Rain is no exception in no wake zone!

[Coastal Laker]

To all the knuckleheads steaming through the Weirs Channel today because they could see a storm coming while completely violating the no-wake zone:

Just because you see dark clouds coming, you do not get a free pass to go over headway speed or take off full sprint before the end of the Weirs channel. You are still responsible for damage caused by your wake!

I think the Marine Patrol should put up a camera and start taking down bow numbers of each ignorant rule breaker that thinks no-wake only applies when the sun is shining. Easily, every other boat was going too fast - ridiculous!

[BernerGuy]

Same goes for those boneheads going full throttle by the lighthouse at Trexlers.

[tis]

That rule is violated even when the weather is good. I truly think most people don't KNOW what NO WAKE means.

[fpartri497]

Originally Posted by tis

That rule is violated even when the weather is good. I truly think most people don't KNOW what NO WAKE means.

they know, they just dont care

[challmec]

I agree heading up to Greens basin the other day at least 4 boats passed within 50 feet of us going at full speed that is until MP snagged one dope .. Just made my day because the MP boat was in front of me traveling relatively slow and the other guy comes at us full tilt. Just cant fix stupid!!

[tis]

Full speed is better than that halfway, where the wake is huge. When it is very close to shore those big waves do a lot of damage.

No wake means the water behind you needs to be almost flat. People think a little wake is ok. IMHO

[Belmont Resident]

One guy speeding thru the channel actually said, I don't want to get rained on. This was a pontoon boat with a full top that was up from bow too stern.
You are on a lake and you don't want to get wet, you might want to find something other then boating to do.
Then there was a jetski and deck boat that actually went thru the channel on plane.
And after all this the rain didn't even come for another 45min.
Last time this happened we tried calling the MP. They wanted a description of the boat and hull numbers, I told them it was almost all the boats and he repeated the request. I guess due to all the budget cuts they are now pretty much useless.

[Pineedles]

Want to know how many violate the NWZ? Go to bear Islander's web cam, and you can see it happening all the time.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by tis

Full speed is better than that halfway, where the wake is huge. When it is very close to shore those big waves do a lot of damage.

No wake means the water behind you needs to be almost flat. People think a little wake is ok. IMHO

Actually, no wake means " headway speed". Headway speed means < 6 MPH unless the boat has to be going more than 6 MPH to maintain control. You can legally make a wake in a no wake zone.

TITLE XXII
NAVIGATION; HARBORS; COAST SURVEY
CHAPTER 270-D
BOATING AND WATER SAFETY ON NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC WATERS
Section 270-D:1
270-D:1 Definitions. – In this chapter:


VI. "Headway speed'' means 6 miles per hour or the slowest speed that a boat can be operated and maintain steerage way.

VIII. "No wake area'' means an area where a boat is to be operated only at headway speed.

[Woodsy]

tis... you got it wrong! Dave is SPOT ON!

Most people think no wake means dead slow.... it just means the minimum speed required to maintain steering or <6 MPH. Most boats at 6 MPH have a small wake... Rain itself does not except blowing thru a NWZ.. although I am pretty sure a case could be made for a lightning storm.

Woodsy

[Dave R]

My boat makes a wake that I think is excessive for a NWZ at 6.0 MPH (GPS measured), so I don't go that fast in no wake zones, even though I legally could. I suspect that I'd get unwanted attention by the MP for going 6 MPH too. At 5 MPH, my wake is a minor ripple that should not offend anyone

[The Real BigGuy]

I believe that one of the major problems with the no-wake rule is interpretation. Some people read it as, "I can go up to 6 mph and be in compliance." However, it was explained to me by the Marine Patrol in the early 80's that it was intended to read "No wake is the slowest speed that your boat can go and still maintain steerage but, in any event, no faster than 6 mph." The rub is that MP has no way of knowing what speed you need to maintain steerage and a number of operators don't care if they make a wake.

Some people just go 6 (or over) without looking at what their wake is doing to other boats or the shoreline. As another MP told me "If you look back and see white behind you, you are making a wake."

[tis]

You can interpret it any way you want and I suspect different MPs do. However, I have seen MPs stop people many times for a ripple that surprised even me. Once I said to MP: "You stopped them for that?" He said: "That's a wake." I can tell you after they stopped several boats a few times, people learned and somehow managed to NOT make a wake anymore. The water was almost dead calm in back of them. Strange, isn't it.

[BroadHopper]

Most MP's are pretty good about interpreting no wake speed. There are the newbies with little boating skills that just don't get it. Last week, I was at headway speed through the Weirs Channel and a young MP tells me to slow down, I throttle down to minimum and the boat started swaying back and forth. He immediately turned around and pulled me over. He ask why I can't keep the boat straight. I told him that deep vees needs enough speed to prevent the current from swaying the boat. Since he stop me in the middle of the channel between Thurston's and Channel Marine, it was causing a back up of boats. We were drifting down the channel. After I pass a safety check, even though I had both stickers, he asked for a sobriety check. WOW! I blew a .00. He appeared to be a bit aggitated, but nevertheless he had to let me go. His last words? I need to slow down.

This is the first time in the 50+ years I boat on this lake that I was ask to slow down in a no wake zone.

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

Most MP's are pretty good about interpreting no wake speed. There are the newbies with little boating skills that just don't get it. Last week, I was at headway speed through the Weirs Channel and a young MP tells me to slow down, I throttle down to minimum and the boat started swaying back and forth. He immediately turned around and pulled me over. He ask why I can't keep the boat straight. I told him that deep vees needs enough speed to prevent the current from swaying the boat. Since he stop me in the middle of the channel between Thurston's and Channel Marine, it was causing a back up of boats. We were drifting down the channel. After I pass a safety check, even though I had both stickers, he asked for a sobriety check. WOW! I blew a .00. He appeared to be a bit aggitated, but nevertheless he had to let me go. His last words? I need to slow down.

This is the first time in the 50+ years I boat on this lake that I was ask to slow down in a no wake zone.

Unfortunately, it's the newbies that people remember. That was complete ignorance on his part. Borderline harassment for the sobriety check. He needs to be taken out of the boat, and given some basic common sense boating knowledge.

Just think, while he was harassing you due to his own ignorance, there were probably 3-4 boats speeding through the NWZ at Bear waving to BI

[pm203]

Let's talk about people going to SLOW through the Weirs Channel. How many times do you get stuck behind someone actually crawling through the channel at a ridiculously low speed. These bone heads are oblivious to the traffic around them and are usaually on the phone, engaged in conversation or sight seeing. When I have to run on one motor and constantly go between forward and neutral and am barely going 2-3 mph that is not right as well.

[Belmont Resident]

Call the director of MP.
When we were engaged in talks with the MP concerning the speed limit issue we were told that if anyone has a legitimate complaint with one of his officers performance, they can contact him directly and complain.
You can’t fix it if you don’t know is broken. He knows there are instances where his employees are not always correct but if it isn’t brought to his attention there isn’t anything he can do to change it.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

Call the director of MP.
When we were engaged in talks with the MP concerning the speed limit issue we were told that if anyone has a legitimate complaint with one of his officers performance, they can contact him directly and complain.
You can’t fix it if you don’t know is broken. He knows there are instances where his employees are not always correct but if it isn’t brought to his attention there isn’t anything he can do to change it.

I have explained in another thread about a newbie MP that was confused between the anchor light and navigation lights. I was anchored off Timber Island with my anchor light on. He insist you need the navigation lights on and wrote me a ticket. Because I got a ticket, I called the MP hdqtr the next day and explained what happen. The sargent told me to disregard the ticket and I have not heard any more about it.

This time, I did not get a ticket, just a verbal warning. I would let it go. How would I know if he reported this incident? I would be calling the MP and I bet they will think I am joking.

I do know one of the MPO monitor this website. He will probably bring up this incident.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Coastal Laker

To all the knuckleheads steaming through the Weirs Channel today because they could see a storm coming while completely violating the no-wake zone:

Just because you see dark clouds coming, you do not get a free pass to go over headway speed or take off full sprint before the end of the Weirs channel. You are still responsible for damage caused by your wake!

I think the Marine Patrol should put up a camera and start taking down bow numbers of each ignorant rule breaker that thinks no-wake only applies when the sun is shining. Easily, every other boat was going too fast - ridiculous!

1) I saw that storm approaching, so speeding through a NWZ could be considered "an emergency situation", but you are still responsible for damage from your wake.

2) Rain itself isn't an excuse to violate any NWZ: thunder should be adequate warning to a powerboat, but lightning can reach out 30-miles—and you can't outrun lightning!

3) The MPs always ask for the bow number of "offenders". Do the MPs actually store those numbers to determine incidents of "repeat offenders"?

[winniboy]

ik this topic is very old, but one thing is important about the Weirs channel. there are many times that they are letting out large volumes of water from the lake, this makes a stronger N-S current, i once had to have my jetski at 1/2 throttle to be moving forward, (jet ski goes about 60).. i am not telling a lie either. NO RAIN is not an excuse, but in fairness to SOME violators, the channel can cause it difficult to advance at no wake

[Pineedles]

Its not your throttle speed or engine RPM, its your MPH or KPH.

[winniboy]

Originally Posted by Pineedles

Its not your throttle speed or engine RPM, its your MPH or KPH.

right, im just saying inorder to make physically no wake, is sometimes impossible

[BroadHopper]

If we can change the law from no wake to headway speed, this will take into consideration the currents in the channel or bay. Last summer, I was told to slow down coming up the channel at headway speed because I had a wake! What was the MP thinking? I know it will be impossible to navigate, the law is the law.

[jrc]

The law is headway speed. From RSA 270-D:1

VI. "Headway speed'' means 6 miles per hour or the slowest speed that a boat can be operated and maintain steerage way.

VIII. "No wake area'' means an area where a boat is to be operated only at headway speed

From RSA 270-D:2

I. Vessels shall be operated at headway speed only, while passing under all bridges

VI. (a) To provide full visibility and control and to prevent their wake from being thrown into or causing excessive rocking to other boats, barges, water skiers, aquaplanes or other boats, rafts or floats, all vessels shall maintain headway speed when within 150 feet from:
(1) Rafts, floats, swimmers.
(2) Permitted swimming areas.
(3) Shore.
(4) Docks.
(5) Mooring fields.
(6) Other vessels.


From Saf-C 400

Saf-C 401.08 “Headway speed” means 6 miles per hour or the slowest speed that a boat can be operated and maintain steerage way.

Saf-C 401.18 “No wake area” means an area where all boats are required to operate at headway speed.

Saf-C 402.88 Lake Winnipesaukee.
...
(b) The Weirs Channel, so-called, between the light buoy in said channel near the Endicott Rock in Lake Winnipesaukee, and the southernmost light buoy in the channel in Lake Paugus shall be a "no wake" area.

[winniboy]

Originally Posted by jrc

The law is headway speed. From RSA 270-D:1

VI. "Headway speed'' means 6 miles per hour or the slowest speed that a boat can be operated and maintain steerage way.

VIII. "No wake area'' means an area where a boat is to be operated only at headway speed

From RSA 270-D:2

I. Vessels shall be operated at headway speed only, while passing under all bridges

VI. (a) To provide full visibility and control and to prevent their wake from being thrown into or causing excessive rocking to other boats, barges, water skiers, aquaplanes or other boats, rafts or floats, all vessels shall maintain headway speed when within 150 feet from:
(1) Rafts, floats, swimmers.
(2) Permitted swimming areas.
(3) Shore.
(4) Docks.
(5) Mooring fields.
(6) Other vessels.


From Saf-C 400

Saf-C 401.08 “Headway speed” means 6 miles per hour or the slowest speed that a boat can be operated and maintain steerage way.

Saf-C 401.18 “No wake area” means an area where all boats are required to operate at headway speed.

Saf-C 402.88 Lake Winnipesaukee.
...
(b) The Weirs Channel, so-called, between the light buoy in said channel near the Endicott Rock in Lake Winnipesaukee, and the southernmost light buoy in the channel in Lake Paugus shall be a "no wake" area.

correct the law is written correctly and with some good wording, the problem comes when people assume and actually think " no wake zone" means no waves or ripples behind your boat. you know what they say when people assume.

[BroadHopper]

into the Weirs Channel near the bridge against the current and a marine patrol officer actually flag a number of us to slow down, there is a wake and use the horn that it is a no wake zone. Of course he was travelling in the opposite direction. Fellow boaters looked at each other puzzled as to what he is trying to do! We will not make headway speed against the current if we go any slower!

I do know from past experience that unexperienced marine patrol officers don't always get rulings right. As I mentioned in a prior post, I was anchored with my anchor light on, a young marine patrol officer insist that my running lights (green/red) has to be on as well. When I explained to the sargent the next day, he took my ticket and told me not to worry about it.

[winniboy]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

into the Weirs Channel near the bridge against the current and a marine patrol officer actually flag a number of us to slow down, there is a wake and use the horn that it is a no wake zone. Of course he was travelling in the opposite direction. Fellow boaters looked at each other puzzled as to what he is trying to do! We will not make headway speed against the current if we go any slower!

I do know from past experience that unexperienced marine patrol officers don't always get rulings right. As I mentioned in a prior post, I was anchored with my anchor light on, a young marine patrol officer insist that my running lights (green/red) has to be on as well. When I explained to the sargent the next day, he took my ticket and told me not to worry about it.

The fact that many MP's don't know the names of all the islands on the lake or even the main ones, scares me. A few years back, a boat capsized between dolly and cattle landing off the SSW tip of bear. As i was on my way to that area i saw MP flying past me in between Bear and Jolly. they thought that the disbatch mis-pronounced it and called it "dolly" by mistake. the fact is this left 4 people drowning in a very busy channel. luckily they all made it out safely but the point remains.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

. although I am pretty sure a case could be made for a lightning storm.

Woodsy

As this thread seem to be noting that people where doing this in the weirs channel no case could be made warranting speeds faster then No Wake... With the Marina's and docking available in that area, people need to use theirs heads and pull into the docks. A fast moving storm is nothing to try and beat home. And I don't know of any boater, marina, or business that wouldn't allow someone to dock for safe harbor during a freak storm....

I personally have pulled into private docks around the lake during such conditions, and never had a problem. I have even been invited in for some tea on one occasion.

[BroadHopper]

As posted in another thread, a woman called the MP on me and claim I was trespassing when I tied up to the end of her dock during a severe thunderstorm/hailstorm. I left by the time the MP arrived.

On the intercoastal, there is a rule that will allow you to tie up in storms. I guess it is not the case on the big lake

[Pineedles]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

As posted in another thread, a woman called the MP on me and claim I was trespassing when I tied up to the end of her dock during a severe thunderstorm/hailstorm. I left by the time the MP arrived.

On the intercoastal, there is a rule that will allow you to tie up in storms. I guess it is not the case on the big lake

That woman should post a sign at the end of her dock.

DO NOT DOCK HERE! I AM SCARED, AND I CAN'T HELP IT! I TRUSTED OBAMA, AND HE LIED TO ME!

[pawnshop]

Any bone head with a credit/debit card and an internet connection can get a boating certificate from another State (i.e. Florida) and cheat through the entire test! A bunch of people from my office wanted to use some jet ski's my boss owns. They went online and got safety certificates from Florida and Delaware in about an hour. Hence they'd have no clue what "NWZ" meant. These certificates entitle them to operate boats and jet skis and New Hampshire will honor them. I really think there needs to be stricter education guidelines for operating on the lake.

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by pawnshop

Any bone head with a credit/debit card and an internet connection can get a boating certificate from another State (i.e. Florida) and cheat through the entire test! A bunch of people from my office wanted to use some jet ski's my boss owns. They went online and got safety certificates from Florida and Delaware in about an hour. Hence they'd have no clue what "NWZ" meant. These certificates entitle them to operate boats and jet skis and New Hampshire will honor them. I really think there needs to be stricter education guidelines for operating on the lake.

1. How many years did people not even need a "certificate" and all was fine?
2. So even with the "certificate" you'd swear after reading this forum that the lake is pandamonium.

The education certificate is a joke and waste of time IMO. From the sounds of it, those people had fun and the world still spins on its axis

[tis]

Originally Posted by lawn psycho

1. How many years did people not even need a "certificate" and all was fine?
2. So even with the "certificate" you'd swear after reading this forum that the lake is pandamonium.

The education certificate is a joke and waste of time IMO. From the sounds of it, those people had fun and the world still spins on its axis

Although it will probably not be popular, I have to agree with you. I have not been able to see any difference on the lake since people have had to have certificates. None.