Meredith NWZ Petition / Hearing

[TiltonBB]

The problem is that everyone with waterfront property, except those in a sheltered cove, could make the same argument. The boats go by the house and leave a wake. That is what happens when you are on a lake.

Most property owners use fenders, whips, moorings, boat lifts, and have learned to prepare for and deal with the problem of wakes. Their children are taught to be aware of the issue and be safe around the water from an early age.

Numerous times people have spent hours in the area in front of my house with wakeboard boats that intentionally make large wakes. It is even worse when they play loud, lousy music over their amplified stereo systems. But, I would rather live with it than see even more rules and no wake zones on the lake. Although, I suppose I could get all my neighbors together and submit a petition for a new no wake zone in front of my house...................

Moving a perceived problem a few hundred feet in any direction does not eliminate the problem. The people in the State House that vote on these matters should be required to have some boating knowledge and experience before their opinion can count.

In recent years their poor decisions have solved nothing, addressed problems that didn't exist, and reduced many people's enjoyment of the lake.

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

The problem is that everyone with waterfront property, except those in a sheltered cove, could make the same argument. The boats go by the house and leave a wake. That is what happens when you are on a lake.

Most property owners use fenders, whips, moorings, boat lifts, and have learned to prepare for and deal with the problem of wakes. Their children are taught to be aware of the issue and be safe around the water from an early age.

Numerous times people have spent hours in the area in front of my house with wakeboard boats that intentionally make large wakes. It is even worse when they play loud, lousy music over their amplified stereo systems. But, I would rather live with it than see even more rules and no wake zones on the lake. Although, I suppose I could get all my neighbors together and submit a petition for a new no wake zone in front of my house...................

Moving a perceived problem a few hundred feet in any direction does not eliminate the problem. The people in the State House that vote on these matters should be required to have some boating knowledge and experience before their opinion can count.

In recent years their poor decisions have solved nothing, addressed problems that didn't exist, and reduced many people's enjoyment of the lake.

Hmmm...politician? Knowledge? That, my friend is the oxymoron of the times.
I'm for freedom and enjoying the beautiful lake too...the bigger, problem is lack of enforcement of the original, NWZ by Marine Patrol, who obviously, cannot be everywhere...all last season I never saw them in Meredith bay. That is not to say they didn't patrol there at all but I spent a lot of time there and only saw them outside Wiers channel (where they seem to camp out) and once at Braun Bay.
As long as there is no presence in any given area, unlawful boaters will and do take advantage of that.

[MAXUM]

Originally Posted by Hillcountry

Hmmm...politician? Knowledge? That, my friend is the oxymoron of the times.
I'm for freedom and enjoying the beautiful lake too...the bigger, problem is lack of enforcement of the original, NWZ by Marine Patrol, who obviously, cannot be everywhere...all last season I never saw them in Meredith bay. That is not to say they didn't patrol there at all but I spent a lot of time there and only saw them outside Wiers channel (where they seem to camp out) and once at Braun Bay.
As long as there is no presence in any given area, unlawful boaters will and do take advantage of that.

Hmm and it's not an oxymoron to think that a larger but non-enforced NWZ is going to make any difference? Bottom line is this, there would be no need at all for any NWZ if there was a MP boat parked over there babysitting what's going on 24X7. This whole thing is to make everyone "feel good" however if the town of Meredith starts to get less boat traffic from this and that is a good possibility bet this gets quickly amended.

[fatlazyless]

So .......... for boats with motors, the extra distance of 500 or 1000', or whatever, is no big deal for getting in or out of the Meredith town docks area.

But ...... for small, non motorized, self-propelled boats like stand up paddle boards, kayaks, canoes, row boats, and small sailboats ....the extra space created by an increased no wake zone makes a big difference ..... it adds to more big water space ..... that is more SAFE space.

It's the difference between sharing the water with 45-mph boaters, and 6-mph boaters ....... which is a 39-mph difference ...... just do the math ..... 39-mph is a huge difference for the attitude of a boat/jet ski out on the water...... as seen from a small boat like a stand up paddle board, or a kayak. It is very possible for a 45-mph boat to totally not even see a s.u.p. or a kayak what with all the possible driver distractions such as not keeping a good look out ahead, speed, sun, fatigue, wake bouncing, cell phone use, other passengers in the boat, sight blocked by the raised bow, and just not thinking there may be a kayak out there ..... like who knew?

Not all motor boaters do the same good job of driving safely ...... everyone here on this forum drives totally super-duper, totally safe .....at all times .......but, there's a few non-forum boaters who do not!