I HATE what wake boats are doing to our lakes!

[SkiJay]

Don't get me wrong, wakeboarding is a worthy and sometimes spectacular pursuit. Wake surfing is really fun and can be enjoyed by nearly anyone. But wake boats themselves have become the biggest nuisance on our public waterways. All it takes is one, maybe two of these surf-generating behemoths to destroy the water in an entire lake.

 

We just came back from the last long weekend of the short Canadian summer, and the wake boats were out in force. It was awful! Even when the air was dead calm, mountainous waves converging on each other from every direction made some parts of the lake virtually unnavigable for a tournament ski boat. There's no pattern to the rollers so you can't go anywhere without pounding the hell out of your boat and taking rogue waves over the bow and windshield. The sump pump could barely keep up.

 

I actually miss the days when jet skis were the scourge of the lake. Sure they're annoying to listen to, and they attract more than their share of nimrods driving like idiots, but at least you could take your ski boat out for spin without it getting swamped. The way things are trending, thank god for beer and hangovers, or we'd never get to ski on public water again. Sigh .....

[BraceMaker]

With you, was getting my bindings on last summer and wake tossed me off the platform before I could finish getting my foot in.

 

I've taken to skiing the areas of the lake that are less than 3 feet deep to avoid having as many large boats messing around.

 

Stumpy areas too.

[OTF]

@bracemaker "stumpy areas" LMAO do you use them like a coarse?

[BraceMaker]

Nah you just have to know where a shallow running DD can go. We have areas where you have ~3 feet of water, with stumps/logs on the bottom - you just stay outside of where the log would clip your prop and usually that means people don't linger in your area.

 

Have to be careful picking up skiers who drop on the wrong side.

[E_T]

I hate skiers who think they need perfect conditions to ski

[BraceMaker]

Who needs perfection? Love dropping skiers to avoid destroying your spotter's low back.

[kona]

@skijay I feel your pain my local lake has rollers even with no boats on it. Hate ?

 

@E_T Hate is such a strong word. Why so much anger ?

[MattP]

@knoa if you only knew

[kona]

@MattP True story ! haha

[oldjeep]

Worst part is that around here 99 times out of 100 they are just pulling a tube.

[ToddL]

There really isn't a great solution to this issue... However, our local public lakes limit personal watercraft traffic on major holidays due to safety and boat density. If only there was a way to prove that wake boats are unsafe in the early morning hours and therefore have new local rules that wake boats cannot be on the lake before 9am. At least then, slalom skiers would have their morning water. This is one time that the slalom skiers and fishermen could join forces to help quiet the waters for some part of the day.

[Jody_Seal]

Here ya go, number 10!

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesFAQ#0.3_10

 

Last year I helped pluck a couple out of the drink that were fishing in a small Geenoo. They were rocked into the water because a overloaded wake boat came in to close. I advised them that the owner of the wake boat was responsible for his wake and that they had grounds for a complaint to the local fish and wildlife. not sure if it went anywhere.

[Than_Bogan]

Easy fix: Install a tunnel between the launch ramp and the ski lake that is too small for a wakeboard boat to fit through. :)

 

We have plenty of issues, but not that one!

[SkiJay]

@kona I agree that hate is a strong word, so I used all caps to further pump it up. To be clear, I'm okay with most of the people in wake boats. They have just as much right to enjoy the water as anyone. Even the boats themselves are pretty cool boats. I just hate how ridiculously huge the rollers have become and how few wake boats it takes to turn an entire lake into a seething, boat-pounding, useless mess of massive random rollers, and that the trend is towards even bigger, and that this trend is probably here to stay

[Fatroll]

The problem with these boats is that they are very limited in their versatility. Skiing behind them is not necessarily a enjoyable experience especially if you want to take some slalom cuts. So, board sports and inflatables are your only options. Even worse, I see these boats with full ballast pulling healside only jumpers getting 2 feet of air. My buddy calls them healside heros. There are plenty of ways to bore me without trashing the lake. What I notice on our lake is that the really good wakeboarders (the few that can throw inverts or Raley's) all have three event boats, not these monsters.

Nothing like teaching kids to ski and one of these boats surfs right by you. If the kid is learning on the boom, it is a serious safety concern if the bar smacks a kid on the head.

 

@oldjeep Mastercraft x2 = X Tube

 

 

 

[Joeprunc]

Surfing and wakeboarding outnumber the skiers by a large margin around here. I still slow down to idle speed (If I'm not in tow) when a wakeboarder or surfer drive by. I'm just hoping they will return the favor down the road.

 

Though last weekend on the way to the course there was a 40' yacht cruising at 15 mph towards us throwing easily a 3-4 ft wake. I pooped my pants when I saw him coming at us. I had to spin around and follow him for a while before entering behind his wake while following him. If I tried to hit those wakes any other way my boat would have surely been at the bottom of the river.

[DW]

It is interesting that the same manufacturer of our beloved "wakeless" tourney boats make the very craft so disliked in this thread. That said, it provides a direct link to the source...your local dealer of which you are a customer to the manufacturer. Shore erosion is a problem with wake boats on the smaller lakes and the monster wakes.

[MattP]

They fund the ski boat designs.. Hard to argue with that..

[HPskier1]

The sooner people realize that it is really all about slalom skiers the quicker my life will be much easier!! The faster people realize that this IS my lake right after sunrise before sunset and any day their is no wind the easier their life would be. I don't see why my wife thinks I am type A, middle aged, obsessive compulsive eletist. I just think that when my boat hits the water wakeboard boats should know to go home. :) :)

[ntx]

@HPskier1 NOW you are talking like a true baller!!!!!

[gregy]

one of the lakes locally the land owners were trying to get wake boats banded due to the damage they are causing on docks and shoreline. Wake boarders, surfers, and local boat dealers successfully fought but I'm sure its going to come up again. Its a city owned lake so it went through city council.

[kmenard]

@HPskier1...the fishermen might disagree with you :)

[escmanaze]

@fatroll, that heel side hero nickname is my favorite thing I've encountered all month. I wakeboard and wakeskate, and there is nothing I love more than some sweet bro who has one trick in the bag to show off for the ladies...heelside go big!!!

 

I've actually done exactly what bracemaker did. I found the 3 foot deep section of the lake and bought myself a DD. I actually considered getting a big wakeboard boat, but then realized, there isn't a single public spot in the state where you actually have water deep enough and smooth enough to enjoy it. I was ready to give up boating altogether before I found this 3 foot deep spot.

 

The wakeboarders and wakesurfers are on thing, but the ones that really drive me nuts are the tubers. How can people really be entertained with that, saturday after saturday over and over again tubing. Must be the same people who watch reality tv I guess.

[HPskier1]

@kmenard....I'm good wth the fishermen, I skied with EzEd for a while and remember them sitting off five ball because they said it stirred up the water and made the fish more active. It also helps that if they are fishing in my spot(haha) I respect it, slow down and talk to them and wait till they leave or go someplace else. It wouldn't be so bad if others would do the same.

[DooSPX]

My lake is fairly large at 9,212 acres, so not much concern with the Wake boats. But there is a 3 foot deep spot that is too shallow for many people to attempt its also the most protected part so the water is generally pretty good. That is where we ski. The problem was until recently with all the rain, the ramp was out of the water and I could not get my boat in the water for almost 2 years.

[XR6Hurricane]

Wakeboard boats make great fishing structure. The crappies especially like to congregate around the towers.

[Fatroll]

Since I rarely see people surfing without the rope, I think the sport should be renamed shortline wake skating

[oldjeep]

My son says that only a pansy needs a wakeboard boat. Any old I/O wake works fine

http://www.oldjeep.com/images/Skiing/P8080031.JPG

[GOODESkier]

Much like a firearm....... it isn't the boat that makes my skiing suffer, but the driver! My ski set can just as easily be ruined by a knuckle-head in a 3 event boat.

 

Point in case, I got home after work last night, only one other boat on a 55 mile stretch of river. Small I/O. He chose to do doughnuts right beside my course for the entire time we were out. I just had to time the passes to avoid the biggest rollers.

 

I have no issue with the boat, I have issue with the driver.

[Ed_Johnson]

I agree, my times I wished for a Shoulder Launched Missle !!!

[oldjeep]

This morning we were running the course when along comes this huge wake boat with a surfer on the back. He sent some monsters into the course and then his rider dropped. Went over to talk to him for a minute and explain what we were trying to do. Real nice guy and he immediately took off for the channel to use another side of the lake.

 

It was mostly a good morning. Skied a full pass at 28MPH 15off, then a 30MPH 15 off and then went OTF on ball 3 at 32MPH 15 off. Smacked my head and neck pretty good but it was fine. Still just learning, but it was progress for me.

[SkiJay]

By far, most of the annoying behavior on public lakes is due more to ignorance than malice. Most of the lake's apparent idiots would likely be fun to meet around a campfire.

[inland]

While I'm no fan of the big wake boats, there is one on my lake. I'm on a "semi-private" lake that, for all intensive purposes, between Memorial Day and Labor Day is a private lake. There's only 1 wake boat that's on the lake at all times, another whose place is not a full time residence. I have a TON of respect for the guy because he's darn good at his sport and equally as respectful.

 

If he sees me come out as he's coming out, he will run in parallel to the course so his wakes don't destroy good water. I've befriended the guy and while we're out, it's courtesy to call him when my sets are done and he'll call me when he's done. He wants the good water just as much as we do.

 

I do think that this is a rarity among the wake boat owners though. I think I just got lucky and have one of the good guys on the water here.