Lake life is changing

[cedarcreek216]

It SURE IS the boat...as far as this post goes. On any given lake or river in the U.S. He wouldn't have posted this if it wasn't for the huge wakes of the modern surf machines. You RARELY had this issue back in the 70s, 80's 90s. It wasn't until about 10 years ago that you really heard complaints about these particular wakes. Now I'm not talking about jerk drivers, really big boats, etc. that have always been around. But I'm saying it IS the boat in this case.

You didn't have this problem in the 70's 80's and 90's because people in general did not carry as much of an entitled attitude and complain about everything. Life was just life. I say that and also agree with the gist of this post which is about respect and consideration. I think it goes both ways though. I don't care if a boat is surfing in the best water, if they were there first, they got it, 7 am or 7 pm, it's theirs. We should not judge what makes other people happy, but just do what makes us happy. I can't stand tubers or jet Skis, doesn't mean they aren't entitled to do it. I can simply go somewhere else on the lake that they are not.

[F725]

Well put.

[funkster]

Same s*#t different toilet. I spent so much time when I was in my early 20’s concerned about tubers and jet skiers ruing “my” butter that going boarding wasn’t even enjoyable anymore. My take is older wakeboarders started the surf craze trying to re-find enjoyment on chopped up waters, blame them...lol. Now I hear you loud and clear, you don’t need glass to wakesurf and most weekend warriors lack common courtesy but what are you really going to do but ultimately get frustrated towards the situation and ruin your own enjoyment. You can try to educate(I’ve done this) but the inconsiderate out numbers the considerate by a large margin. Water and boats brings the stupid out in a large percentage of the population. We’ve all been there and we’ll all be there again, unless you purchase your own lake and you’re the only boat allowed on it.

[Kenv]

^^^^^ Tru Dat

[blueroom]

Respect and courtesy is important. With that in mind, there is a big difference in surf experience between calm and even slightly choppy or lightly wind blown water. Surfing smooth water has a way better feel, and more consistent wave. That is just a fact.

The nice thing is that you can still surf with some chop, but it is in no way the same as calm water. If it is, you need to surf more.

[GMLIII]

I get up early to take pictures of the wildlife and I can’t stand those people out for Their morning swims and scaring away the loons.

I get up to take a swim and hate those paddle boarders and kayakers who almost run over me.

I get up to paddle board and kayak and hate that fishing boat.

I’m trying to fish and the stupid water skier is scaring all the fish away.

I’m trying to water ski and stupid wakeboarders are ruining it.

I am trying to wakeboard and the wakesurfers and chopping up the water.

I’m trying to wakesurf and stupid tubers are
Doing donuts and messing things up.

And the guy In the Prius is probably angry that you are towing your boat with your 3/4 ton and ruining the environment. Age old story. Note that water skiers are in the middle of the pack at best.

As someone who wakesurfs and on a very busy lake we try not go out before 9 to be considerate but at the end of the day your hobby does not trump mine - no matter how much you feel your entitled.

Cheers fellas.


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In the same vain:

In the 70s folks complained about the Berkeley jet drives with the exposed exhaust
In the 80s folks complained about the jet skis as they gained popularity
In the 90s folks complained about the muscle boats as they gain popularity
In the 00s folks complain about wakeboats

What will be the next boat type to pick on ?

[Gtsum2]

I can understand the frustrations on a smaller lake.....guess that’s one benefit of being on 20,000 acre lake with 350 miles of shoreline. Still, gotta be respectful of others and their passions...


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[2019 G21]

So far the only damage I have had at our property is from fishing boats. Lures stuck and yanked on the back of the boat, cover on multiple occasions. As for wake boats, sometimes we have a board or two on dock that pop up at the bulkhead caused by the big waves but not really too bad. Neighbor really dislikes the tower speakers blaring during the day but I find people with big stereos are quiet in the mornings. Unlike the bass boats that rip bye wide open at 515am by the dozens. Our lake is only several miles from one end to the other. I am just glad that people can enjoy the water life.
I don't mind people surfing using a rope. A lot of people are just now trying this sport and you have to learn somewhere. As I get older I seem to not let things bother me. I love hearing the neighbor kids screaming and laughing playing in the lake. When I was younger I would have had to put ear plugs in lol.

[jjackkrash]

I can see the allure of wake surfing; it looks like a lot of fun. And I generally detest regulation, as I am mostly libertarian. But when the powers that be inevitably ban intentionally almost sinking big inboard barges to haul surfers around the lake at just-slower-than-the-boat-needs-to-go-to-plane speed, I certainly won't shed any tears. And you for sure don't want me on a jury fixing damages for damages caused by your surf-boat wake.

So have fun while it lasts.

[Kenv]

In the same vain:

In the 70s folks complained about the Berkeley jet drives with the exposed exhaust
In the 80s folks complained about the jet skis as they gained popularity
In the 90s folks complained about the muscle boats as they gain popularity
In the 00s folks complain about wakeboats

What will be the next boat type to pick on ?

Come on ......you know the next line.... in the 20s people will complain about pontoons with triple 300s LOL

[GMLIII]

Come on ......you know the next line.... in the 20s people will complain about pontoons with triple 300s LOL

Yeah I thought about that but reframed . Will more than likely be a pontoon boat with plus 15,000 lbs of ballast

[sixcampbells]

I get up early to take pictures of the wildlife and I can’t stand those people out for Their morning swims and scaring away the loons.

I get up to take a swim and hate those paddle boarders and kayakers who almost run over me.

I get up to paddle board and kayak and hate that fishing boat.

I’m trying to fish and the stupid water skier is scaring all the fish away.

I’m trying to water ski and stupid wakeboarders are ruining it.

I am trying to wakeboard and the wakesurfers and chopping up the water.

I’m trying to wakesurf and stupid tubers are
Doing donuts and messing things up.

And the guy In the Prius is probably angry that you are towing your boat with your 3/4 ton and ruining the environment. Age old story. Note that water skiers are in the middle of the pack at best.

As someone who wakesurfs and on a very busy lake we try not go out before 9 to be considerate but at the end of the day your hobby does not trump mine - no matter how much you feel your entitled.

Cheers fellas.


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Well said! I agree with the points you make here. I also respect the start surfing at 9am or later, stay a good distance from shore and hope the slalom skiers are smart enough to know that the early bird gets the worm. I do feel some regret to paddle boarders, swimmers and kayakers but it is what it is - at least until the next thing comes along.


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[blueroom]

I can see the allure of wake surfing; it looks like a lot of fun. And I generally detest regulation, as I am mostly libertarian. But when the powers that be inevitably ban intentionally almost sinking big inboard barges to haul surfers around the lake at just-slower-than-the-boat-needs-to-go-to-plane speed, I certainly won't shed any tears. And you for sure don't want me on a jury fixing damages for damages caused by your surf-boat wake.

So have fun while it lasts.

jjackkrash Thanks for the laughs

If you are waiting for it to go away via "the powers that be", you will be waiting a long time. The reality is that the money and resources in the industry are 100% behind surfing - and to a large degree have helped save an industry that was really struggling. These same resources are the ones who are largely responsible for creating the guidelines and rules. A good portion of the efforts to ban or regulate surfing have been been, rightfully, overcome. The momentum is only increasing. For example, Nautique is currently putting most of its design and R&D efforts around a purpose-built surf boat for next season (absolutely not a rumor) and others will follow. We are just at the beginning of the wakesurf era. I hate to say it, but you haven't seen anything yet.

But, we all need to be responsible and courteous. There are quite a few bad mannered boaters out there, not all surfers.

[jjackkrash]

jjackkrash Thanks for the laughs

If you are waiting for it to go away via "the powers that be", you will be waiting a long time. The reality is that the money and resources in the industry are 100% behind surfing - and to a large degree have helped save an industry that was really struggling. These same resources are the ones who are largely responsible for creating the guidelines and rules. A good portion of the efforts to ban or regulate surfing have been been, rightfully, overcome. The momentum is only increasing. For example, Nautique is currently putting most of its design and R&D efforts around a purpose-built surf boat for next season (absolutely not a rumor) and others will follow. We are just at the beginning of the wakesurf era. I hate to say it, but you haven't seen anything yet.

And I would not vote for a ban. But we'll see how it goes if the wakes just keep getting bigger and bigger for boats mostly turning in a circle on smallish lakes. Just last weekend, my 11 year old was in the water with two skis on behind my 200, and a surf boat lost the rider next to me, then turned in front of me at surf speed in a circle to pick up the rider. I took about 50 gallons over the bow in the cross chop (and I wasn't under power moving forward) and my boy had a hard time keeping his head out of the water in the cross chop. It was all I could do to keep from losing my $h$t. The people driving some of these boats are not doing the sport any favors.

Also, keep in mind, a basic tenant of maritime law is, you are responsible for damage caused by your wake, even if it's otherwise legal. I suspect at some point insurers are going to have a problem issuing cheap policies to boats equipped with heavy ballast systems. But we'll see I suppose.

[blueroom]

I don't disagree at all, and I appreciate your common sense approach. Lake tools come in all shapes and sizes, and usually ruin things for everyone.

Two weekends ago I was surfing and all I could hear were jetski's right behind me. When I finally went down I was wondering if I was going to get hit. I motioned for one of them to stop for a second. Having a conversation in a normal tone of voice, he was that close to me, I told him that he was way too close - hoping to educate. He responded with "too close to what?". If I hadn't been so stunned I might have totally lost it on him. The week before two riders hit our wake, lost it and came within feet of hitting a parked pontoon boat.

I am in the process of writing a letter to the Marine Board regarding boat and PWC rentals. The majority of the problems I witness at our lake are with rental craft. I think that for the most part people that own boats and spend time on the lake try to be good neighbors and stewards. The rental people, as a group, are just flat our discourteous, clueless, and dangerous in my opinion. Having one person in a party go online and get a boaters card and then renting for a group is just not working as I see it. For whatever reason, this summer has been way worse than summers past. They don't follow any kind of pattern, pass in front of other boats and way to close to downed riders, hug the shore, ignore slow zones and all other manners of bad boating.