[OCDACTIVE]

I have been watching this thread and reading it with some great amusement as well as making me bitter to say the least.

I have been going to Braun Bay for decades. First off I love congregating with my fellow boaters. I really do enjoy meeting different people and hearing great boating stories. The bay is one of the only large sandbars that this can be done at. I know of many of the others bays and sandbars but none that I know of provides for such a large sandy area with a private shoreline where you are not in front of someones inhabited property.

That being said, I have seen Braun Bay in its best of times and worst. 4th of July weekend or a hot sunny weekend could be the most crowded.. If you don't like crowds you really shouldn't be on the lake on those particular times. However most of the weekends it is busy but not over crowded.... but thats why people go there not for solitude. There is no way to keep people from anchoring right next to you on a weekend day. I have tried keeping my distance but it simply fills up. And you can either get upset or not go.

The best piece of advice was to bring your digital camera along. I get there early in the day and snap a few pictures. When the marine patrol inevdiably show up, you have proof that other boaters anchored too close to you. However I have never had to do that. When the MP's show up it is usually late afternoon and time to go anyway.

As far as the rafting laws, I do not agree with them what so ever. 25ft, 50ft etc etc.... Where do these numbers come from?? It isn't like we are staying on board over night and have to worry about safe distances in case of a anchorline snapping. I can understand distance from shore and enough room in case of a medical emergency you can get boats out, but if you have two boats rafted why do they need to be further away then one boat anchored?

As far as this new bill "no rafting" in braun bay. This is just another feel good law that won't accomplish anything. People will still congregate there and raft there until it is split up. It isn't a law to ban boats but to keep them from roping together. What does that accomplish?

Too many laws to regulate a few people that don't have regard for others anyway. Pass a law they will break it regardless. It only takes away from our personal freedoms and adds another regulation to an already over regulated lake.