I've resisted this topic, basically because I stuck my foot in my mouth last year regarding wakes. But lets compare the new wake crusade against the old speed limit crusade.
The speed limit law seeks to prevent a activity that we've all been told is dangerous all our lives, "Speed Kills". It's supported by sincere sounding people expressing fear for their safety. Fear of being run over by a speeding boat is easy for a non-boater to understand. It mostly effects a very esoteric boating community and only indirectly pushes them off the lake. There is an innocent victim. It has support from a substantial portion of the lake industry, some boat dealers and restaurant chains. That's why a speed limit always had a fighting chance of passing.
A boat size limit would be very different. We have no life history or point of reference on what is bad about a big boat. Any safety issue is very tenuous and hard for non-boaters to grasp. It directly bans a very popular boating community. There are no obvious victims. I will not have the support of the lake industry. Every boat dealer statewide will see this a direct assault on their business. A Winnipesaukee size limit would naturally have to apply to all smaller lakes, so this affects everyone. No restaurant chain will dare offend such a huge, rich customer base. The vast majority of boaters will reject it, because we all dream of getting a bigger boat someday.
I don't think a big boat ban will go anywhere.
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