Mink, your entitled to your opinion as I am & I respectfully disagree. In the 25 years I have boated on Winnipesaukee I have not witnessed any situation in that area that came close to a collision even though there may have been violations. If you read my post I never said that it has never happened. Its just that in the 25 years with close to 2 thousand hours logged, I have not witnessed anything like that.
If you also read my posts in regard to this matter, I never said boaters who disregard the boating laws are welcomed. If you read between the lines what I am saying is that those who tell stories of close calls, near collisions & say it is scary to be out on the lake expect everyone to except their version as fact. I do not. For all we know the one complaining is the one who committed the violation. Or maybe the alleged offender was well beyond the 150' or was at 150' but the one complaining does not even know how far 150' is. Maybe the one complaining should have given away to another boat but did not because he/she did not know the rules governing safe passage.
I will stand by my statement that there are boaters who feel unsafe just because there are several boats in an area like Eagle Island & they are overwhelmed even when those other boats are not violating any boating laws. I actually have met & know some. What I am saying is these are the boaters that maybe over exaggerating a situation. If you read my post those are the boaters I said should not be boating. Simply being congested does not automatically translate into dangerous. I have also had boats pass well within 150' of my boat. While that is a violation & wrong it does not mean there was any danger of a collision. I have said several times in other posts that the most common violation is the 150' rule & there are other violations. That is where the Marine Patrol should focus their safety campaign. I also agree that those who do not know the boating laws or disregard them should not be boating.
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