Quote:
Originally Posted by Kamper
If you have a boat on it that's what makes it "navigable waters."
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navigable waters - Under early maritime law, the term navigable water was restricted to waters affected by the tides. Under current interpretation, navigable waters include interstate or international waters that can be used for commercial transportation. To be allowed the protections of the Jones Act, a seaman must be assigned to a vessel in navigation on a navigable waterway. Lakes that are wholly intrastate but are connected to interstate or international waters by navigable canals, streams or rivers may be considered navigable waters for the purposes of the Jones Act.
Or stated differently, lakes that are wholly intrastate with no interstate connections are not considered navigable waters. This is of course based on the 33 CFR 329 definition of navigable waters in a more legal sense.
A ride on the Mount is not "commercial transportation".
By strict definition your viewpoint could be considered correct. In terms of maritime law, where salvage rights would come into play, Winnipesaukee is not a "navigable waterway".