Wakeboard event shut down by sheriff

[Kraven]

Wow, what a bummer, you have to wonder why the person organizing this event didnt know the laws of lake. You would think someone would have known about this.

Or do you think they did know, and they we're hoping knowbody would enforce it?

http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_6696604?source=rss

I think the Sheriff could have let this one slip by.. all comunities can use any type of boost in their local economy, even the smallest helps out, and the enjoyment of the spectators that would love to watch.

Who knows how much more gas would have been sold around the lake, also marine equipment, boats, little kids that want to grow up ski or wakeboard.. and on and on.. The sheriff needs to look at the big picture. A once a year event on the lake isnt going to hurt anyone.

[bkhallpass]

RE: Wakeboard event shut down by sheriff

Kraven,

I live in this area. First, it is not a lake. It is the California Delta, over 1100 miles of riverway, and we're talking about a section of only a few hundred yards.

Second, this has nothing to do with the local economy, gas sales, or the event. It is strictly about local politics and egos. The irony is that the Sheriff is a water skier and spoke out against the ordinance when it was proposed. BKH

[Kraven]

Thanks for the update.

Isn’t it nice that local politicians can ruin a good time so that their egos can get stroked?

[tourpro]

They should have run a surfing competition in protest. That isn't "towing".

[Hollywood]

Re: Wakeboard event shut down by sheriff

The sheriff needs to look at the big picture.

No, the sheriff needs to do his job. Quit complaining

[Kraven]

RE: Re: Wakeboard event shut down by sheriff

I correct myself after reading bkhallpass post. Yes the sheriff was doing his job, whoever the politicians are that are making these decisions need re-think this.

And I'm not complaining, I live nowhere near this area. I am just trying to have a nice discussion about this event that was shut down.

[DanielC]

Here in Oregon, a wakeboard event, Wet Wednesdays on the Willamette river was shut down, a few years ago because homeowners and dock owners in the area had dock damage. One of the Oregon boating laws is that you are responsible for damage or injuries caused by your wake. Hard to prove, but it is possible.
This year, the Oregon State Marine Board posted signs around a lot of launch ramps, cautioning boat operators to watch their wakes.
Homeowners on the Willamette river are also starting to complain about loud music coming from some boats.
We can police ourselves, or we will be controlled by legislation. Once politicians get involved, the usual end result is a no wake zone, like the new ordinance that is the topic of this thread.
I suspect very few state legislators own boats, or know how to wake board.
I know my opinion will not be popular here, but do we all need to have fully loaded or overloaded boats just so somebody can do a single wake 180? I have seen a lot of riders doing nothing behind a boat with a huge wake. I also have seen some very good riders freeriding up the river, throwing a series of linked flips, rotations, inverts, a beautiful thing to watch. If you are riding at that level, and need the wake, go for it, but watch the area where you ride. Do not annoy the landowners.
I have also had some other wakeboarders wait until I have finished Barefooting, or Slalom, that was cool, thank you.

[bkhallpass]

From what I know of the situation, the Sheriff doesn't really care for the ordinance, but once passed, he and his team are going to enforce it (I personally was not opposed to this ordinance btw).

There was tremendous debate over this ordinance, it's likely that at least 1 counsel member and 1 supervisor are going to be voted out of office in the upcoming election. Certain members of the community are looking for ways to prove the ordinance is unenforceable, enforced inequitably, or anything else to repeal it. There's just a lot
of political mess going on.

The unfortunate thing is that this event has been planned since February. We have events in the Delta in which permits are issued for competitions in the no-wake zones. Boardstock was held here under such circumstances, and the annual frozen bun run has taken place in a 5mph marina for some 30 years. Even the supervisor who authorized the legislation thought a one time exception should be granted.

Again, unfortunately, with all the politics going on, I just don't think the Sheriff was in a position not to enforce the ordinance (remember, Sheriff is an elected office as well).

In the end, boarding an boating are alive and well in the California Delta, and this one blip is not going to deter the thousands who use the waterways, and there will be many more competitions here. BKH

[horkn]

DanielC,


I am very familiar with the willamette in the portland area. A friend of mine used to owna hose boat (really just a floating house on a pier) and he had his moomba boomerang tied to his deck (it is a dock and a deck) and he got flack all the time for boarding, skiing and tubing. The guy, crazy Greg as we called him would be in the river every day after work, and i joined him several times. as bad as the cops were, in the end he was better off since getting in the willamette basically every day gave him a weird skin rash.

And I am sure crazy greg did not do anything good for the laws regarding wakes and music in the Stumptown area.
But OR isnt a very friendly waterskiing/ boarding state. few lakes allow it, and those that do get packed, and are well enforced.

[horkn]

Re: Wakeboard event shut down by sheriff

The sheriff needs to look at the big picture.

No, the sheriff needs to do his job. Quit complaining

many times the LEO's do not know what their job is, let alone what the actual law is.

JME

[RLS]

RE: Re: Wakeboard event shut down by sheriff

I drove through this area yesterday and anyone that would tow in that area is crazy. I grew up on the delta but never on the weekends. Too many boats in too small of an area. It would make me a little mad if I had a house in Discovery Bay and this added 10 more minutes to get to a place to ski but I can see why they did it. It may not be needed in a few weeks when the weekends slow down.