Life after speed limits

[Evenstar]

Originally Posted by luckypete

Greetings all,
Seriously, 99% of the folks operating a boat on the lake are doing so in a safe manner. So what is really getting under you skin is the so called "one percenters". And guess what, there is no legislation or enforcement that will ever keep us 100% safe. Welcome to life!

I happen to enjoy both lakes - and as a NH resident, I believe I have the legal right to do so. New Hampshire RSA 270:1:II states in part: “. . . it is hereby declared that the public waters of New Hampshire shall be maintained and regulated in such way as to provide for the safe and mutual enjoyment of a variety of uses, both from the shore and from water-borne conveyances.”

I have just as much right to safely kayak on Winni as I do on Squam, but it has been my experience that I am less safe on Winni, due mostly to the high speeds of some powerboats. Whether you or others believe it or not, some people on Winni operated their powerboats at speeds that are beyond their ability to spot smaller boats (like kayaks) in time. My 150 foot zone has been violated by some of these people - not intentially, but just because they were traveling too fast.

99% of the folks on Winni are not operating their boats in a safe manner, at least not 100% of the time.

People on this forum keep claiming that I am exaggerating, or that I can't tell when a boat is going faster then 45mph, or that I can't judge distances. Yet no one on this forum has had the guts to borrow a kayak and go out on the main lake with me.

If you guys would just experience the lake from my perspective once, perhaps you would finally believe me. And you might even agree that perhaps we do need a speed limit. The truth is that it is not as safe on Winni as you think - at least not for paddlers.