I am on Winni extensively all summer, 80-100 hours & I see small boats of all kinds all over the lake including the broads & yes I see kayaks out there to. If Winni is so dangerous then why all of the boating activity? Apparently these boaters do not find Winni unsafe or they would not be there.

You are reading posts from a very small group on this forum on both sides of the issue. How do you know you will not be safe if you kayak on Winni?

If Winni is so dangerous & there are too many boats traveling at speeds greater than 45 mph(which is unsafe according to you and others) then why are we not reading about collisions causing property damage & personal injury every weekend all summer long? Because these collisions are not happening. There has been only 1 tragic collision that has made the news recently. That was 2 years ago in Meredith & by all accounts speed was not the cause of the accident. The only other incidents I have heard about are drownings from canoes tipping & PFD's not being worn.

If there are collisions occurring(& I am not aware they are) then they must be happening at very low speeds around the public docks without causing personal injury or major property damage otherwise it would be big news & you would know about it. There would be documented statistics the SL supporters would produce to support their claims.

If 2 boats going even 25, 30 mph & collide there is going to be serious personal injury & property damage & it would be big news & there would be documented statistics but there isn't because these collisions are not occurring.

Many Opponents to the SL myself included would not be against HB162 if there were frequent collisions that was causing personal injury & property damage that could be avoided by enacting a SL.

One more time...
 

The big problem on the Lake is the lack of common courtesy. :eek:

A thread has been started for the discussion of a speed limit on the Lake.

So, are any of you who are discussing the speed limit on this thread capable of common courtesy?

Will winnilaker finally be allowed opinions regarding his new boating organization, on this thread?

Time will tell… :rolleye2:

Don't you people read posts? I've explained this several times: I've been to Winni many times ... I've just haven't kayaked on it yet. But I will, probably next month. I also have written several times: "The ower of the kayak shop where I bought my kayak has a family camp on Winni. She's a certified instructor and an expert kayaker. When I was in her store last week she told that going out on the main lake during the summer in a kayak is not at all safe. She says that it is a very dangerous lake for kayaks, due to the high speeds of some of the powerboats. This woman is an expert, and knows Winni very well. She feels that the lake is way overdue for a speed limit."

So how much time have you spent on Winni in a sea kayak?


When a power boat is heading directly at me at 75+ mph it becomes a big deal! 2 seconds = 220 feet at 75 mph.

A speed limit on the Interstate won't prevent you from being hit either. Just because some people will still break the laws, isn't a very good argument for not having a speed limit. When did I ever mention noise?

I was away last week and missed the part where this topic was beaten to death, but I did go through most of your posts. I see that you mention you've been on Squam and I believe that. For Winnipesaukee you say in several posts you have been "to" Winni many times, you never say on. The closest you come for Winnipesaukee is that you mentioned your grandparents boated on Winnipesaukee, I assume years ago. Finally the quote which I repeat here specifically says you have not been on Winnipesaukee.

That was the statement I based my comment on, I’ve read it many times it’s pretty clear, maybe you mistyped, doesn’t really matter.


None, I do have a canoe, I don't venture far from the shore, not a smart thing to do on a big lake with a lot of boats, even if they are only going 45 mph and then there is the weather issue, can change really quick. I don't expect everyone to put their boats away so I can spend a day paddling across the Broads either. Just the way I was brought up.

I do have a small row boat with a 2.5 hp motor (will be upgrading to a larger motor this year). I venture further out on that usually to fish. I have seen GFBL boats while out on that boat, every single one so far has seen me and given me a wide berth. I have had close calls in that boat. Every time it has been a pontoon boat with an outboard on it and a 50+ year old guy driving it. If I had to guess the speed, none of them were going over 30, usually a blast from the canned air horn would get them to turn, a couple have continued to blow (remember less than 30 but it sure seemed fast) by me close enough so I could have hooked them with a cast (my best cast is about 40 to 50 feet with the lures I use). Maybe I should be lobbying for pontoon boats to be banned. (Just kidding)

I also have a 17 foot day sailer, I venture even further on this boat (usually about 5 to 10 miles). Again I have seen many GFBL boats in the three years of sailing this boat and again I have had no close calls or problems with them. This boat seems to attract people in power boats who are sight seeing, they have no concept that a sail boat actually moves and end up coming too close. All of these “incidents” if you can call them that have involved runabouts or cabin cruisers.

Finally in the interest of full disclosure I have a 26 foot runabout capable of going about 55 mph although I rarely go that fast. I also see GFBL boats when out on that boat, a few of those going fast. Again, never a close call, they always give a wide berth.
So you see when I say that a speed limit will not solve any of the problems listed by the proponents I’m actually using events from my own experiences to form my opinion. When I and others ask for reasons beyond emotions and perceived problems we cannot get a good answer. That’s because there isn’t a good answer and you will not be safer in the middle of the Broads with a 45 mph speed limit.

I think part of the problem is that some people want Winnipesaukee to be like Squam or some little lake where powerboats are restricted or prohibited. I just don’t think that is reasonable.


Don’t know what you are trying to say here, I see a double negative in the statement.


You didn’t, I did (along with others).

Hey, I've been totally honest about the fact that I haven't kayaked on Winni yet. I've also stated that I've been to Winni many times. You can tell a lot about how safe a lake is, just by spending time on its shore. Granted, it's not the same as being "out on it", but you can still get a pretty good idea. And I did talk with a certified kayak instuctor, who knows Winni very well. (I noticed that you avoided that part of my reply.)

A sea kayak is not a canoe, or a row boat, or a day sailer, or a runabout. So you're obvoiusly no expert on kayaking on Winni. A sea kayak is much faster than a canoe or a rowboat, or a recreational kayak. And it's much more sea worthy ... especially if you use a skirt. The widest part of the main lake (open water w/o islands) is less than 5 miles. I average about 5 miles an hour in my current kayak, which is shorter and slower than my new one. So I won't be spending "a day paddling across the Broads." I can cross it in about an hour. And I'm not asking for "everyone to put their boats away." All I'm "asking for" is the right to safely use the lake. And using the lake, includes kayaking on the Broads safely.

I beg to differ. Of course it would be safer! Which is safer, crossing a busy highway that has a 45 mph speed limit, or crossing a busy highway where cars can go as fast as they want to?

Squam is not exactly a little lake. So it's not as big as Winni, but it is the second largest lake in NH.

I was just responding to your post, where you wrote: "A speed limit won't solve the noise problem or the wake problem and there will still be collisions and bad behavior."
There will always be people who break the laws, but that is a pointless argument for not passing a law. Do you understand what I am saying now?