[winni83]

I have been lurking for a while reading with some interest various posts. Most of them, while entertaining (e. g. the “restaurant wars”), have little impact on me personally. However, the current debate (that term is a generous description of the exchange of facts, views and opinions in this area) over speed limits prompts me to join and make at least one post.

I am not a “go fast boat” owner and do not intend to be, but I am adamantly in favor of having the current speed limit law cease to exist as of January 1, 2011, pursuant to its terms as enacted by our legislature and signed by our governor.

I have owned lakefront property on Winnipesaukee since 1983. I have 2 boats with engines, one of which is technically capable of exceeding 45 mph on a calm day with a clean hull and light load, three kayaks, one canoe and one rowboat, so that about covers the gamut of watercraft, other than personal water craft.

In all my 25 plus years of boating, swimming or otherwise being in or on the Lake, the only instances in which I have felt threatened by another boat occurred as a direct result of the other boat operator’s violation of the 150 foot rule or other basic navigation and right of way rules and these, quite frankly, often involved personal water craft. In no case was speed in excess of 45 mph involved and for that matter if the speed had been within that required for compliance under the 150 foot rule, then no such speed problem would have existed.

Simply put, the current speed limit law is a solution in search of a problem. Whether there are ulterior motives involved by proponents of the speed limit is a good question. Certain posts have implied that if “go fast boats” don’t like the law, they should leave (e. g. “I can understand why some people love the speed and sound of these powerful speed boats, but they have a time and place for them and Lake Winni is not one of them.”).

I am not naïve enough to believe that it is only the “supporters” who have an agenda. However, from the side of certain of the “supporters”, the diatribes, misinformation, misleading and inaccurate conclusions and the elevation of an alleged subjective feeling that the Lake is somehow “better”, “nicer”, “safer” or “calmer” to a positive, provable and demonstrable fact is most disturbing and often sinks to the level of pedantic drivel in my opinion.

When and if the legislature considers a proposal to introduce a new bill imposing speed limits on the Lake I certainly expect the House and Senate to consider only positive, provable and demonstrable facts relevant to Lake Winnipesaukee in the analysis. Based on my experience and knowledge, such facts do not exist except in the minds of certain people.