal injury and damage to property caused by that wake. If your boat creates a wake that rocks another boat resulting in bodily injury or damage to the boat/equipment you are liable to civil and criminal action.

A skipper in Florida can be cited for careless operation and receive a $50 fine, or for reckless operation and face a stiff $500 fine and up to six months in jail. When a death is involved, criminal felony charges of vessel manslaughter can be brought, which carry a fine of up to $10,000 and 10 years in prison. I surely would not want to be the defendant in civil court with the big Hatteras yacht that caused little Lisa to fall and fracture her neck. Little Lisa just got all your stuff!

Big wakes are for big water!

[Maynard Rupp]

Our '86 36C Hatteras makes a wake almost as soon as I put it in gear. We went from Norfolk to Miami, and since then from Miami to Key West. Most areas in NC, SC, Georgia, and Florida have signs everywhere saying "no wake". If I never made ANY wake with this boat, I would still be in Norfolk. I read, with interest, all these comments. It sure is frustrating when a dock with no boat demands 'NO WAKE". Souther Florida is a real joke. First it is endless miles of no wake and Manityee zones. Next the sign says "resume safe speed", or "max 25 mph", (Unity can't go that fast). No more than 1/2 mile later is the next "no wake" sign. Sure takes all the fun out worrying about infringing these things. We had an "8 mph, no wake" sign in Norfolk. I set the speed at 7 mph. A law enforcement boat followed me and called on the VHF. He told me to slow down or he would ticket me. I said I am going 7 mph. He said that I was making a wake. He was not satisfied until I had 1 engine in neutral and the other at forward idle. He followed us for another 30 minutes. These boats just make wakes. The wakes are almost always present.

About sailing in channels, most never try as the wind switches all over the place and it is almost impossible to sail and a ton of work. You really don't need a rule or law for this.

[Genesis]

In general, yep.

There ARE limits to that responsibility though; I can't go out in the ICW on a piece of bare plywood and then sic a lawyer on you when you go by at a reasonable speed, tossing me in the drink.

[captadamr]

Hatteras = big wake. The captain on our 33 Tiara can be going 12kts and make less wake than i go at 8 kts in the 36.

[captddis]

If everyone used common sense, there would be no speed zones. The I will go the speed limit regardless mind set is prevelant with the me first crowd. I slow down for boats I pass in narrow channels or anywhere that my wake may cause a problem. You ARE responsable for your wake. However I have no sympathy for the idiots who anchor on the edge of the channel, tie to markers etc. The sailors are the most inconsiderate. They ALWAYS take the wrong side of the channel, never monitor the radio, hog the center of the channel and refuse to slow down so you can make a slow pass. They all feel they have superior rights.
I can't count the number of times that I have been doing a sea trial or trouble shooting a problem, with the hatches up and tools laid out and some inconsiderate a**hole rolls us gunwhale to gunwhale.
If everyone used a little courtesy, boating would be a lot more fun.

[garyd]

Interesting reponses following the lines I thought it would.

Think about this situation that happens to me all the time. Fishing out in the Gulf of Mexico and a 60 foot hatteras goes by and rocks our boat gunnel to gunnel. Let's say someone gets hurt so you take down his numbers and sue him and...

Not I don't buy it at all. Many many times out in the Gulf it is fairly calm only to get throw from side to side by a large wake from a large boat. O.K. from now on no large boats can't throw wakes as they are way too dangerous, now everybody's happy right. I'm sure "they would classify a 41 as large and I for one would not be happy.

Like I said to start with we need to get it togehter as an industry. Ya know if ya go out into the Gulf of Mexico, have the right equipment or stay the heck off the water. (old shakespeare advertizment). Well if ya go into Tampa bay have the right equipment or... If ya go play in and around the ICW have the right equipment and experience or stay...

If you think having a large boat (relative statement) and going no wake is going to save this sport think again the no wake zone will extend 3 no 5 no 7 no 15 no 50 no 100 miles out into the Gulf or Atlantic.

I've already heard this tossed around by the liberal guys and pushed along by the sailers.

The way to go is to adhear to the speed limits and not let anyone change them at all costs. Teach train and bring the folks that are endangering folks up to speed. If I am presented with a situation I think is dangerous if my wake enters that same situation I slow down. I do it cause I don't want to hurt someone not from the threat someone might sue me. I'm not going live my American life that way nor should anyone.

Keep him rolling not idling.