Lake Austin Ballast Ban??

[mf01]

I've heard rumors about this before, but it looks like they put this coalition together to reduce wakeboarding/wakesurfing on Lake Austin. My opinion is that if they need to reduce "waves", then they'll need to ban boats bigger than XX feet on the lake.

http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_st...in-master-plan

[Quinner]

And Tubers are not a problem as well??

Really think this is a key point:

"Most are probably not even aware that they're causing a problem on the shorelines."

Personally think wake surfing is giving a major black eye on all towed water sports, not only do the uninformed see it as dangerous being so close to the "propeller", the monster wake and it's aftermath are extremely disturbing on so many levels. Ditto for Over ballasted wake boats.

Sad IMO that people are flocking to what requires the least amount of skill or effort, tubing and wake surfing, as they both create the greatest impact on the lakes and waterways.

Don't know what the real solution will be other then the noose being tightened on all towed water sports, which would be quite unfortunate.

Good luck for those of you on Lake Austin

[SkiTundra]

For what it's worth... We began an informal deal on our 500 acre lake this summer. Tubers and boarders are to stick to a north<>south lane up the middle of the lake (lake is kind of a north<>south oriented paisley). Only one at a time unless two have agreed otherwise, 3 laps if someone is waiting, 'be considerate' if taking time due to falls/learning, no power turns unless actively towing. The message to everyone is that if this doesn't work, wake sports, including tubing, may be banned.

So far it's working pretty well. Only problem I heard is one guy that was a bit of a jerk when someone asked him to obey the rules. He was apparently met by several people at the ramp when he pulled out telling him that they'd really prefer he not come back. No threats, just a polite request. He was never seen again.

[chris196]

I ski on Lake Austin. It's a busy lake, sometimes even at 6am. This kind of thing is almost inevitable as people keep pushing the boats and wakes bigger and bigger. Don't take that as I approve the idea of a ban. Nothing irks me more than property owners on a public waterway complaining about boat traffic. Some of them seriously don't get that it's public.
But, what the bigger wakes do is cause the property owners to build bulkheads at the shoreline. This just causes wave reflection.
There is a section of the lake I call the washing machine because it has bulkheads on both sides for at least half a mile. One boat with a big wake makes that section a mess for a long time.

There was just a regional level wake surfing competition on the lake a few weeks ago.

On lake austin, I'd like to see property owners required to have wave reflection mitigation structures if they want a bulkhead.
The wave reflection is really bad in some spots.

[jjsaustin]

This would be a huge negative effect on waterfont property if owners are told they cannot use their boats the way they want.

These people should instead focus on the HYDRILLA problem, that is choking the lake and is out of hand. We have been here 15 years and this is the worst year. In some parts it is very dangerous as boats are trying to avoid the hydrilla that has come all the way to the surface. Forget about trying to go straight to pull a skier, it is like a slalom course for the boat!

If the hydrilla is not all the way to the surface, it is inches below and will drag on skiers and wakeboaders alike. All the hydrilla slows the flow of water and collect dangerous debris. The other week may daughter said "Daddy how are those birds standing in the middle of the lake?". They were standing on a huge island of hydrilla!!

Why don't these people focus on something useful???

[Chexi]

You think the hydrilla is bad for boarding and skiing, try foiling through it. I foolishly dropped the line once when I first hit a huge hyrdilla colony after I lost all lift. It took quite a bit of swimming to get out of that mess, and that hydrilla is like fiberglass on your skin. So yes, concentrate on getting rid of the hydrilla.

Regarding tow sport bans, most of the people along the shores of Lake Austin watch and cheer (when they are not out themselves on the lake towing). That said, surfing on Lake Austin is a bit of a joke. It's not really deep enough, except right next to Red Bud Dam. I do surf from time to time, but I'd be willing to live with a surfing ban on Lake Austin if things would end there.

At any rate, supposedly things will get better when Travis comes back up.

[Kenv]

Another factor I have heard...and this is just through word of mouth...is that Lake Austin is REALLY crowded now due to the fact that Lake Travis upriver is soooo low and has limited launching opportunities. I've never been on Austin but have seen how narrow it is...and yes, it is probably a blender due to all the boats...not just surfers. My home lake in San Antonio, Medina, is down 65 feet below normal pool and we have had a fair amount of rain in the last few weeks...just in the wrong places. I know this summer boaters were scattering just to find a lake with water for a day out. (Oh..crap...just read Chexi's post after I posted.....oh well.....it's Lake Travis' fault.....lol)

[Rick]

The article says that there is a meeting next Monday. I suggest anyone that wants to continue boarding or surfing at Lake Austin attend. Make sure they realize that not all boarders want 6' wakes and do power turns for fun. Start an education program for drivers and boaters. Get involved.

[High altitude]

The article says that there is a meeting next Monday. I suggest anyone that wants to continue boarding or surfing at Lake Austin attend. Make sure they realize that not all boarders want 6' wakes and do power turns for fun. Start an education program for drivers and boaters. Get involved.

Sign me up for six foot waves! What boat makes that?

[scottb7]

i live on a tiny lake in minnesota, and i guess i don't understand why a homeowner would care about shore erosion....maybe folks can explain it to me...

if i plant something too close to the water and a bunch of big boats go by it will kill it...yep...if they don't go by and water level is just too high that season whatever it is would die anyway...

i think it is just people bitching about what other people want to do...i try to respect what anyone wants to do on the lake... i think is when someone makes up their mind that what someone else wants to do is unacceptable that problems emerge..

i guess if it ever came to point i could not make my waves, then i would just move off.

ps i also do as many darn power turns as i want when i don't think it messes up anyone actually in the water...so i am just a dick...

[bhectus]

...so i am just a dick...

Well, at least you know. But you obviously have no clue what the definition of erosion is or what it does.

[DanielC]

This is going to ruffle a lot of feathers, but here goes.
In Oregon, where I live, they have already put "wake enhancing devices" bans on part of the Willamette river. They have also closed another part of the river to ALL towed boat sports in a section near down town Portland.

Bluntly put, wake surfing throws out bigger wakes to the side of the direction of travel, and leaves rollers the entire length of the body of water you were travelling in. These wakes and rollers annoy property owners, anybody using canoes, or kayacks, fishermen, and honestly, almost any body doing any other towed watersport, besides surfing.
Do not ignore the people using paddle powered watercraft. They can find willing political allies in environmental groups. If you do not believe me, go to google and type in "riverkeepers"

I know some of the ideas that i presented are at conflict with the idea many boaters have, "it is a public water way, I can do what I want" But if you look a little deeper, I believe in most states, you will find laws that YOU are responsible for the damage caused by the wakes YOU create.

I honestly see a possibility that in the future, many more waterways will be closed to all towed watersports, because of excessive wakes created by wake surfing, and to a lessor degree wake boarding with 3000 pounds of ballast to do a single wake 180.

Another issue feeding this problem of waterways getting towed watersport bans is this. Boat manufactures are seeing a short term profit potential in promoting wake surfing. After all, you probably need a bigger, newer boat to wake surf. Your old direct drive, or 21 foot V-drive is simply not big enough. You need something bigger, that will hold more ballast to wake surf.

So, you need to get politically involved with your local governments that control your waterways. You also need to realize the form of recreation you choose to do behind your boat may annoy enough people to get that, and possibly other forms of towed water sports banned from your local waterway.

I know what I just expressed is going to P. O. a lot of people. But after you calm down a little, please consider the ideas I have put forth, and do what you have to, to try to protect your ability to use your waterways in the way you want to.

[MI-Nick]

if you want to surf, go to the ocean. keep you wakeboard wakes to a reasonable level. don't blast music at 6 AM. basically, do be a **** head and people will leave you and your super air alone.

[SkiTundra]

What ever happened with this?

[scottb7]

I don't blast music over tower speakers. But I do do power turns and do wake surf. And when they ban the stuff I will just move off the lake. I still contend that anyone that has shore erosion planted too close or water level changed. And they should not blame other people. But go ahead band with others and vote us off.

We do try to avoid other boaters and other people on water when we can...

If you buy a home too close to the freeway and don't like the road noise then you think you have the right to gang up with others and lower the speed limit, or put up speed bumps when people go over the speed limit? Go ahead you immoral you know whats...