New NWZ
 

A petition for a new NWZ between Pig Island and Lockes Island has been granted. The decision was signed November 16, following a public hearing in September.

Not sure how I feel about it, not that my opinion matters. It can get tight on the weekends for sure, and MP never polices the 150' rule there. If its going into effect that is fine, but they better enforce it.

I typically head the other way coming out of Glendale by habit, so it won't slow me down much.

Not that I want to see the continuing addition of rules and limits on the lake but it would be a lot more useful than the one between Governors and Eagle or the extended one in Meredith. I go through the Pig/Lockes often because my house is in the area. If this passes I guess I would go around rather than deal with it.

I think the people with homes on the North end of Governors would endure less sizable wakes than they do now with boats slowing and starting out than if it was like it used to be.

Another rule made that won't be enforced. Or maybe it will because it's so close to MP. There is a no wake rule if you are not 150' from shore but it is disobeyed constantly.

People frequently enter and exit the current Smith Cove no wake zone on plane. I don’t have much hope.


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Interesting they are bringing this NWZ back after all these years. I was 12 or 13 yo when they took it out. I'm 45 now.

This "may" result in traffic heading to and from Sanders Bay and the Broads to loop around Lockes rather than zipping between Pig and Lockes, who knows.

I was not aware of the hearing and may have missed reading about it here.

Alan

I travel that 7 months a year and over 30+ years I have never seen or heard of a boat entering Smith Cove on plane. Certainly between Pigs and Lockes is another story.

In the 60's we used to water ski in Smith's Cove because it was protected on windy days, That was before all the marina development, moorings, etc.

New NWZ
 

I used to have a place at Two Pines in Glendale. Had a perfect view of people entering and exiting Smith Cove. It happened a lot, and the majority were obviously not rentals.


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You must mean the no wake area in the west end of Glendale Bay with the line starting in front of MP over to Varney Point. Boaters often do cheat on crossing that line. I consider Smith Cove as starting at FL 55 and on into Fay's.

No, I don’t mean Glendale Bay. I mean exactly the place you’re referencing as Smith Cove. Usually happened in the early morning.


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I’ve always been surprised that this isn’t a no wake zone and many times, as I’ve buzzed through it, I see the floating dock off Locks facing MP and I think “I’d never let my kids swim there.”
This seems like a sensible add.

The one that weirds me out is Meredith: It seems completely unnecessary and it takes up a huge portion of the bay. People get bagged there one after or another because it really makes no sense and many just don’t know.


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New No Wake Zone Passed
 

One of the proponents of the new law expressed concern that they couldn't paddle across the area between Pig Island and Locke's Island. You could apply that logic to anywhere on the lake. Sometimes on a busy large there are things you can't do.

I am concerned that the growth of "No Wake" zones, especially the needless one in Meredith, sets a bad precedent.

The Laconia Sun has an article and also reports on the bill to remove the speed limit.

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...d73201fb5.html

We were leaving the Glendale docks yesterday afternoon when a MP boat was returning from patrol. A boat came through the new NWZ on plane heading in the general direction of the MP boat. I assume that the driver was not aware of the new NWZ as the MP boat was clearly visible. Now the driver is fully informed:eek:

Hopefully the MP is giving warnings for now as many might not be aware of the new NWZ.

Alan

Is that this section in the circle? I'd always assumed it was not much over 150' if at all and, thus, always a NWZ.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f26c626c79.jpg

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Are there NWZ buoys in place?

Me too but but I believe we are in the minority.

Having two boats pass abeam of each other at 150’ and with 150’ from the shore requires a precision approach with mutual cooperation.

When I see a boat coming at me there I just go to no wake.

About 1/10 will slow down.

yes it is.

Looking from Glendale Bay, I think so.

Pig Island to Lockes Island is about 600 feet. Subtract 150 feet from each shoreline and it should be NWZ when two boats are present. Many who pass through there, of course were not at the narrowest point, so there was room to proceed without slowing down. Of course, when there were three boats...
Like many of our rules and laws, it really only comes in to play on busy traffic periods and is/was unnecessary at other times.
Some of the petitioners were concerned about wakes. I think it is just as likely that wakes will increase as boats slow and accelerate again. We'll see.

I'm Good With It
 

I have traveled through the passage between Pig and Lockes Islands on plane more than a few times over the 30-some years I've out on the lake. But I have rarely gone through on plane when another boat has been in the passage. I have seen plenty of Cap'n Boneheads blow through there without maintaining proper distances. I have also seen a few bigger boats (Carvers) generate huge wakes through there that had boats tied up on Lockes Island slamming up against their docks when the wakes hit.

I have no problem with the extended NWZ in that area. I hope it will bring a little more sanity to the traffic passing through there...and that the Marine Patrol will enforce it with vigor.

That used to be a marked NWZ back in the day. I remember I was about 12-14 yo when they took it out. The MP actually pulled me and my dad over cause my dad was teaching me to look for the buoys and I was slowing down with the bow up. We chatted with him explaining we were looking around and then he remembered that it was a new deletion.
If you don't like the NWZ, go around the other side of Locke. Not that big of an island.

Blew Right Through
 

I was out with my son and some family friends early Sunday evening and both on the way out and back in to Glendale I saw at least a half dozen boats blowing right through the new NWZ. (One even blew past the inner NWZ marker that's been there for years and didn't come off plane until just before the entrance into Smith Cove at buoy 55.)

I still think the new NWZ buoy that is presently just east of Pig Island and south of the passageway should be moved to the north because it is easy to miss when approaching from the east.