Well if they read the forum then they apparently don't care to listen to the majority and instead fall victim to the fear factor, which is unfounded. They should also know they won't get my vote next time and hopefully others here will let them know where their votes are going. I sat in the public meeting in Concord and couldn't believe what I was hearing, mostly rhetoric and catch phrases, like the wild west, and such. Anway I hope this move gets defeated as wellas those who voted it in, I don't want to be represented by people who can't see through the bs.

First, in NO WAY do I condone a speed limit. I go 65 ALL THE TIME in my jet ski regardless of the speed limit. I do it the same way I've done it for the past eight years, properly and safely.

The law is completely irrelevant to a majority feeling on the topic. It's about what SOME (few) believe is a safety issue. If it was about majority, this world would be screwed hahaha. For instance, I think you would probably see a majority of people for 75mph on I-93 rather than 65mph...Gotta draw the line somewhere.

It truly is a hard topic/discussion. I personally (and I'm sure some will agree) believe the speed limit is the LEAST of problems on this lake. Too many operators buy new boats, rent boats, etc. without knowing how to operate them. They don't educate themselves, they aren't familiar with the lake, etc. These are the problems (along with the obvious drinking and operating) that we face. Speed limits are irrelevant to this issue. The lake will never be perfect, but as stated many times, if the laws in place could simply be enforced regularly, many will feel safer and be happier.

I am FOR a speed limit after dusk. There needs to be a line drawn there. It is extremely dark on the lake. Proper judgement needs to be used, as stated in the law currently. Plain and Simple.

Here is a new thought (I think)...How about simply enacting a Lake Winnipesaukee License. Can't operate on the lake without proper certification. The exam should be relevant to all of the rules that apply to Lake Winnipesaukee. Just a suggestion...disagree and I'll take no hard feelings.

Wow, it's way too hard to convey one's thoughts and feelings about this issue by typing. In a normal conversation, I would have much more to bring to the table. However, I simply don't have the time to write a novel. :-)

The boating certificate was supposed to take care of this. I took a ride down to Lakeport Landing earlier today to get gas. Passed several boats that appeared to be within 150' of boats near them. I am amazed that they get this close to others at speed. It daned on me that some of these people come from other lakes in other states that have no such rules and they are used to getting this close to other boats at speed and think nothing of it. This doesn't absolve them, but just explains things. Then we wondered how many we saw actually have there certificates. We saw one guy on a SeaDoo towing 2 kids in a towable. No spotters! Talk about a violation and safetly problem! He obviously doesn't have a boating certificate or deos he? That is part of the problem, and he definitely wasn't speeding.

Absolutely agree. I am on opposite side of the SL law but totally respect BI as he makes no bones about how he feels. This man has gone on adventures that I will only dream about. Big respect factor there.He knows very well my passion for this issue in the past two years.When he went on his Antarctic excursion this winter, I followed it and e-mailed him. He was gracious enough to return the mail from below the Antarctic circle without any attitude. I had a little different attitude myself after that. Fight the good fight and above all, keep it civil because yes, people think different than me. I don't quite understand that yet though! :D

When you vote nannys to the legislator, you get nanny laws. Narrow-minded people who think they know best. They're the ones who told their kids "Don't play outside, you might get hurt". And "Don't keep score -- someone's feelings might get hurt if they lose".

They grow up believing everything is evil, and there are bullies behind every corner. And only they can solve the world's problems. They're basically control-freaks, and when they get legislative power, they abuse it. And they certainly don't understand what it means to be a free American. In fact, I doubt any of them really understand America, and certainly not New Hampshire.

How did they get this power? From the rest of us. We voted them in. Apathy. Or stupidity on our part. Do you expect them to keep any promises? No way -- they have their power, their agenda, and they will do everything they can to permantly install the nanny state -- for our own good, of course!

Answer: The NH State Legislator is being harmed. You're defying them, and they can't stand that. Besides, sometime in the far distant future, maybe even 100 years from now, an accident might occur that could be blamed on speed, and if they could just prevent that one accident from happening, then their time on this planet will be justified.

That's the true dream of all nanny's.

Now please, put your bright yellow head cap back on and sit down and read a nice book today. DON'T venture out into the real world where some harm, somewhere, might come to you. Our nanny legislators will use any harm as an excuse to put forth additional laws -- "for the children's sake".

Oh, The Hysteria...
 

My total absense in this thread is due to the hysteria in the opening post:

A bill's sponsor would know on what day to file a bill. :rolleye2:

So, what goes around....blah, blah, blah........comes around.


Back in 1989 the NH state legislature passed thhe state statue which makes a jetski that is 11' or longer to be consdered a boat and not a jetski. NH is the one and only state with a statute like this.


If the legislatute of 400 state reps and 24 state senators can pass that law, then for them to consider a speed limit is within their relm. It all depends on whether or not the speed limit can get a 50%+ majority.

But you still had to post pointing out an absense. :D

Just razzing you a little

Selective Observance and "Cap'n B"...
 

This season, we've been reading several similar quotes that indicate an attitude against boating regulations unique to New Hampshire.

How is the attitude of "Cap'n 'B'" different? :confused:

:cheers:.....

Well they must be really mad, because Friday I saw several go fast boats in the broads traveling in the 60-70mph range(one looked alot like me). There was not another boat within 1500' feet when I saw them doing it, but I am sure some type of horror or emotional scarring occurred!!!!

I'm glad you know the attitude of cap'n B. You must be pretty good friends with him. Which, in my eyes, would leave me to believe he's rubbed off on you a bit. I boat regularly (over 20 years) on the lake and know the lake extremely well. If I recall correctly, unless stated otherwise, I always assumed a "cap'n B" was someone who made dumb actions that jeopardized safety. I always operate with safety first.

Tell me you have never gone over the speed limit in your car, rolled a stop sign, been within 150 ft. of another boater OR a no wake zone while making a wake, etc...SAFETY FIRST. If you want to regulate me, then become MP or call them when you find me breaking the laws.

How about a nice glass of {removed} :)

Understated enough?
 

Cap'n "B" can be "picking and choosing" which of NH's laws to break.

Cap'n "B" also may be ignorant of NH's unique boating laws.

Of those in the latter category, I can feel some compassion.

I drive through 13 states twice a year, and have no idea what laws I may be breaking as I drive. In Florida, you may not drive with your "flashers" on. In New York, there are places that you are required to!

For tunnels? Headlights ON! (Or Headlights OFF!). :rolleye2:

In this past decade, Florida permitted the transport of a murdered body in the trunk of one's car. :confused:

Florida won't permit any front-windshield stickers: North Carolina does allow stickers.

Do I need to get into the various states' window-tint laws or the transportation of firearms laws? :rolleye2:

Yes, of course you do. :D

Among those in observance of New Hampshire's laws for Lake Winnipesaukee , 50 percent would place themselves into the "above average" class.

:)

For the record, a similar law applies still in NH. You can have a dead body in the trunk of your car and you DO NOT have to pop the trunk for them, per my law professor. They can search the rest of your car, however, not the trunk.

In NH, LEOs need a search warrant to search your car. However, they are warant to search your vehicle if they found probable cause, such as an open alcohol container, or smell drugs etc.

Correct, however. They CANNOT search your trunk without consent. I believe this is with or without a search warrant.

why Winni
 

It seems strange to me that the only lake with the room to run is the one restricted. I can go to a small lake like Wentworth and do 60 mph no problem. But out in the broads with all that room we are restricted. Make no sense to me

Search warrant
 

I'm 99.999% sure that with a warrant they don't need your consent. That's kinda the whole purpose of the warrant.

Agreed, however it seems unlikely that the other smaller NH lakes will tolerate being the dumping grounds for the GFBL's. Suffice it to say that in a few years all of NH's lakes will have similar speed limits.

it was discussed at the sand bar on Winnisquam every weekend. Winnisquam folks say 'Bring it on'! Winnisquam will take all the businesses that are suffering on Winnipesaukee!

What fatal accident involving excessive speed are you referring to.

Must be the Diamond Island accident. I'm not aware of any other fatal boat accident last year.

The speed of the accident, though excessive, will likely have a limited affect on the decision to keep the speed limit. It is the affiliation of the operator in that accident with performance boating that will probably convince NH legislators to allow the speed limit to stay. Politically speaking, that was a pretty big blunder.

"I have seen absolutely no difference on the lake with the speed limit. I don' t
feel one bit safer, in fact, I think the 150' rule is way out of control this year and that is the one that we should worry about.
Where do legislators get these ideas from ? The vocal minority?

I could not agreemore with his statement. I have a boat that weighs 25,000 lbs and cannot go 45 mph even if I wanted to, and I am constantly getting passed by boats within 30 to 50 feet of me! There is absolutely no consideration of the 150' rule and very little enforcement of it (due to limited resources). 99% of the boats passing within 50 feet of my boat are not even capable of going over 45 mph.
The money spent by the proponents of the Speed Limit would be much better spent on increasing the budget of the MP to allow for more enforcement and education on the lake. Some guy doing 70mph in the broads is the least of our concerns, we should be focused on the guy coming out of the channel doing 25 mph 25 feet off your port side!

You hit the nail on the head.. Great idea as far as donating to the MP as well!!

As stated in previous threads and posts, unfortunately the proponents are not for making the lake safer with speed limits or pushing for enforcement of laws that do make the lake safer. It is to try to rid the lake of a specific type of boat in general. This is just their way of beginning that task. Otherwise they would want to see what the data that they pushed for in this 2 year trial period shows. They have shown they had no intention of wanting data but just a ploy to get the limits in place to try to make them permenant.

Well we're not buying it!

One thing about the 150' rule. I think that some people that feel boats are too close, not yourself specifically, but many boaters, don't really know what 150' is. It does get harder to measure distances on the water. I don't relate to feet on the water, but yards and miles. 150' is 50 yards. Not nearly as far as some think it is.

For my guide, I think of closer distances in golfing terms. 50 yards is a good 60 degree lob wedge for me. Someone in my boat said I "appeared" to be too close to another boat. In fact, I was about sand wedge distance, or 100 yards away. That's 300 feet, our limit is 200', quite a contrast. 50 yards seems to most people to be much further away than 150'. Mind playing tricks.

In the real world, a 150' rule needn't be rigidly applied. In tighter channels at slower speeds, common sense applies? If I had to slow to headway speed getting out of my bay every time I was closer than 200', the constant speed changes would result in tidal waves after awhile :laugh: Part of the problem is that there are oftentimes a dozen or two large sailboats leaving the bay, spaced around 300' or more from each other. They form a blockade, and make boat traffic snake in and out and all around them.

This weekend is a large Laser class racing series. Ought to be interesting.

I can't remember how many times I've slowed for an approaching boat near the Cattle Landing only to have some bonehead pass between us or around us around 50 feet. I agree that 150 feet is difficult to judge on the water but there's no excuse at 50 feet. Add the 5 across mentality near the Cattle Landing and you've got an accident waiting to happen. I only hope it doesn't happen to me.

My very first time operating a watercraft on Winni, I was launching at Glendale and an MP approached me after I had to rev the engine to avoid an engine stall. He informed me about the 150' rule (which I knew from my boating certificate) and gave me a good piece of advice.

He stated that for people with normal vision (20/20, corrected to 20/20, etc) 150' is just about the point where you can make out the bow numbers on a vessel in your vicinity.

I use this each and every time I'm on the lake.

I was told the same thing by an MP years ago, Ryan. I think I posted it previously somewhere. I think it makes it simple.

This is a very bad approach to use in my estimation. By the time you can read bow numbers and compehend that you are you are easily with 150' of the boat. Hence this is more of an approach to tell that someone is within 150' of you..... but not that you are within 150ft of someone else. People just need to learn to give each other room.

Speaking of room, I had an incident this weekend where some "bonehead" wouldn't give me any as I rounded a marker. I saw him and he saw me.....head on approach to some degree, and although I did my best to give him adaquate room, he made no effort what so ever to give me room...... even though he had about 1000' of room to move over into.......

I disagree. If you are maintaining a proper lookout and are actively maintaining a safe distance, you can take the proper actions to ensure the safety of your vessel and the people aboard. It has been beaten to death in the boating forums, but you cannot control other's actions while boating. If a passing vessel is ignorant to the rules, then shame on them.

When all else fails and if you are uncertain slow to headway speed.. whats the worst thing thats going to happen? burn a little extra fuel coming back up on plane.