Wake Surf Boats creating concern on our lake

[Horton]

An owner at my old lake had a surf boat that I was sure would destroy the lake. In the end the waves did not do any noticeable damage. The week I moved out he got a newer bigger boat. Those waves seem to hit the shore a lot harder. I am curious how it is going to go. Add that to my list of reasons I left just in time…

[ScarletArrow]

It would seem obvious that a surf boat on a man made 3-event lake is not appropriate. Lake communities should put appropriate regulations to curb excessive wakes that abuse shorelines and docks.

 

I don't think it's a controversial take to say that surfing is fun, it's here to stay and it's better marketed than 3-event skiing.

 

Perhaps gray areas include:

 

What's an appropriate size lake?

 

I'm on a lake that is 113 acres. The shoreline with the best water is where all the houses and slalom course is built.

 

Is there a difference between surf and wakeboard boats?

 

Our lake has a Sport 200 that surfs and another new Nautique (not sure model) that showed up last night to wakeboard.

 

How do you educate the general boating population?

 

To most, a wake is just a wake and bigger is better. There is no discretion or thought for suitability when purchasing a boat.

 

How do you align the interests of boating manufacturers with lake communities and different towed sports?

 

10 - 15 years ago the same conversation was had regarding the destructive quality of wakeboard boats. I think there is a way for us to live together on the water.

 

How can we increase the appeal of ski boats?

 

If we made skiing more fun and attractive this problem would be half the size it is now (but that is another topic).

[skibrain]

@ScarletArrow

 

Good POV.

 

“ My conclusion is that we are marketing skiing all wrong.” could you offer either a critique of current ski marketing or suggest an alternate/better approach? Or both?

 

Thx

[75Tique]

Apologies if this was already linked someplace and I missed it. Pretty significant. Not 200 ft, not 150 feet. Not at all, period. https://beachgrit.com/2022/03/alabama-first-state-in-nation-to-pass-wake-surfing-ban-causing-much-fear-consternation-panic-to-spread-through-novelty-wave-community/

[Interjon]

@75Tique no disrespect, but that is not accurate. The effect of the bill, which did not pass, was no surfing within 200 feet of shore and coves of a width less than 400. "beachgrit.com" is wrong.

[75Tique]

They certainly misrepresented that. Appreciate the clarification.

 

[coach3]

Tennessee just passed a wake surf and wake board law. It basically prohibits those from surfing in a cove in the state of Tennessee. We just politely let em know the new law and enjoy your sport out in the main channel. We take the view that change may not be immediate, but will improve over time.

 

[wtstapel]

@ScarletArrow "Is there a difference between surf and wakeboard boats?" Short answer - no. The big difference is in the use. How many wakeboarders do you know who are capable of utilizing the full ballast a boat is equipped with? Honest answer is few to none for most boaters. I wakeboard 75% and ski 25%. Our surf board is used to foot from.

But, anybody can go out on the biggest boat made by the inboard manufactures and fill the ballast to the gills. There is no need to put in time, crashes, effort into working you way into using the big wave. On day 1 of ownership they are out there throwing everything the boat is capable of making, and learning on the fly.

I'm onboard with addressing the potential impact from surf boats. Just wish wakeboarding wasn't being dragged along with it. Bow high plowing with full ballast makes a bigger wave than planed-out ballasted wakeboarding.

 

[Spencer_Shultz]

For those of you on semi-private water within a community that talks, I’ve got two words you need to use on a daily basis...wake enhancers.

 

 

[swbca]

The 200 foot rule/law referred to several times is ill informed. 200 feet is a discourteous distance from shore to be surfing or skiing on bay that is 2000 feet wide. When I dropped a permanent slalom course through the ice at 300 feet from centerline to shore many years ago, I regretted that I hadn't used 350 or 375 feet as a matter of courtesy to my neighbors.

 

Another observation . . A few of the operators of wake boats on our lake just love making big waves. They do pleasure cruises at max wake with no one behind the boat.

 

How hostile are these waves ?

Just for fun I took my ProStar out on our bay to see what its like encounter a large wake boat wave. I chose to take the wave straight sideways at idle. It was a violent experience that could swamp some boats or make it difficult for passengers of Boston Whaler to avoid being ejected from the boat. I can't imagine doing that to a busy recreational / fishing lake.

 

Last summer my wife was having a cocktail cruise with friends in the Prostar. She met a surf boat going the other direction in a fairly narrow passageway between bays. She wasn't sure what to do and got a huge wash up and over the top of the windshield at idle.

 

. . I know, just more ranting

[S1Pitts]

I have a new aquantance who just purchased a new G26. Mid day I had him take my 97 BB out on the water with about 5/6 surfers out in our bay. Needless to say my interior got a good soaking and now he IDLES out to about 1000ft from shore before they start surfing.

Managed to educate one and just maybe he will start to spread the knowledge.