Proposed No Wake Surfing Zones SML

[morfoot]

Its the Kayakers and Sups that are going to result in complete areas of lakes being off limits. Not everyone has a lot of sympathy for rich people with lake front homes

Seriously?

Do you think that just because someone owns a house on the Lake they're Rich? Some yes but NOT All and this statement is pretty arrogant in itself. I'm an Aviation mechanic and just moved to the lake at 53 years of age. My wife and I will be working another 20+ before the house is paid off. I guess if you own a 2017 GS 22 then the same thing could be said about you. That's a pretty expensive boat. You must be rich!!!!!!

Having been a SN owner for 20 years playing and since the introduction of the G and resurgance of Wakesurfing I and those I slalom ski with have seen this one coming for years. I've surfed with Nautiquehunter as we are both on the same lake but we have enough sense to stay in the Big waters of Lanier. As mentioned it's the few bad apples that only care about themselves and are going into the small Ski Coves and wrecking havoc.on the shore lines and docks. Skier Cove on our lake is where all the swervers go to run a course if it's up, the few footers that exist and where people go who want to teach their young kids how to ski. Rafting up of boats usually takes place on the weekends until the surfers show up. Sometimes 3-4 boats at a time and rock that cove that is about as long as a 1.5 slalom course. They don't care about anybody else but themselves and could care less if someone is just entering the slalom course. It's Surf's up! When approached and asked nicely if they can wait until the skier is done running the course the majority of the time you get. Screw you man it's a public Lake. We've seen several of the same boats surfing right next to the course and we we've move boats to protect it we get flipped off and expletives fly from the crew aboard. Most of the time this is what happens but not always. The bad apples of surfing are going to ruin it for everyone and what we locals are afraid of is the the ACOE will shut down Skier cove and make it a No Ski Zone. That we absolutely DO NOT WANT. Fortunately for me I live in the back of a cove where we don't have this issue but the entire side of open water of the marina where I live is a No Ski Zone. If I were a home owner on a bigger cove where skiing is allowed I too would be looking for means to prevent my property from being destroyed by the constant barrage of 4 foot waves pounding my dock and boats. The argument is " Well the 50 ft Regal makes bigger waves than my Wakesetter. Hey Moron..... The 50 ft Regal isn't making pass after pass back and forth for 3 hours. One and done till he comes back 8 hours from now. Wakesurfers in general had better head these warnings as we are starting to see more proposals about banning surfing which in turn is gonna affect ALL of us surfing or Not. Don't get me wrong, I've surfed and it's fun for about 20 mins and it's something that many folks can do as a family or get folks in and on the water, If it's your thing have at it and enjoy yourself, as for me I'd rather Grip it and Rip it but .... for the sake of us all..... STAY OUT OF THE SMALL COVES! My $.02

[shag]

Well said. I would not be constantly wanting to be turning around, surfing in small areas anyway.. And yep, a few spoil it for all usually.

[srock]

Wow it seems like the industry is heading down the path of no return. Seems we have reached a point in so many things where individuals will crash and burn without a care or concern for anyone but themselves and they just move on to something else with a give a ship attitude.

Many years ago this speed and wake fight took place on the intracoastal in Ft. Lauderdale where "skiers" argued over rules that would basically do away with any wake and speed thus the elimination of towed watersports. This is a place with many large ocean going vessels up to 150 feet and thousands in the 30-40 foot range docked behind houses head to the ocean. There was a defiantly a need to regulate this big boat superhighway so the following was put in place. The rules have been attacked though the years but the waterways have remained open to watersports.

Basically, idle speed unless in a single engine boat under 21 feet in length and involved in towed watersports.

Some excerpts are below to make point.

8-166. Speed limits in waterways.

Latest version.

• (a)
  
  Idle Speed No Wake. The following areas are designated boating restricted areas where vessels must proceed no faster than Idle Speed No Wake, unless lawfully engaged in watersports activities in a designated watersports activities area:
  
  (1)
  
  Florida Intracoastal Waterway. The state has designated certain areas of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway within the city limits as restricted areas, set forth below, within which the Idle Speed No Wake limit shall apply:
  
  a.
  
  The section of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway from a sign posted adjacent to the waterway and lying between Southeast 18th and 19th Streets on the south, and another sign adjacent to the Waterway located east of Southeast 14th Street on the north.
  
  b.
  
  The section of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway from a point lying fifteen hundred (1,500) feet to the north of the East Las Olas Boulevard Bridge to a point on the south designated by Intracoastal Marker No. 14.
  
  (3)
  
  All of Sylvan Lake, as bounded on the east and south by East Lake Drive, on the west by West Lake Drive and a portion of Isla Bahia Drive, and on the north by a line drawn between the northern terminus of East Lake Drive and the northern boundary of Lot 7 of the plat of Isla Bahia.
  
  (4)
  
  The Idle Speed No Wake limit shall apply on any waterway not otherwise regulated with a speed or wake limit by the city or state, other than the Florida Intracoastal Waterway.
  
  (b)
  
  Slow Speed Minimum Wake. The following areas are designated boating restricted areas where vessels must proceed no faster than Slow Speed Minimum Wake, unless lawfully engaged in watersports activities in a boating restricted area designated for watersports activities:
  
  (1)
  
  Florida Intracoastal Waterways, New River and Stranahan River. Certain areas of the Florida Intracoastal Waterways, New River and Stranahan River have been designated as restricted marine areas, set forth below, in which the slow down minimum wake limit shall apply:
  
  (c)
  
  Watersports activities area. The following areas are designated watersports activities areas where single engine vessels not exceeding twenty-one (21) feet as set forth on the State of Florida vessel registration may engage in watersports activities and all other vessels not lawfully engaged in watersports activities must operate in accordance with the speed and wake limitations within the applicable boating restricted area.
  
  (1)
  
  The area of Middle River, except those areas designated Idle Speed No Wake, lying between Northeast 21st Court and the intersection with the Intracoastal Waterway;
  
  
  Mills Pond Park Lake.
  
  (d)
  
  Fire boats. The operator of a city fire boat, when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exceed the maximum speed limits for vessels set forth in this section, so long as he does not endanger life or property.

[SilentSeven]

.... The 50 ft Regal isn't making pass after pass back and forth for 3 hours. One and done till he comes back 8 hours from now......

IMO, this is a material difference, differentiates wakeboarders from surfers and ties to the root of the problem. There are more and more surf boats and they are continuously generating oversized waves. Sure you can have a knuckle headed operator or two who runs too close to docks, in coves, whatever. But I think the real issue for many lakes is there are just a whole bunch of these boats and they are always creating massive waves - it's just hard to escape.

As I said on other threads, here in the Seattle area...a nice weekend summer day on Lake Sammamish is totally different than it was 3 years ago. You can no longer float comfortably on the lake as one surf set after another rolls through tossing passengers, drinks and food. Rafting is now impossible and dangerous. And I used to be ok letting inexperienced operators drive the boat for fun...but no more. Too many big surf waves that require skill in approach and throttle management to safely traverse.

Feels like the sport is a victim of its own success. I don't have an answer but I can totally see where the frustrations are coming from.

[GMLIII]

IMO, this is a material difference, differentiates wakeboarders from surfers and ties to the root of the problem. There are more and more surf boats and they are continuously generating oversized waves. Sure you can have a knuckle headed operator or two who runs too close to docks, in coves, whatever. But I think the real issue for many lakes is there are just a whole bunch of these boats and they are always creating massive waves - it's just hard to escape.

As I said on other threads, here in the Seattle area...a nice weekend summer day on Lake Sammamish is totally different than it was 3 years ago. You can no longer float comfortably on the lake as one surf set after another rolls through tossing passengers, drinks and food. Rafting is now impossible and dangerous. And I used to be ok letting inexperienced operators drive the boat for fun...but no more. Too many big surf waves that require skill in approach and throttle management to safely traverse.

Feels like the sport is a victim of its own success. I don't have an answer but I can totally see where the frustrations are coming from.

I could not agree more and as I have said before more education is the easy "Go To Answer" and from what I have observed on my home lake, education is a non-factor. They have tried some of these wakesuf education events on SML which have yielded no positive results . By this point with all of these new proposed wakesuf/wakeboard regulations, I would think the Correct Craft Company is shaking in their boots and maybe they should switch their focus back to the Ski Nautique and away from the G series of boats. IMHO, I see water skiing making a come back and wakesurf boats having a very short life in the near future. All this makes me want to sell my G23 before the bottom drops out of the wakesurf/wakeboard boat market.

[scottb7]

I would think the Correct Craft Company is shaking in their boots

Kind of curious, do you really think that CC has that much sense or humility?

[Nautiquehunter]

Remember the three wheel off road bikes ? They were banned in 1988.

[GMLIII]

Kind of curious, do you really think that CC has that much sense or humility?

Yes I do believe they will begin to change their sales and marketing focus away from the G and Paragon series of boats and onto other models based on the increasing bans and restrictions on wakesurfing and wakeboarding

[GMLIII]

Remember the three wheel off road bikes ? They were banned in 1988.

Yes I had one of them too. Honda ATC-90

[srock]

Aside form surfing, it seems a of people like the space in these large surf ships. I always enjoyed the handling of the more nimble smaller boats and the skill and accomplishment with becoming a better skier, wakeboarder, barefooter. Maybe surfing is becoming a gateway drug for more addictive activities or maybe the next big thing will involve smaller wakes. I had a 125 Yamaha Tri Moto...feeling doomed.

[gonefishin5555]

Seriously?

Do you think that just because someone owns a house on the Lake they're Rich? Some yes but NOT All and this statement is pretty arrogant in itself. I'm an Aviation mechanic and just moved to the lake at 53 years of age. My wife and I will be working another 20+ before the house is paid off. I guess if you own a 2017 GS 22 then the same thing could be said about you. That's a pretty expensive boat. You must be rich!!!!!!

Having been a SN owner for 20 years playing and since the introduction of the G and resurgance of Wakesurfing I and those I slalom ski with have seen this one coming for years. I've surfed with Nautiquehunter as we are both on the same lake but we have enough sense to stay in the Big waters of Lanier. As mentioned it's the few bad apples that only care about themselves and are going into the small Ski Coves and wrecking havoc.on the shore lines and docks. Skier Cove on our lake is where all the swervers go to run a course if it's up, the few footers that exist and where people go who want to teach their young kids how to ski. Rafting up of boats usually takes place on the weekends until the surfers show up. Sometimes 3-4 boats at a time and rock that cove that is about as long as a 1.5 slalom course. They don't care about anybody else but themselves and could care less if someone is just entering the slalom course. It's Surf's up! When approached and asked nicely if they can wait until the skier is done running the course the majority of the time you get. Screw you man it's a public Lake. We've seen several of the same boats surfing right next to the course and we we've move boats to protect it we get flipped off and expletives fly from the crew aboard. Most of the time this is what happens but not always. The bad apples of surfing are going to ruin it for everyone and what we locals are afraid of is the the ACOE will shut down Skier cove and make it a No Ski Zone. That we absolutely DO NOT WANT. Fortunately for me I live in the back of a cove where we don't have this issue but the entire side of open water of the marina where I live is a No Ski Zone. If I were a home owner on a bigger cove where skiing is allowed I too would be looking for means to prevent my property from being destroyed by the constant barrage of 4 foot waves pounding my dock and boats. The argument is " Well the 50 ft Regal makes bigger waves than my Wakesetter. Hey Moron..... The 50 ft Regal isn't making pass after pass back and forth for 3 hours. One and done till he comes back 8 hours from now. Wakesurfers in general had better head these warnings as we are starting to see more proposals about banning surfing which in turn is gonna affect ALL of us surfing or Not. Don't get me wrong, I've surfed and it's fun for about 20 mins and it's something that many folks can do as a family or get folks in and on the water, If it's your thing have at it and enjoy yourself, as for me I'd rather Grip it and Rip it but .... for the sake of us all..... STAY OUT OF THE SMALL COVES! My $.02

Yes seriously. Its not whether or not you are actually rich its the perception that people who own on a lake are generally rich people. Its usually a vacation home which is an indication of wealth. Sounds like you are in over your head with your place. Good luck working into your 70s to pay for it. For the rest of your post let me get out my violin and play it while i read.

[GMLIII]

Too funny. LOL “For the rest of your post let me get out my violin and play it while I read”.

[morfoot]

Yes seriously. Its not whether or not you are actually rich its the perception that people who own on a lake are generally rich people. Its usually a vacation home which is an indication of wealth. Sounds like you are in over your head with your place. Good luck working into your 70s to pay for it. For the rest of your post let me get out my violin and play it while i read.

Then say that it's perception that one is rich if you own a lakefront home. No, it's not a Vacation home and most homes on this lake aren't. It's my primary and only home and No, I don't have an issue working into my 70's to pay for nice home that I will retire in and No I'm not over my head with my place but thanks for your concern. I was going to end up doing that anyway so I might as well move out of the hood as Atlanta is booming and it's expanding south of the city bringing gangs, and crime with it so if I'm gonna move it might as well be somewhere nice where I enjoy it. As for your violin playing I didn't know you were a professional violinist. If not, then be sure to brush the dust of it and tune it up when the No Surfing Laws or boats with wake enhancing devices are implemented everywhere and the norm instead of just here and there. Like it or not, the writing is on the wall and we'll see more laws banning surfing because of the bad apples.

[srock]

Oh boy, you are never going to win the wake war because so many people have the smoke em while you got em mentality. Reality is you can often find the guy with the new Paragon trailering to the boat ramp, upside down on value, paying a 10 year note, livin' for the moment and working until he's dead to pay for his 1 bedroom condo. My money is on morfoot with the 1988 Nautique paying off his home early or taking his upside investment return and retiring gracefully happy. In my opinion, the waterfront home is a much better investment and a better way to the grave. To each his own is guess.

[gonefishin5555]

Then say that it's perception that one is rich if you own a lakefront home. No, it's not a Vacation home and most homes on this lake aren't. It's my primary and only home and No, I don't have an issue working into my 70's to pay for nice home that I will retire in and No I'm not over my head with my place but thanks for your concern. I was going to end up doing that anyway so I might as well move out of the hood as Atlanta is booming and it's expanding south of the city bringing gangs, and crime with it so if I'm gonna move it might as well be somewhere nice where I enjoy it. As for your violin playing I didn't know you were a professional violinist. If not, then be sure to brush the dust of it and tune it up when the No Surfing Laws or boats with wake enhancing devices are implemented everywhere and the norm instead of just here and there. Like it or not, the writing is on the wall and we'll see more laws banning surfing because of the bad apples.

Im just pulliing your chain. I don't know why you got bent out of shape over a stupid comment on the internet. My lake has no waterfront property but they did just add an access point for kayaks and SUPS by the dam which is an area of high use by waterski, wakesurf and innertube people. Its going to create some conflict and we will see how it plays out.