Quote:
Originally Posted by Bear Islander
Hazelnut
Lake Winnipesaukee is congested. It is a limited public resource and large, fast boats use up a disproportionately large amount of that resource. Camp directors have been keeping children off the lake at times because they feel it is unsafe. Many operators of small boats and unpowered craft feel intimidated, and unsafe.
Some operators of larger boats have the opinion that unpowered craft need to stay away from certain parts of the lake. This attitude is dangerous and unsupportable by law, fairness or common sense. It is however indicative of the problems on the lake.
Other states and other lakes have enacted speed limits. As this trend continues Winnipesaukee will become more attractive to high speed boating. Without a speed limit more and more high performance boats will be attracted to Winnipesaukee's "No Limits" attitude.
The lake is the drinking water supply for thousands of people. Although the lake meets the definition of pristine at this time, the water quality in our bays is dropping. The trend toward larger and faster boating is adding to this problem through pollution and erosion.
Tourism is vital to the economy of the lakes region. Many local hotels, restaurateurs and even marina operators complain that some people are staying away do to a general perception that the lake is unsafe, or less enjoyable. Failure of HB847 to be enacted can only add this this perception. And with tourism, perception is more powerful than reality.
A speed limit will be for the most part self enforcing as, over time, the worst "would be offenders" will boat elsewhere. Other lakes, within New Hampshire and without, have enacted speed limits with few enforcement problems. Squam and Lake George being prime examples. The Squam speed limit is working without special funding or enforcement.
My first choice for a solution to these problems would be a liberal horsepower limit. My second choice is a speed limit. Increased funding for education and enforcement are wonderful ideas. However funding is unsure and frankly unlikely. Limits will do the job quicker and more effectively, and will cost almost nothing.
The inconvenience this legislation will cause among the responsible performance boaters on the lake is unfortunate and regrettable but necessary.
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Bear Islander...
Your a bit off base here with some of your assumptions.
1. While I agree that there can be a congestion issue on Lake Winnipesaukee, the congestion ONLY occurs in certain areas (Weirs, Alton Bay and between Bear Is and Meredith Neck) on nice summer weekends. The rest of the lake sees very little congestion even on the nicest of summer weekends. During the week the lake has very little boat traffic... even fewer during the off season!
2. There is a certain "Fear Factor" at work here. This is soley because you & WinnFabs type hype it up. There is no data to even remotely suggest that boating on Lake Winnipesaukee is at all unsafe. One (1) fatal accident in 5 years is a pretty exemplary safety record. The fact that there was alcohol involved in the accident on Lake Winnipesaukee (and the one in Long Lake in ME .11BAC) speaks volumes as to what the real issue should be. A drunk isn't going to care about a speed limit, any more than he cared about jumping behind the wheel drunk and driving away! Do really think it would make any of the victims families feel better if the offender was also slapped with a $50 speeding citation?
3. Prudence dictates that Camp Directors should monitor how the children in thier care use the lake. I would not rely on a speed limit to protect the kids in my care. I don't think taking the kids kayaking or swimming from island to island on a busy summer saturday/sunday is such a great idea. MTWTF swimming/kayaking trip might be a better plan. Perhaps even hire a MP detail to watch over the kids if a Sat/Sun excursion is necessary. Maybe even allow extended swim areas for summer camps? A speed limit will do nothing to protect summer campers. On another note, when was the last time a camper was hurt by a boat... speeding or otherwise? Please list the details where/when etc.... Inquiring minds want to know!
4. Large fast boats do not use up a disproportionately large amount of the lake. Quite frankly, there just aren't enough of them out there. The MP data showed just 3 boats out of 3800+ going faster than 60 MPH, 62 MPH to be exact. There were 7 speed zones, only 2 of them public knowledge.
5. Lake Winnipesaukee will not become more congested as time goes on. Quite frankly the lake is pretty much built out as far as boats go. There is precious little waterfront that hasn't already been built on, the state is reviewing the waterfront lease arrangement along the state owned RR ROW, the cities and towns are not letting the marinas expand thier rack storage, and the public launch facilities are small with very little parking. Where are these additional boats going to come from?
6. Lake Winnipesaukee will not become a more attractive destination for Hi-Performance boats just because other places have enacted speed limits. See my reasoning above... there are only a few places on the lake where you can put in and take out a large Hi-performance boat all of them private, and unless you are staying with a friend or at one of the hotels (NASWA, Christmas Is, Margate, Church Landing etc) there isn't anyplace to dock it! Of course, if you are staying at one of the hotels, then you are helping to support tourism. So there goes the Hi-Pperformance boats are bad for tourism theory! When was the last time you saw 10 people in kayaks paddle up to restaurant, go in, have a $500-600 meal then paddle away?
7. Pollution is an issue to be sure. But most Hi-Performance boats emit a fraction of the pollution emitted by a 20HP 2 stroke outboard. Your rocket ride will emit more pollutants into the atmosphere than all of the boats on Winni combined!
Woodsy