Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - More No Rafting Zones & Losing Your Rights!!!

Island Lover · 08-15-2007, 02:15 PM

It is often said that waterfront property owners have no more right to the lake than anyone else. However this simply is not true. The State and the State Supreme Court have recognized that waterfront property owners are the "literal" owners of the lake adjacent to their property.

This does not give them ownership of the lake, they have no say where people can swim for instance. It does give them rights to place a dock over the water, swim lines, moorings, swim rafts, water intakes etc. You can't do any of those things in the water, if you do not own the adjacent land. They also have the right to petition for a no rafting zone.

I predict that in response to the above paragraph someone will post loudly that we DO NOT OWN THE LAKE. This is quite true, but not to the point. Property owners do not own the lake, but they do have certain special rights to it.

I have personally watched people stand on their swim platform and urinate into the lake not far from my drinking water intake. How many people do this less obtrusively while in the water I will not guess. However most of those boats do not have a head.

Thanks for posting this. I will be sure to be at the hearing.

08-15-2007, 02:15 PM	#12
Island Lover Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 213 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post	It is often said that waterfront property owners have no more right to the lake than anyone else. However this simply is not true. The State and the State Supreme Court have recognized that waterfront property owners are the "literal" owners of the lake adjacent to their property. This does not give them ownership of the lake, they have no say where people can swim for instance. It does give them rights to place a dock over the water, swim lines, moorings, swim rafts, water intakes etc. You can't do any of those things in the water, if you do not own the adjacent land. They also have the right to petition for a no rafting zone. I predict that in response to the above paragraph someone will post loudly that we DO NOT OWN THE LAKE. This is quite true, but not to the point. Property owners do not own the lake, but they do have certain special rights to it. I have personally watched people stand on their swim platform and urinate into the lake not far from my drinking water intake. How many people do this less obtrusively while in the water I will not guess. However most of those boats do not have a head. Thanks for posting this. I will be sure to be at the hearing.