Willamette river rule changes

[DanielC]

The following rule changes were adopted on the Willamette river, in Oregon:

Rule Adopted for the Lower Willamette River

On October 14, 2008 the Marine Board adopted the staff recommendation which proposed the following:

"Based on the large body of public comment as well as direction from the Governor's office and the Department of State Lands, staff recommended that the Board adopt
the following amendments to OAR 250-020-0032 and 250-020-0385 to be in effect on January 1, 2009":

On the Willamette River from the Hwy 219 Bridge at RM 48.5 to the upper end of Willow Island at RM 31.5, the following rules apply:
(a) No person shall operate a motorboat at a speed in excess of a "Slow-No-Wake" maximum 5 mph speed within 100 feet of private docks, boathouses or moorages
legally permitted by the Oregon Department of State Lands.

(b) No person shall use wake-enhancing devices, including ballast tanks, wedges or hydrofoils or other mechanical devices, or un-even loading of persons or gear, to
artificially operate bow-high. After allowing brief comments from meeting attendants, the Board discussed the proposed rules and the staff recommendation. Board Member Trey Carskadon recommended an amendment to the staff recommendation timeline for item (b), to take effect January 1, 2010. The Board voted with three members in support of the revised staff recommendation and one
member opposed.

[HS]

RE: Willamette river rule changes

I think the 100' line applies to the areas we ride, but the wake devices (item b) doesn't sound too good. Is the Willamette a popular spot? I think I have seen one other posting here about rules affecting WB.

[DanielC]

RE: Willamette river rule changes

The Willamette river is a fairly popular spot. The river has several bends in it, and is is usually possible to find wind sheltered areas of flat water almost any time. But when it gets busy, all bets are off.
Is the Correct Craft hydrogate a wake enhancing device? What about the Correct Craft Pro Air?

[HS]

RE: Willamette river rule changes

Do you know what motivated the public comment, the Governor and the marine board to adopt this rule?

A few years back, The Washington State Ferries had to discontinue service of a high speed passenger only ferry bewteen Seattle and Bremerton (?) because private landowners alleged / complained that the wake(s) left by ferry boats caused erosion and loss of property values, etc.

[DanielC]

RE: Willamette river rule changes

I had a good reply, but my computer logged off PN while I was typing it, and I lost it.
I might get ambitious later and redo it.

[AirTool]

Re: RE: Willamette river rule changes

The Willamette river is a fairly popular spot. The river has several bends in it, and is is usually possible to find wind sheltered areas of flat water almost any time. But when it gets busy, all bets are off.
Is the Correct Craft hydrogate a wake enhancing device? What about the Correct Craft Pro Air?

I think a lawyer with expert witness would convince them that the hydrogate helps the boat operate artificially stern high which reduces wake. Without the hydrogate, the boat/hull would operate "as designed".

AirTool

[DanielC]

RE: Re: RE: Willamette river rule changes

I went to a public forum meeting about these rule changes. There were more restrictive rules proposed. Originally it was proposed that the 5 mph zone be a distance of 200 feet or less to docks. There was a proposal to ban 180 degree power turns.

Overall testimony at the public input meeting ran about 80 percent against the proposed rule changes, and about 20 percent for them.
There is a small but vocal group that wants to see the river returned "back to it's natural state it was 150 years ago". I believe that quote is code for banning all power boats. There are some homeowners along the river that have docks that have been damaged by wake board wakes, and they are not wanting have to repair them as often. There are also some homeowners that bought homes along the river to enjoy their wake board boats.
The issue of bank erosion was also brought up at the public meeting.
The issue of boat wakes causing damage to docks was also brought up a few years ago. The OSMB (Oregon State Marine Board) started a "play away" promotional campaign.
There were some complaints by riverfront homeowners about the loud music some wake board boats are playing. Some homeowners complained about rude and obnoxious behavior, one person complained about being out in their yard and having to watch someones bare butt while the person urinated into the river.
I believe that there are some riverfront land owners who are not necessarily against power boating, but are seeing joining forces with the groups that are for banning power boats as an end to their means of reducing or eliminating dock damage, and reducing the loud music they do not like in their yard.
Had the OSMB adopted the 200 instead of 100 foot rule, a large part of this river would of essentially become a no wake zone if there was two docks on each side of the river adjacent to each other. This prompted a large turnout by groups opposed to the new regulations.
When the OSMB started the "play away" program a few years ago, I do not think is was very effective. I have noticed that most people operate their boats the same way they drive cars, they tend to stay on the right side, and not in the middle of the river.
Wake surfing has gotten much more popular since the last time that the wake issue was brought up.
In the last few years wake board boats are getting larger, and manufactures have increased the wake size, competitively with each other, in an effort to gain a sales advantage.

Our governor, Ted Kulongoski's natural resources director, Michael Carrier, has advised the OSMB to take steps to limit environmental damage on the banks of the Willamette. I do not know for sure, but our governor, I believe might be inclined to align with the groups that want to ban power boating along this river.

I am guessing that the OSMB has been under some political pressure, and since this is the second time this was brought up, they might of felt they had to do something.

[SkiTundra]

RE: Re: RE: Willamette river rule changes

This issue, along with ATV's (noise & trail destruction), is growing across the nation.

A couple of decades ago snowmobilers faced similar problems. With the likelyhood of extreme restrictions limiting what trails and lakes could be used, time of day restrictions, and noise restrictions, the clubs all got together and took it upon themselves to self-restrict their own membership. This left a fairly small but extremely obnoxious group of sleders who were causing a lot of problems. The more well-behaved teamed up with all of the dealers to clamp down on these folks. The result was very few restrictions and relative peace for all.

[DanielC]

RE: Re: RE: Willamette river rule changes

I have been informed that the hydrogate is actually a wake reduction device. Deploying the hydrogate lifts the stern of the boat, causing the hull to ride higher in the water, at the stern.
Thanks for the point of clarification, Airtool, and others.