Wisconsin Mirror Law

[vanhanbr]

Info from the Teamtalk forum:

This law almost passed last year, please email your senators/representatives! Also, there is a public hearing on April 18th if you can attend!

Currently the state of WI requires a spotter. Neighboring states, such as Minnesota, only require a mirror. The incidents rates for boating accidents are actually lower in MN, indicating the use of a mirror vs a spotter, has not led to increased accidents or deaths.

A new bill in WI would match the MN law, requiring only a mirror:

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/201...proposals/sb69

"This bill authorizes the operation of a motorboat towing a person on water skis,
aquaplane, or similar device, without having a second person in the boat to observe
the person being towed, if the motorboat is equipped with a mirror that provides the
operator with a wide field of vision to the rear. "


If you're from WI, and support this bill, be sure to let your state reps know!

Here's a link where you can easily look up who your reps are and their contact information, based on where you live:

http://maps.legis.wisconsin.gov/

[Quinner]

Hope you find great support on this, total supporter of mirror only!!

9 times out of 10 me as the driver feels or sees my skier fall and am already reacting before any spotter tells me they are down.

Here in Illinois they added the flag law a few years ago, absolutely moronic law written and enacted by people completely clueless to towed watersports.

Good Luck!

[swc5150]

Agreed. I don't recall a single time a spotter in my boat reacted to a fallen skier faster than me as the driver. This potential law revision was started by a good friend of mine, who just passed away in December. Terry Moulton, the sponsor, is our local rep and a good guy. He gets it.

[Nick Heimer]

Great to hear. As someone who normally boats with only my fiance, we'd all but ruled out ever having a cabin in Wisconsin. Although, the few times we've been across the border boating, I have never seen the law enforced.

Does anyone know what the current fine is for not having a spotter?

[vanhanbr]

I've never gotten a ticket, but 'I heard they were around $150-180.

[swc5150]

Honestly, there's hardly ever any law enforcement on the northern WI lakes we frequent. Usually just around the 4th. We've been skiing mirror-only for decades and have never received a ticket.

[Dandy21]

In MN however, there are a few lakes that do require a spotter and they have to be of a certain age or older. On these busier, lakes, I do agree with this so thst the driver can focus ahead and the spotter can spot. It is less than a handful of lakes I believe.

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[Ola]

Please note - we are looking for more people who want to participate in getting this law passed. We have a public meeting for the Assembly version of the bill scheduled for between noon and 1 pm on April 18th. Assembly rules require public testimony to move things forward in committee. (Where last year's version languished). Lake Geneva has made it clear they do not support the bill and will speak out against it. You can also reach out to your local senator and assembly-person to voice your support.

[zoah]

Hope you find great support on this, total supporter of mirror only!!

9 times out of 10 me as the driver feels or sees my skier fall and am already reacting before any spotter tells me they are down.

Here in Illinois they added the flag law a few years ago, absolutely moronic law written and enacted by people completely clueless to towed watersports.

Good Luck!

Pretty sure the law was written solely for the Chain and Fox river. So many morons with stupid loud boats. Even with a flag I'm sure people still get run over.


I would love it if WI passed a mirror law. It makes so much sense on most lakes in WI.

[MustGoFast]

Curious if anyone has heard anything on this? My wife & I don't have kids and lose out a lot of quality boat fun to lack of a 3rd person.

My eyes show me that this went to committee back in May and nothing since then. Looking to see if anyone else knows more or how to push this through!

[tpayner19]

Update from 17 May

[Nautiquehunter]

Georgia is a no spotter state. We live across the street from Lake Lanier . I cant tell you how many times I got a phone call on Friday evening canceling for Saturday leaving us without a spotter when we lived in Indiana. I never understood the flag law . Raising a flag on the boat draws attention to the boat not the fallen skier. It would be better to have the flag on the skier? Or better yet have a balloon Immediately inflates like an air bag in a car and carrys the skier in the air out of harms way.

[tpayner19]

Update from 17 May

http://www.wqow.com/story/35320983/2...er-requirement


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[gary s]

Mike,even crazier the Illinois law requires that the flag be up at all times when someone is towed by the boat. The state rep who pushed the law is the aunt of the 12 year old that was killed. Horrendous accident but a total knee jerk feel good reaction. The guy who hit the kid had alcohol and coke in him so it's us who have to make the change rather than enforce existing laws. Can't even tell you how many boats you see with the flag up and no one behind because they forgot it.

[mlange]

What they missed in that article is that the bill has been changed so that local lakes would be allowed to relax the law and only require a mirror. The state law itself would essentially remain unchanged - you still need a third. It was originally written to be more lax and allow the local lakes to restrict it further similar to how slow no wake is done today. Apparently Lake Geneva and Cindi Duchow in Waukesha County fought against the law as it was originally written.

In short, it's become useless.