Slalom Course Advocacy

[Stx22]

Does anyone have any experience with this? We have a permitted slalom course that has recently come under attack. The main issues, as far as I can tell, are (1) the aesthetics of the course; and (2) fisherman complaints (those damn lures are expensive).

 

We were just informed that there will be an open meeting with the town, lake association, Marine Patrol, town police, individuals opposed to the course, and anyone else who sees fit to attend (2 weeks from now). We would like to be as prepared as possible and effectively present our case to the people.

 

The course is submersible and on a relatively small lake (about a mile long - approx 450 acres). Last year marine patrol asked us to keep the course on the surface all summer due to fisherman complaints (fine with me). Permitted times for use are 7-10 am and 5pm-sunset.

 

As far as I know, no complaints about actual use or other concerns. Any/all advice or resources would be greatly appreciated.

[Stx22]

For Sale: Submersible slalom course with lots of spare parts - free delivery in NH

[davemac]

Curious...do you care to disclose which New Hampshire lake?

[MCskiFreak]

Presenting it as a good addition to the lake is the most important thing that you can do. If you have any avid fishermen in your group of skiers that may also work to your advantage as far as showing that you do care about others use of the lake. If the fishermen are a bunch of hot heads, in my experience some are very adament about no one else should be able to use the water, not being drawn into a public argument with them.

[Stx22]

@davemac - prefer not to on here, but for reference, very close to the VT border

[jcamp]

USA Water Ski has a committee that helps with these issues and probably has a not of experience with them.

 

http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/waterways.htm

 

If you aren't a member, message me directly and perhaps we can use my membership to get assistance. I live on the VT/NH border myself (VT side) so not only do I want you guys to be able to keep your course but I'd be interested in skiing there as well!

[swc5150]

I feel for you, as we've been in a similar situation. Even winning approval can be a losing proposition, as I've experienced course vandalism by people bitterly opposed to having a course present. My blood has also been brought to a boil from vandals who weren't tax paying property owners on the lake, but that's the reality with public water. My solution is a portable course.

[Deanoski]

Good Luck!! we lost our coarse after 35yrs dam fish,game and THE PUD.

 

free ski and private ponds now.

 

Deano

[DW]

It might be helpful to know specifically who is doing the "attack", will give you a better idea on how to set up the defense.

 

One tact for the fishermen; kindly remind them that the fish tend to hang around the course buoys and congregate there, thus improving the fishing at that location and improving thier catch rate.

 

I have found that the course appears to be lowest on the list of priorities and will lose out in most battles, so great care is needed. You can read several tales of people losing the course due to one complainant.

 

Aesthetics will be a challenging defense, I guess I would ensure you keep the buoys as submerged as possible and not use 55 m balls.

 

I would try to present your case in as freindly, upbeat and courteous manner as possible, being confrontational probably is a losing battle.

 

It constantly amazes me how many people are against "the course", it seems like a constant problem, perhaps it just really aggrevates people to watch others have a good time when they arn't/can't.

 

Good luck.

[Wish]

@MCskiFreak has good points. There may not be enough time but are you or any if your skier buddies part of the lake association? If the association is not apposed or neutral and have only received complaints from a few, you may be able to get them on your side. There are already reasonable restrictions to your course use and you've fallowed them. It is a recreational lake where the association represents many and not just the loudest. They may need to be discreetly reminded of that. Present your case as a group with the nicest most level headed guy doing the talking. Let them know you want the best for the lake as a whole and have been willing to compromise as stated. I'd think they could be your best bet. Getting with them and presenting your case before the open meeting and perhaps use what info USA water-ski has to offer may help your case. I respectfully disagree with DW. May be a better plan to not say fish congregate in that area if lours are being lost on the course. That sounds like a good sized lake were there would be plenty of room for all.

 

I started the lake association here on my natural lake in FL with the sole purpose of protecting the lakes environment and NOT regulating what recreation goes on. We test the lake every month and send samples to the local University. It's hard for people to complain about what you do on the lake when you take care of it for everyone's sake. Could offer to do something like that for the lake association but have your plan ready to present. Could also be something as simple a lake shore clean-ups once a month.

[behindpropellers]

STX22-

 

Please contact me: tim.cochrane@gmail.com

 

Tim

[boarditup]

In NH today and have worked on these issues a lot. Call me at my number referenced at www.placidwaters.com. I have dealt with these issues in MI for many years.

[Stx22]

Thank you all for your input.

The original complaints were that the course wasn't marked and fisherman were catching lures, etc...

When asked to keep the course up, we complied. More complaints after that. Of course, there were complaints that people could see the course when it is submerged.

 

This year we proposed a compromise. Keep the course up early and late season to accommodate the fisherman so they can navigate around it. We did, however, ask to be able to submerge it on weekends (in July) when there is little fishing pressure and the traffic is the greatest (tubers, etc...) to alleviate some of the damage to the course and so that other boaters feel free to boat in that are of the lake, etc...

 

Unfortunately, the president of the lake association, from what I hear, is opposed to the course. We'll see why in two weeks.

 

@Deanoski What happened that you lost your course after 35 years?

[lpskier]

If the president is speaking without a mandate from the association, he is giving his personal opinion. Make sure you challenge him or her on the point. See if you can get the meeting minutes from the last two or three years of Association meetings to see if there is any discussion of your slalom course. If there is, the minutes will tell you where you need to focus your arguments. If it is not in the minutes, el presidente is speaking for himself, not the association. Also, I would stress the family aspects of water skiing.

[MCskiFreak]

@lpskier, even if the association president is not giving the opinion of the association and just his own odds are trying to challenge him are going to result in unfavorable results. Even though my father and my ski partners father are association presidents for 2 of the 3 lake associations we still had plenty to contend with even with most of those 2 associations being in favor of us having the course.

[Bdecker]

I just received a similar note today. Our lake is almost 2 sq miles and the complaints are associated purely with fishing and two parties making multiple complaints. I'll be looking for people willing to write a letter on behalf of our sport to the NH Marine Patrol... It seems reasonable to me that I'm asking both fishermen to use the other 99% of the lake!

[lpskier]

How did @Stx22 make out?

[Bdecker]

I'm pretty sure he was not successful. I never saw his site but it sounds like it was significantly smaller (ie- better) than the site I am trying to protect. The lake I'm dealing with is a large body of water which skis ok early in the morning before the wind and wake boards start.

[Waternut]

My lake is about 5 miles long and divided by a bridge with a no wake zone. The lake is only accessible through private ramps and two ramps located inside county parks. So to get on this lake, you either have to live in a subdivision on the lake or you and everyone going has to pay a park entrance fee and a boat fee. We used to have a ski jump and a slalom course on this lake on the back 1/5 of the lake where very few people go due to the no wake zone crossing.

 

I don't know all the details of why the course was removed in the first place. Probably because the usual suspects made their own private lakes but I don't know which happened first. I asked about putting a course back in and was told I had the right to apply for it but the park ranger seriously doubted it would get approved due to liability alone. I wouldn't bring that up but I do think you should prepare for it. For the record, he remembered the course being on the lake and talked about how nice all the skiers were who used it. Good luck!

[XR6Hurricane]

This kind of thing always makes me sick. Why? Because it's always the fishermen trying to get rid of the skiers, and the family boaters trying to get rid of the performance boaters, but it's NEVER the other way around. I'm a water skier, bass fisherman, tuber, hot boat pilot, and antique outboard motor collector. I love it all and I've never seen a reason why everyone can't get along. For years I've watched the battle rage here in northern IL. My favorite is the idiots who plop down 3/4 of a million for waterfront property on the busiest boating party scene in the country (the Fox Chain) and then complain about the noise.

 

The one piece of advice I can give to anyone battling something like this is that if it comes down to a public hearing (which I don't know if these are big enough issues for the community for that to happen), do your best to FILL the meeting hall. I don't know if you have enough advocates on your side to do it, but it would help. And then be very careful that something doesn't get rammed through behind your back during an unannounced meeting at 2 PM on a Tuesday when everyone is at work.

[jcamp]

@Bdecker Stx22 did get to keep his course, but with a number of restrictions, such as posting four navigation buoys on the corner of the course in order to warn fishermen about the submerged course, as well as a map posted at the launch warning boaters.

 

I went to the public hearing and he got a surprising amount of support from the locals. A lot of people (retirees mostly) said they enjoyed sitting on their decks watching people ski. It also helped that his main detractor was an unreasonable idiot.

 

Are you having trouble with Dubes? Or another site? Let me know, I'd be happy to write a letter. I''m sure they'd love to hear from a Vermonter :-)

[Skoot1123]

This very reason is why there are folks building private lakes. Which in some ways is really too bad, because it would be great for everyone in the boating industry if there were more people exposed to slalom course's and the joy of skiing the buoys! Now I have to get back to the plans for my own lake......