[biglenr]

I'm looking for what is the law, and what is right behavior.

I visited my son on Sunday, and he was jet sking in the neighborhood cove/ arm of LKN. Yeah, I don't like jet skis either....

A boat had anchored up about 100 yards from a vacant dock to spend an afternoon tanning and floating on tubes near the boat.... The arm is about 150 yards wide at that point. Water is 6'-10' for about 1/10 of mile beyond where they are anchored.

They chewed out my son (and many other boaters) for riding his jet ski, in the cove....Adam drove generally within 10 yards of halfway between the boat and the dock (not coming close to either, but probably no closer that 40 yards to either....

They believe that they intentionally anchored in a place that would not not get any boat wakes, they believed that nobody was allowed to pass at higher than a no-wake speed. This is an area that gets a fair amount of Jet Skis, tubing, etc on weekends. They essentially were trying to turn this arm of a busy, public lake, into a private pond for them to tan and float on tubes.

IMO, they might be right legally, but they're total jerks to try to block the arm of the lake.

I'm not looking for general condemnations of either the jet skier, or the boater... I am trying to figure out what is the proper behavior here for both the jetskier, and the anchored boat.

 

[NCTribute]

If it is a designated no wake zone, it should be marked as such. If not, then common courtesy is the rule and varies widely. Probably no pure right or wrong. Just like people putting out their own personal no wake signs on the intracoastal, can not really expect people to obey them, but does make you feel a little guilty if you do not.

 

[lewisfishing]

DNR designated no wake zones are the only places that you can get a ticket if producing a wake to my knowledge. That said, the law also states that each watercraft operator is responsible for any damage their wake causes...primarily to stationary objects.

There is also common sense that says if you are on a lake that is open to the public or if you live on a lake that is open to the public, wakes are going to exist. They actually travel for quite a way before finally subsiding. Anyway, if you are on a body of water where high speed vessels are also using, you should expect that you will get hit by waves.

Courtesy would say that you give them some room, but not so much that if you get close enough to the docks on the other side to potentially cause damage there.

The law is pretty clear with the No Wake Zones and wake damage...courtesy has to go on both sides. Someone anchoring in common travel corridors are not being courteous but even at that, giving some room to those that are anchored is nice.

Maybe not the best answer but it's like driving, I guess...or anything else...operate the way you would want others to operate around you in the same situation. Of course, if I'm silly enough to anchor out in the main lake like that, then I know I will get waked!

 

[biglenr]

It is not a posted no wake zone. But they definitely believed that nobody could pass them while making a wake.

 

[ptt49er]

Here's what Google told me as I needed to confirm the 150 feet ...
NC State Law reference to No Wake Zone

§ 75A-14.1. Lake Norman No-Wake Zone.
It is unlawful to operate a vessel at greater than
no-wake speed within 50 yards of a boat launching area, bridge, dock, pier, marina, boat storage structure, or boat service area on the waters of Lake Norman. No-wake speed is idle speed or slow speed creating no appreciable wake. (1997-129, s. 4;
1997-257, s. 10; 1998-217, s. 49.)

I generally try to keep my wake to a minimum if I am within 50 yards of a dock / structure. Sounds like the pleasure craft were being jerks, they should've anchored closer to the vacant dock if they were worried about traffic.

 

[Drum Runner]

LKN's law.
It is unlawful to operate a vessel at greater than no-wake speed within 50 yards of a vessel launching area, bridge, dock, pier, marina, vessel storage structure, or vessel service area on the waters of Lake Norman.

NC laws.
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Boating/LawsSafety/NavigationWakeZoneInfo.aspx

 

[biglenr]

Here's what Google told me as I needed to confirm the 150 feet ...
NC State Law reference to No Wake Zone

§ 75A-14.1. Lake Norman No-Wake Zone.
It is unlawful to operate a vessel at greater than
no-wake speed within 50 yards of a boat launching area, bridge, dock, pier, marina, boat storage structure, or boat service area on the waters of Lake Norman. No-wake speed is idle speed or slow speed creating no appreciable wake. (1997-129, s. 4;
1997-257, s. 10; 1998-217, s. 49.)

I generally try to keep my wake to a minimum if I am within 50 yards of a dock / structure. Sounds like the pleasure craft were being jerks, they should've anchored closer to the vacant dock if they were worried about traffic.

So.... they were within their legal rights.

IMO, it was still jerkish behavior to try to turn a cove/arm of a lake into a private pond for yourself.

Anchor 249 feet of the end of a dock.... No Jet ski is allowed to pass between you and the dock at anything other than an idle speed... Wow....

 

[Fish_Fiend]

Im reading that to say they had no right to gripe Len. Doesnt say anything about anchored boats.

Gene - Red》X《 - Asheboro

 

[biglenr]

NC rules about JetSkis state no wake within 100 feet of boats.... So 100 for that, and 150 for the lake norman dock, and they are fine.

 

[Drum Runner]

NC rules about JetSkis state no wake within 100 feet of boats.... So 100 for that, and 150 for the lake norman dock, and they are fine.

That is NC rules. NC allows some lakes like LKN and Wylie to make their own "laws" and enforce them.
What trumps what and who you get on scene is going to determine the outcome of a lot of recreational type disputes.

Like a deputy telling you that according to the homeowner you are trespassing and you need to leave.
You telling the deputy that according to state ripary law you are not trespassing and the homeowner needs to cease and desist in their effort to impede your state given right of trespass and fishing.

Not many law enforcement personnel are going to know ripary law. You'll likely lose the fight on the riverbank and win it in court at your own financial expense.

 

[speckhunter80]

FYI, it is called Riparian Law and Riparian Rights

 

[Neilslure]

I try to give 50 yards to boats anchored or engaged in fishing if I were leaving out of a cut just out of courtesy. If you are anchored up in the middle of a boat lane or narrow channel or high traffic area you should expect wakes. If I were out hotdogging on a jetski or skiing, I would try to avoid repeatedly running past someone anchored up or fishing. I know I have hollared at people before that repeatedly come too close, thats just courtesy.

As long as we are on the topic, dont forget within 100 yards of a law enforcement vessel with blue lights on is a no wake zone.

 

[biglenr]

Thank you all... you helped me understand the issue a little better...

 

[Fishscalz]

Sneak a couple of "Baby Ruth" candy bars in the water, just upcurrent, stop when passing by at no wake speed, point and ask "What's that", they'll be moving along soon enough.....

Fishscalz

 

[crappie89]

I'd rather someone pass me going full bore than on a half plane. Those people think they are doing you a favor. As others have said, I wouldn't worry about it. Can't please everyone.

 

[ChltBnks]

How to deal with some people.

 

[Neilslure]

I'd rather someone pass me going full bore than on a half plane. Those people think they are doing you a favor. As others have said, I wouldn't worry about it. Can't please everyone.

I got fussed at by a crappie fisherman at Jordan on a 70 degree January day for idling through the group of boats to go under a bridge they were all fishing around.