[OCDACTIVE]

elchase,

First welcome to the forums. By all means those who disagree with you are not trying to chase you away or are calling you wrong. There is no right or wrong when dealing with opinions. As you have said your opinions are your opinions and your observations are your observations.. But what many people contend is that people are trying to call opinions fact. Thus trying to move people or change peoples arguements.

In my own opinion it is very difficult to say "people say" or "the majority of people in the lakes region think" etc. because normally people tend to befriend or associate with those with similar likes or interests. As an example if you are big into sailing then you probably have friends who are as well. If you talk to or poll those individuals the vast majority would be Pro-SL. If you have a family run about on the lake, in all likelyhood the majority of the people you associate with are in the same boat (no pun intended). Given there will be exceptions to the rule but I am sure you can see my point.

So to say that most people or the majority of people think or say XYZ is difficult to claim. As is the opinion of "most" people are happy with the limits.

As you have probably seen from previous posts I am opposed to the limits and if someone asks me I could easily say Most people oppose because from my observations almost everyone I know or associate with does not think they are needed. It is just a matter of perception.

That being said, I will say that "In MY opinion" the 45 MPH is not a perfect compromise. I have read the suggestion of opening up the broads. I think that is a perfectly fair compromise. I disagree with it, but I'd be willing to accept it. I think there are far larger problems then speed i.e. captain boneheads and people not paying attention to their surroundings then where limits do not even play a roll.

You mention that 45 is fast enough for a "reasonable boating activity". Again this is an opinion. My question is what do you consider reasonable? I think cruising to a resturant across the broads at 60 in my type of boat is perfectly reasonable.

What I find again is that many opinions are based on the individual owners determination of "fast" based on their own boat. For example if you have a 21 foot 1982 Century with a 260, when the boat is a WOT (wide open throttle) it gets up to approx. 46mph. The boat is bouncing around and is very loud in comparrison to its normal cruising speed of 30ish. With my boat cruising at 3600 rpms I will be at 50 mph. At that speed I am perfectly comfortable and well in control. Passengers can talk and have sodas while enjoying the lake. So that being said it is a "reasonable boating activity" for me. Where an individual with a boat that is 17 feet long crusing comfortably at 22 mph that gets passed by me may not realize it feels the same.

I have discussed limits for years now with individuals. In many situations those in favor of limits (even once with a MP officer) I offer to take them for a ride. In doing so we go across "cruising" and they are astounded the control and how slow you feel you are going in a performance boat at 45 or 55 mph.

It becomes upsetting to me and friends of mine, that those passing the laws and those in favor of limits have never been on or experienced a performance boat. Now you may have, but I am just making a generalization.

That being said, I invite you at anytime (once my boat is fixed) to take a ride if you have not experienced a performance boat ride. You may feel differently.