[ApS]

Originally Posted by Skipper of the Sea Que

"...Which boat will take up more lake for more time - a boat going 30 mph or a boat traveling 60 mph...?"

You'd be off by a small factor on most lakes.

Every boat in NH is theorically surrounded by an invisible acre of heightened observance of safety; unfortunately, it's the Lake's least-enforced—and most-violated—rule. On NH lakes with "Safe Passage", you'd be off by a huge factor.

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

"...A boat going 90 MPH uses up a lot of lake..."

How many acres-per-second is that?

Originally Posted by Airwaves

"...BI wrote in part:
Boating is not safe! Boating on Lake Winnipesaukee is not safe...!"

Boating has become increasingly less safe on all inland waters. Why else is the Coast Guard pushing PFDs on all boaters while the boat is moving?

Why is the National Marine Manufacturers Association offering free DVDs to encourage boating on our waters? Powerboat numbers are down and, IMHO, it's due to increased size, weight, speed and close calls on protected inland waters.

Originally Posted by Airwaves

"...It doesn't matter that Marine Patrol accident records show there hasn't been a vessel to vessel accident cause by speed on Lake Winnipesaukee in years..."

What speeds would you like to attribute to the two crashes in 2003 and 2004? The Formula/Seadoo crash in 2005? The Bayliner into Eagle Island in 2006? The Camp Island crash? The GFBL onto Parker Island resulting in broken bones? The hundreds of boaters' "close calls"?

Nobody knows!

Originally Posted by Airwaves

"...It doesn't matter that Marine Patrol accident records show there hasn't been a boating fatality caused by speed on Lake Winnipesaukee in years..."

Regarding Winnipesaukee's most famous fatality-hit-and-run, we didn't have the speed estimate until three years ago (or the perp in jail). Sentenced to a max of seven years—now he's out after less than three?

One more MPH and, instead of striking the rear of the boat, he would have crossed the middle of the boat—very possibly eliminating all the witnesses!

Originally Posted by Airwaves

"...It doesn't matter that Marine Patrol research this past summer showed fewer than 1 percent of the boats clocked by radar were going faster than the proposed speed limit..."

Does that research pass the "sniff" test?

Who would even call it a "Beta" test?

Originally Posted by Airwaves

"...It doesn't matter that this is the first year that every operator of a boat on Lake Winnipesaukee and New Hampshire will be required to have obtained a safe boating certificate..."

For NH's unique boating rules, the certificate plan is seriously flawed: on-line testing comes to mind, as does the nationwide omission of the "Safe Passage" rule.

Originally Posted by Airwaves

"...It doesn't matter that the very thing they say is happening on Lake Winnipesaukee when Hi Performance boats are out there is happening when the boats are away for the winter, they just ignore that. Who needs a safe lake in the winter? These things are to be ignored when you're ultmate goal is to eliminate a specific class of boat, period...!

'Wish I could understand this question, but where locations permit year-round boating, there are an ample number of crashes that point to excess speed.

Originally Posted by codeman671

"...We eat out in Meredith often by boat and I can't tell you how many times we see smashed people stumbling down the docks and getting into their boats..."

You previously asked about a compromise?

Of all the possible venues for a compromise, it appears that "self-policing" isn't going to be one of them....

Afterthought:
Just think how quiet the Speed Limits forum will become when the Senate passes the bill: their collective conscience will be clean—for two years, anyway—and law-abiding boaters will be as content as possible.

Finally, something concrete to enforce.