New Tennessee Wake Surf Law is Similar to South Carolina’s - 200 Feet From Shore

[SANonTellico]

ON MARCH 3, 2022, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2107, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT rewrites this bill to regulate wakesurfing in the public waters of Tennessee. This bill defines "wakesurfing" to mean surfing a motorboat's wake or operating a motorboat in a manner that creates a wake that is, or is intended to be, surfed by another person. This bill generally prohibits wakesurfing:
(1) Between sunset and sunrise;
(2) On a body of water that is less than 50 acres in size;
(3) Using a motorboat that has a propulsion system that extends beyond the motorboat's boarding or swim platform;
(4) On any portion of a body of water with a width, measured from the nearest shoreline to the second nearest shoreline, of less than 400 feet;
(5) Within 200 feet of any shoreline or a structure located completely or partly on the water; and
(6) Without wearing a personal flotation device approved by the United States Coast Guard.

The prohibitions in (1)-(6) do not apply to a regatta, race, trail run, parade, tournament, or exhibition on the waters of Tennessee for which an aquatic event application has been submitted to and approved by the executive director.

AMENDMENT adds wakeboarding to this bill and makes such activity subject to the wakesurfing prohibitions described above

[MN Ryan]

Less than 50 acres? I am unsure how one would even attempt surfing in a "lake" that small.

[dhanni848]

My regular spot has no docks or homes on the water, and I google mapped the narrowest waterway that is 400' wide. Not to sure this affects very many on the typical lakes around the Nashville area.

[Stevemo14]

I don't see your #3, (3) Using a motorboat that has a propulsion system that extends beyond the motorboat's boarding or swim platform, on the bill, where did you see that one?

[tandcc]

Look at 5b

Stateq/Jemiessee
PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 872 SENATE BILL NO. 2107
By Yager, Bowling
Substituted for: House Bill No. 2223 By Powers, Lynn
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 69, Chapter 9, relative to boating. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 69-9-204, is amended by adding the following as new subdivisions:
( ) "Wakeboarding" means:
(A) To use a board with or without foot bindings on which a rider is towed by a motorboat across a wake; or
(B) To operate a motorboat in a manner that creates a wake while towing a person using a board with or without foot bindings to be towed by the motorboat across the boat's wake;
( ) "Wakesurfing" means:
(A) To surf a motorboat's wake, regardless of whether the person is being pulled by a tow rope attached to the motorboat that is producing the wake; or
(B) To operate a motorboat in a manner that creates a wake that is, or is intended to be, surfed by another person;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 69, Chapter 9, Part 2, is amended by adding the following as a new section:
(a) Except as provided in subsection (c), a person shall not engage in wakeboarding or wakesurfing in the waters of Tennessee:
(1) Between sunset and sunrise;
(2) On a body of water that is less than fifty (50) acres in size;
(3) On a portion of a body of water with a width, measured from the nearest shoreline to the second nearest shoreline, of less than four hundred feet (400');
(4) Within two hundred feet (200') of a shoreline, or a dock, pier, boathouse, or other structure located completely or partly on the water; and
(5) Without wearing a personal flotation device approved by the United States coast guard.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), a person shall not engage in wakesurfing in the waters of Tennessee using a motorboat that has a propulsion system that extends beyond the motorboat's boarding or swim platform.

SB 2107
(c) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to a regatta, race, trail run, parade, tournament, or exhibition on the waters of Tennessee for which an aquatic event application has been submitted to and approved by the executive director pursuant to§ 69-9-211.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2022, the public welfare requiring it.
2

PASSED:
March 28, 2022
APPROVED this 14~
day of Preti} 2022
BILL LEE, GOVERNOR
SENATE BILL NO. 2107
'
RANDY Mc
SPEAKER OF THE~
CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

[swatguy]

Seems like a pretty logical well thought out plan from what you posted . I’ve seen some other blanket ones ( proposals and implementations ) that we basically just a complete ban on wakesurfing in disguise. I don’t see an issue with anything you posted that would concern me.

[Stevemo14]

I think the "motorboat that has a propulsion system that extends beyond the motorboat's boarding or swim platform" part is interesting. I guess that means you can't wakeboard behind anything with an outdrive that doesn't have a swim platform. I have been going to Norris for years, and you see all kinds of older I/O's pulling wakeboarders, and even pontoons.