[BroadHopper]

In my opinion the lake is no longer the friendliest place on earth that I have pictured in my mind when I was growing up on The Broads. In the past, everyone get along no matter what they do or what they float. I miss the camaraderie of the water ski racing and sailboat regatta days. Although there are sailboat regattas today, I find the organizers a snobby bunch. They shun most folks outside their little cocoon.

I no longer get the 'boater's wave' from boaters around the lake. A few still do. There was a time last spring my boat broke down just outside the Weirs Channel. In the old days, just about any boater will stop to see if you need assistance. I was drifting a good hour with hundreds of boats zipping by.

I usually keep my eye out for paddlers when a sudden storm comes up. Many time I offer assistance over the years. This year I tried to lend a hand to two kayakers in trouble off Long Island. They shouted back, 'We don't like your kind! Go away!'. One sailboater off Bear Island even flipped me the birdy!

The neighborhood use to be one huge happy family. Everyone will spend a weekend night on each other's deck or porch. The children will play together and enjoy many watersports. Today the 'high rollers' from out of state moved in, tear down the 1800's style fishing cottages and build McMansions. They tend to act like they own the neighborhood and also the road! They snub their neighbors and keep to themselves.

As far as boating safety. I see very little marine patrol presence this summer. I even overheard a couple of novice boaters at a local bar telling folks that the MP budget was cut and they are to busy catching Speeders to notice other infractions. I have to believe them. I have never seen so much NWZ and 150' infractions this year than my life on the lake. I have even witness three boats traveling at max wake speed through the Weirs Channel! Wasn't there serious accidents this year because of 'minor' infractions?

Shorefront property owners are already complaining about the slower boats creating larger wakes and also that noise become a problem because they hear it longer. SL opponents have told them that this will happen and it was ignored. I also notice a number of the so called 'GFBL' boats traded in for large cruisers or yachts. Compounding the situation.

My new neighbors will call the police if one decided to do the long tradition of skinny dipping ala 'On Golden Pond'. The same neighbors will call the marine patrol if i decided to water-ski at sunrise or sunset. One neighbor even confiscate my 'drop off' ski, claiming if drifted out in front of his property!

I can go on and on. Any new laws is not going to take the lake back. It is people that can take the lake back. Trying to limit public launching, tolls at the Weirs channel, limiting the size of boats and horsepower will just make matters worst. It will actually turn the traditional lake folks into 'Outlaws'.

Let's all be reasonable.