Doing some more background research on rafting areas on Lake Winnipesaukee, here are the NRZs for the lake. I grouped them by Town. It appears those in Moultonborough feel they have exclusive rights to their little areas. That or they want to lead the lake in excluding those nasty boat people.
What I take from this is:
1. Seems like there must be a lot of prime swimming spots I need to check out this summer
2. Many of these are totally non-enforceable as written and would not stand a chance if a violation was written for rafting. Laws have to be precise and there is no “spirit of the law” or “intent of the law” to get a conviction.
Example 1: Buzzell Cove, Green’s Basin, and East Cove are known to whom? There is no officially recognized area of any of these locations nor are they defined. MP could put up markers and it still would not hold up in court. Any of these that use the name of an unofficial bay or cove would get tossed out of court. Said another way, none of the bays or coves are officially recognized by the State of NH.
Example 2: The word “about" which I have bolded would kill this one. It either is or isn’t. Brickyard Cove, encompassing a described area that would run south of an imaginary line running
about 2,300 feet from the northern tip of Clay Point to the southern tip of Barndoor Island;
So Officer, did you measure the line? No? Did you locate the precise Northern Tip? No? Where is Brickyard Cove officially recognized by the State of NH? It’s not? Dismissed.
Looks like you better have all the area tax maps available in your boat instead of a map. I don’t think those would hold up either. Imagine if you designated speed limits on city streets based on lots lines rather than signs. Gimme a break.
Saf-C 407.03 Prohibited Areas.
(a) Rafting as defined in RSA 270:42, V, shall be prohibited in the following areas of Lake Winnipesaukee unless covered by one of the exceptions specified in RSA 270:45:
MOULTONBOROUGH (6 areas)
(1) The Kona Mansion, so-called, in Moultonborough, east of an imaginary line running north and south from the red top mark buoy located on the western tip of Avery's Point on the south to the Kona Farm gas docks on the north;
(4) Braun Bay, within 300 feet of both fish and game property lines, to be delineated by marine patrol with orange mooring balls;
(5) Braun Bay, at a distance less than 75 feet from shore, to be delineated by marine patrol with orange mooring balls;
(8) The entire area known as Green’s Basin, in the town of Moultonborough;
(10) The entire area known as Buzzell Cove, in the town of Moultonborough;
(13) The entire area known as East Cove, in the town of Moultonborough;
ALTON (4 areas)
(2) Small's Cove in Alton, southwest of an imaginary line running southeast-northwest from light 75 on the northwestern end to the northernmost point of land marking the entrance to the first cove, south of Small's Cove on the south;
(6) The area known as Cedar Cove, specifically identified as the area opposite Plum Island which borders the town of Alton tax map 18, lot numbers 12 through 20 and 55;
(11) Brickyard Cove, encompassing a described area that would run south of an imaginary line running about 2,300 feet from the northern tip of Clay Point to the southern tip of Barndoor Island;
(15) Roberts Cove, in the town of Alton, encompassing a described area as between the body of water in Roberts Cove, east of a line running north to south from the westerly boundary of lot 41 on tax map 48 to the westerly boundary of lot 1 on tax map 48.
MEREDITH (2 areas)
(12) The entire area known as Black Cove, in the town of Meredith, encompassing an area in Meredith tax map S-7, east from the northern most point of Lot 5-1 to the southeastern most point of Lot 1;
(14) The entire area known as Advent Cove, in the town of Meredith; and
TUFTONBOROUGH (2 areas)
(7) The area of Winter Harbor from the southern boundary of the town of Tuftonboro tax map 63, lot number 14 to the southern boundary of tax map 15, lot number 20.
(9) Orchard Cove, on the east side of Cow Island, in the town of Tuftonboro;
GILFORD (1 area)
(3) Wentworth Cove, southwest of Governor's Island Bridge west of an imaginary north-south line, running from light 43 on the north to the black top buoy, located off Wentworth Cove Estates on the south;