I'm only going by memory here. Is 2 the total number of fatalities on Winnipesaukee involving accidents or collisions? Maybe that's just this decade. A huge deal was made out of the Littlefield/Hartman case. I wasn't in the loop at that time, but I did read the various articles and threads here. One of the reasons the speed limit law debates got me interested. I initially heard it wasn't safe to be near shore, much on the lake
I know there have been boats sunk, overturned, fishermen drowned in cold waters, swimming accidents, PWC's hitting moored boats. Are these statistics available anywhere? I know the number of accidents can't be very big, because Winfabs would have published every one of them, instead of their misleading and generalized opinions.
Between Champlain and Winnipesaukee, their safety records are so much better than other parts of the country, it does make one wonder why all the fuss. The only boats I avoid over here are the big cruisers. I can't tell you what seeing a 40' to over 50' Carver or the likes make me do
I do get a kick out of sailors coming out of the woodwork now because "it's safe to sail again". Please, spare me. We have many, and presumably, many larger sailboats here on my turf from all over. There are a fair number of GFBL boats as well. Somehow, they all co-exist with little or no problems. One of the aspects of the debate not talked about is the usual spat between lakefront owners and transient (trailer) or marina boaters. Big difference in the two groups. We could go out whenever we wanted living on the lakefront, while most trailer boaters were weekend warriors, and the cruisers filled the slips. Very different perspective between the two groups, and I've been in both groups.
But getting back to statistics. The stats on Winni are pretty slim. The stats on high-speed accidents are "almost" nil? I say that, because I can't find one in any record. While I think the addition of the term "safe speed" when teaming up with Reasonable and Prudent in terms of safety is a good way to do it, the speed limits themselves just don't fit. I can think of lakes that just might need a speed limit like this one, but as of yet, nothing has passed.
Don asked for some stats and some proof from both sides. As far as I know there is no data available anywhere that suggests Winnipesaukee needed a speed limit for safety reasons, which is the reason given when it was passed. Take the speed limit provision of the bill out, and you're left with a pretty good law.