Should we be concern

[faith7]

I love the new G23 and the massive wakes they are capable of throwing. My worry,and I could be alone on this, how much bigger can the boat manufactors go before the powers that be on lakes start to ban surfing or boarding. The boat makers try to sell boats by staying ahead,bigger wakes, so after viewing the new boats out I can see they are going to go in the big wake direction. Honestly, I'm a intermediate boarder and surfer at best and could never do what these professionals do on '87 ski nautique. My point is are we going to limit our sport by going to big. I ride dirt bikes and the new four strokes are so loud it is adversely affecting our riding areas by having land closed faster than I ever imagined. The bad thing about these riding areas that have closed is once they are gone, they are gone. Surfing could go in that direction. Maybe I'm out of place or just worried because of my dirt bike experiences I don't know, but it's something to think about.

[lucky7t]

I don't think this would be an issue on larger lakes but could potentially be an issue on smaller lakes.

[SkiTower]

I think the theory is the G23 will do stock what guys are doing today with extra ballast. So theoretically the wakes won't get bigger. But everybody knows someone is going to make it as big as possible just because they can. How many guys add thousands of pounds just to do wake to wakes?

[GCSuper]

I agree with the OP that it could become an issue. You can't just make it a surf thing though. Just last weekend we had a big Cobalt pulling a tube at about 15 mph and they kept turning by our dock. We thought we were in a hurricane. My dock is a floating dock, so we couldn't even stand up on it. Had to hold on for dear life. The aggravating part was not that a big boat was going slow, but he did it in the same area for a long time. Geesh, your pulling a tube, head out to more open water. We're on a big lake and it's still an issue, so the size of the lake might not matter. I guess I was just raised to be courteous of others.

[lucky7t]

I agree with the OP that it could become an issue. You can't just make it a surf thing though. Just last weekend we had a big Cobalt pulling a tube at about 15 mph and they kept turning by our dock. We thought we were in a hurricane. My dock is a floating dock, so we couldn't even stand up on it. Had to hold on for dear life. The aggravating part was not that a big boat was going slow, but he did it in the same area for a long time. Geesh, your pulling a tube, head out to more open water. We're on a big lake and it's still an issue, so the size of the lake might not matter. I guess I was just raised to be courteous of others.

Tubers drive me crazy. Eufaula lake is huge and they pull the tubers in a cove where all the wake boarders are. I don't get it

[Texan1554]

As said, I think yes it will be an issue on some smaller lakes. Every different authority will be different but it will be an issue.

The big lakes and reservoirs already have 40'-60' ocean cruisers whose wakes are the size of the G23 itself, you'd have to get rid of them first.

[swc5150]

We're starting to see it already on our small lakes, with bylaws stating at idle or on plane. The DNR, along with some angry land owners, are concerned about increasing shore erosion as wakes have grown in recent years. Another issue associated with wake boats that I've seen come up is the voume of the monster stereos. I know the blue hairs on my lake have just about had enough of 3' rollers and 115db hip hop music.

[TxJole]

Problem is wind and rain do so much more damage then any boat could, but you can't point a finger at mother nature.

[DanielC]

This already is happening. Parts of the Willamette river in Oregon have got bans on wake enhancing devices.
The Holgate channel, one of the few places accessible from downtown Portland by boat was closed to ALL boat towed watersports.
Wake surfing is actually getting areas closed. People who have waterfront homes are getting concerned about dock damage.

Let me be blunt. Your desire to have huge wakes, and try to "achieve nirvana" by being able to let go of a rope and surf in a boat wake for 20 seconds is causing us to lose areas where we can operate a boat at all.

Wake surfing not only creates wakes the go out to the side, but it also leaves rollers behind the boat for the entire boat path.

Yes, tubers are annoying. But I would rather deal with tubers, than somebody wake surfing, Wakes from a tuber dissipate, as random as they are. Wake surfing wakes, and roller stay around much longer.

[gride]

pretty sure people are wake enhancing devices. also, sea walls throw rollers of any size back out. i wouldnt worry about it unless you live in a nanny state. and good lawyers/science will always prevail(we hope)

[swc5150]

We have lots of justification and "what about such and such types of boats" arguments on our lake, but let's just be honest. Runabout/ski boats have never before thrown the size wakes we're seeing today. Heck, the goal IS to get as big a wake as possible. Since our local Supra arrived, we've lost more shoreline in 2 years than in the prior decade. We've also never before had dock damage issues caused by rollers. I personally do not complain, as once they start banning, my ski boat is next. I'll fight for the right of wake boats, but to deny their impact is being dishonest with ourselves. It simply is what it is. I'm sure they're awesome on large bodies of water, but our little 100-1,000 acre lakes don't seem conducive to them. To the point of this thread, there IS a real cause for concern out there.

[faith7]

My question is how do we all get to enjoy what we like to do with out eliminating a activity or use of the water? Personally I like to ski, foot, board, and surf all in one day. But it is becoming apparent to me that a storm is brewing over surfing. I love to surf and do it on a huge lake ( lake Norman in nc). I can find places that I think is a responsible Place to surf but it is hardly ever just our group on the water. I have noticed all the looks we get and I assure you they are not impressed with our surfing. I have started to only surfing early in the morning or late in the evening to be as stealth as possible.

[gride]

my only issue with trying to regulate extra weight or wakesize is that there are so many other boats w/o wake enhancing devices or that weren't designed for wakeboarding that regularly create equal or larger rollers w/o any thought for other boats or anything else. and for the record, i dont surf.

[Quinner]

Well stated Scott, totally agree with you in every way. On our little 220 acre lake the arrival last year of a heavily ballasted 220 has ruffled many feathers. It single handedly will tear up the entire lake, really surprised how far those rollers go. Keeping situations like this from getting out of control really does land on the shoulders of those participating, you just have to hope that people will ballast their boats responsibly and within reason, too often you see boats pushing monster wakes while pulling riders who can barely jump.

The whole surfing craze is an even bigger concern as it seems to require even more ballast and wakes that are larger yet.

Heard some lakes banning pulled sports on ropes less then +/- 30' to address or eliminate surfing, very unfortunate as that then makes training on a boom with a 5' line illegal as well.

Often wondered also where the liability starts and ends with regards to ones wake.

[swc5150]

my only issue with trying to regulate extra weight or wakesize is that there are so many other boats w/o wake enhancing devices or that weren't designed for wakeboarding that regularly create equal or larger rollers w/o any thought for other boats or anything else. and for the record, i dont surf.

Boats of equal size? I've lived on water my entire life, and have never seen a regular runabout (18-21' on my lake) throw a wake the size of a weighted 210. If true, I imagine their are some people upset about having to spend twice the money and still add weight to a SAN, to achieve the same size wake? I'm not trying to be a dink or disrepectful, I just think there are too many wake boat owners who feel similar - that other boats are just as guilty as theirs. Also, we've never experienced wake complaints, ever, before the introduction of wake boats. Again, not putting down anyone's ride, just saying there's a lot concern brewing out there, whether owners feel it's fair/justified or not.