Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post

Woodsy · 03-02-2006, 08:20 AM

I thought this thread was about a compromise on HB-162...

APS,

You are stating that the 150' rule is archaic? Are you suggestiong we dump that rule and just go with a speed limit? I have to strongly disagree! In fact one of the reasons NH is well below the national averages in boating accidents and fatalities is because of this rule! Even if an offending boat breaks the bubble and comes within 75' of you, your safety isn't really all that compromised, especially when you compare our 150' rule to the rules of navigation elsewhere. Consider that your much touted Lake George (you know that lake you love to talk about but you don't boat on) has no such rule regarding distance between moving boats. I can go by your skiff less than 10' away with a huge wake and as long as I am not going faster than 45 its all completely legal. Of course, on Lake George if I was going faster than 45 that wouldn't be a big deal either, as they only write 5-6 speeding tickets a year and the majority of those are written to PWC's who are not allowed to be within 500' of shore while on plane. They don't actively enforce the speed limit on Lake George. I know, I boat there! I don't think there are ANY other states that have a 150' Safe Passage Law (as it pertains to moving boats) on the books.

The 150' Safe Passage law, while difficult to write a violation, is one of the key safety tenets of boating here in NH. It allows a large buffer zone between moving boats that keep them a safe distance apart. It works very well, and the proof of that is our low rate of collisions between moving boats.

Archaic? I don't think so!

To my knowledge, the only boating fatality we had last year was that kayaker who thought it was a good idea to go kayaking in a flood by himself. Nobody died from any boat on boat collisions, and the few collisions we did have occured at speeds less than the proposed 45MPH limit.

Woodsy

03-02-2006, 08:20 AM	#32
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,966 Thanks: 80 Thanked 980 Times in 440 Posts	I thought this thread was about a compromise on HB-162... APS, You are stating that the 150' rule is archaic? Are you suggestiong we dump that rule and just go with a speed limit? I have to strongly disagree! In fact one of the reasons NH is well below the national averages in boating accidents and fatalities is because of this rule! Even if an offending boat breaks the bubble and comes within 75' of you, your safety isn't really all that compromised, especially when you compare our 150' rule to the rules of navigation elsewhere. Consider that your much touted Lake George (you know that lake you love to talk about but you don't boat on) has no such rule regarding distance between moving boats. I can go by your skiff less than 10' away with a huge wake and as long as I am not going faster than 45 its all completely legal. Of course, on Lake George if I was going faster than 45 that wouldn't be a big deal either, as they only write 5-6 speeding tickets a year and the majority of those are written to PWC's who are not allowed to be within 500' of shore while on plane. They don't actively enforce the speed limit on Lake George. I know, I boat there! I don't think there are ANY other states that have a 150' Safe Passage Law (as it pertains to moving boats) on the books. The 150' Safe Passage law, while difficult to write a violation, is one of the key safety tenets of boating here in NH. It allows a large buffer zone between moving boats that keep them a safe distance apart. It works very well, and the proof of that is our low rate of collisions between moving boats. Archaic? I don't think so! To my knowledge, the only boating fatality we had last year was that kayaker who thought it was a good idea to go kayaking in a flood by himself. Nobody died from any boat on boat collisions, and the few collisions we did have occured at speeds less than the proposed 45MPH limit. Woodsy __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid. Last edited by Woodsy; 03-02-2006 at 09:42 AM.