Proximity law

[fishgiver]

Park rangers are going to enforce the boating proximity law beginning this weekend, about time!
Now to see how long the enforcement lasts, it has always been the law but is rarely enforced.

[Paddler]

Seems like a difficult enforcement problem. I don't think your average boater knows or cares about it.

[Dayfish]

Woooohooo it's about time! I have never seen a ranger in their boats at any of the local lakes. Yesterday at Jordanelle, around 10am, I was fishing just north of the arm. There was a boat to my west less than a hundred yards away. This jack wagon in a large wake board boat decides he wants to take the short way to the arm and cuts right between us--mind you we were only 200-300 yards from the bank. As I hold up my arms in a wtf gesture he yells for me to go back to the dock. The one finger salute from me followed.  Mind you, I have a 12 foot, deep-v, aluminum boat that handles rough water well but give me a break. That was the closest call.  I had many others where the boat towing a skier or wake boarder was headed straight for me before the towed person fell and the boat changed directions. I wondered when/if they were were planning to alter course several times. 

All a ranger would have to do is sit in the middle of the lake with a pair of binoculars. They would rack up the tickets.

An alternative--before someone gets hurt or killed (stand your ground comes to mind)--is for them to institute alternate even and odd days for making 3-4 foot waves and fishing, paddle boarding or sailing on all these small lakes where jack wagons like the aforementioned congregate. It is getting even more really ridiculous!

As for the fishing, it was slow. Picked up one Koke on a very shallow hump where another boater was trying to unstick one of his hung up cannon balls.

[liketrolling]

at strawberry on a sat they would give every one a ticket.

[dubob]

Woooohooo it's about time! I have never seen a ranger in their boats at any of the local lakes. Yesterday at Jordanelle, around 10am, I was fishing just north of the arm. There was a boat to my west less than a hundred yards away. This jack wagon in a large wake board boat decides he wants to take the short way to the arm and cuts right between us--mind you we were only 200-300 yards from the bank. As I hold up my arms in a wtf gesture he yells for me to go back to the dock. The one finger salute from me followed.  Mind you, I have a 12 foot, deep-v, aluminum boat that handles rough water well but give me a break. That was the closest call.  I had many others where the boat towing a skier or wake boarder was headed straight for me before the towed person fell and the boat changed directions. I wondered when/if they were were planning to alter course several times. 

All a ranger would have to do is sit in the middle of the lake with a pair of binoculars. They would rack up the tickets.

An alternative--before someone gets hurt or killed (stand your ground comes to mind)--is for them to institute alternate even and odd days for making 3-4 foot waves and fishing, paddle boarding or sailing on all these small lakes where jack wagons like the aforementioned congregate. It is getting even more really ridiculous!

As for the fishing, it was slow. Picked up one Koke on a very shallow hump where another boater was trying to unstick one of his hung up cannon balls.

"A wakeless (defined as 5 mph or less) or idle speed is required when operating in a designated slow-wakeless speed area.  This also applies whenever you are withing 150 feet of another boat, a person in the water, a water skier, shore angler, launch ramp, dock, or other designated swimming areas."  The proximity law specifies closer than 150 feet and you better be wakeless or at idle speed.  You claimed he was closer than 300 feet and you were 600 to 900 feet off shore.  Don't misunderstand, I only fish and I'm not a fan of ANY power squadron watercraft or activities.  But you really haven't shown any evidence that the alleged miscreant violated the well established proximity restriction of maintaining a distance of 150 feet.  Sorry.

---

at strawberry on a sat they would give every one a ticket.

ROBERT - even you?  That surprises me.  

Technically, if I and you are both wakeless (as in trolling), I can LEGALLY pass within inches of your boat.  I wouldn't ever do that, but I would be legally within my rights to do so.  I'm comfortable with others being at least 30 feet or more away from me, but I also know some that think 100 feet is WAY too close.

[Mildog]

At least most at strawberry are a trolling speed. A few power rightbthrough the fishing craft at full tilt.
I don’t understand why the rule in plain English is not posted at all entrances and Ramps. It could be printed on receipts, and when there is a person at the entrance, they should tell every vehicle towing a boat of the rule. I short order at least everyone would know the rule. Many have no clue as to the rule and don’t think they are doing anything wrong. Several times the other day I had boats on full wakeboard wakes, way too close for safety sake, less than 150 feet and they just d and happily waved as they powered right by clueless as we braved for a rocking ride and even on one wake took a bit of water over the bow!!

HERES THE RULE

There is a speed limiT on The WaTer?
A wakeless or idle speed is required when oper- ating a boat in a designated slow, wakeless speed area and within 150 feet of another boat, person in the water, a water skier (except those you are towing), shore angler, launch ramp, dock or designated swim- ming area. You are responsible for any injury or dam- age caused by your boat’s wake. Be courteous and give others plenty of room.

It could be shortened to:
IT IS ILLEGAL TO OPERATE YOUR BOAT ABOVE WAKELESS
SPEED WITHIN 150 of ANOTHER BOAT, SHORE ANGLER, RAMP, DOCK AND AREAS LABELED WAKELESS!!! TICKETS WILL BE ISSUED!!

I saw a sign a few years back at a ramp that said speed proximity rule enforced!!
I’m Sure most were clueless as to what that meant!! Waste of paint and sign!!
Typical government!! Spell it out, communicate it clearly and ENFORCE IT
AFTER A WHILE IT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Costly tickets are a deterrent!!
MY OPINION JUST My two cents worth
ALL ARE ENTITLED TO USE THE RESOURCE BUT SAFELY, LEGALLY AND RESPONSIBLY !
Follow the rules!

[Tin-Can]

Wakeless speed rule closer than 150 feet of all the objects and people mentioned above is great. But what the law doesn't take into consideration as far as other boats or water craft are concerned, is the size of the other vessel. The smaller the other boat, the more hazard is presented by a large speed boat.  And the bigger the boat of any type, the more wake it will produce even at speeds of 5 mph or less.  That's why the rule says "wakeless speed" and not a specific mph number. 

I have been less than 100 feet off the wall at Willard, and a big boat towing a skier or wake board has come between me and the wall, at full speed.  In my small 14' fishing boat that was anchored, the wave created by that big boat rocked me pretty good. Fortunately I saw him coming, and though I wasn't able  to get the anchor up and move further out before he got between me and the wall,  I was able to start my motor and turn so the wave hit me bow on. If I had been broadside to it, I would have gotten swamped.  

Another BFT'r  (r2u2) and I were on Willard a few years ago. Richard was in his yellow yak just inside the buoy line of the south marina channel. I was a good 1/4 mile away from him and I watched some woman in a large boat going at top speed go between him and the channel walls heading west. No skier or wake boarder in the water. In fact I believe she was only one in the boat. Just burning holes in the water.  And before I could get to where Richard was, she came back again at speed. 

Those are the idiots that are gonna get someone hurt or killed.  

[Therapist]

Ask TD about people getting to close at speed !! He has had more than one run in with The power squadron in his tube. What I can't understand is why they have to ski so close to the shore. About 10 yrs ago, I was fishing Deer Creek, mid morning buzz bait bite under the tracks. I was sitting on the corner where the shore turns north, bout 20 ft off the shore, throwing back along the rocks. A boat, pulling a skier is coming towards me, with the skier next to the shore. Neither the driver or skier were paying attention and the skier was going to cut between me and the shoreline, pulling the rope over my boat. I bounced my buzz bait off the windshield of the boat, causing the driver, a girl, to swerve to the right, dropping the skier into the water about 25-30 ft in front of me. I got on the trolling motor and moved between the guy in the water and the boat. Every time she would try and come in and pick him up, I would bounce the buzz bait off the windshield again. Kept him in the water for about 20 minutes, then let her get him. Of course they immediately went to the ranger who came over and was going to give me a ticket until I explained what happened. He then went and ticketed them. I can't count the number of times I have been fishing a shore line and had a ski boat or jet ski go between me and the shore. It is insane. I hope that this enforcement effort is not short lived, but continues on into the future. We can only hope !!!

[Paddler]

Woooohooo it's about time! I have never seen a ranger in their boats at any of the local lakes. Yesterday at Jordanelle, around 10am, I was fishing just north of the arm. There was a boat to my west less than a hundred yards away. This jack wagon in a large wake board boat decides he wants to take the short way to the arm and cuts right between us--mind you we were only 200-300 yards from the bank. As I hold up my arms in a wtf gesture he yells for me to go back to the dock. The one finger salute from me followed.  Mind you, I have a 12 foot, deep-v, aluminum boat that handles rough water well but give me a break. That was the closest call.  I had many others where the boat towing a skier or wake boarder was headed straight for me before the towed person fell and the boat changed directions. I wondered when/if they were were planning to alter course several times. 

All a ranger would have to do is sit in the middle of the lake with a pair of binoculars. They would rack up the tickets.

An alternative--before someone gets hurt or killed (stand your ground comes to mind)--is for them to institute alternate even and odd days for making 3-4 foot waves and fishing, paddle boarding or sailing on all these small lakes where jack wagons like the aforementioned congregate. It is getting even more really ridiculous!

As for the fishing, it was slow. Picked up one Koke on a very shallow hump where another boater was trying to unstick one of his hung up cannon balls.

"A wakeless (defined as 5 mph or less) or idle speed is required when operating in a designated slow-wakeless speed area.  This also applies whenever you are withing 150 feet of another boat, a person in the water, a water skier, shore angler, launch ramp, dock, or other designated swimming areas."  The proximity law specifies closer than 150 feet and you better be wakeless or at idle speed.  You claimed he was closer than 300 feet and you were 600 to 900 feet off shore.  Don't misunderstand, I only fish and I'm not a fan of ANY power squadron watercraft or activities.  But you really haven't shown any evidence that the alleged miscreant violated the well established proximity restriction of maintaining a distance of 150 feet.  Sorry.

---

at strawberry on a sat they would give every one a ticket.

ROBERT - even you?  That surprises me.  

Technically, if I and you are both wakeless (as in trolling), I can LEGALLY pass within inches of your boat.  I wouldn't ever do that, but I would be legally within my rights to do so.  I'm comfortable with others being at least 30 feet or more away from me, but I also know some that think 100 feet is WAY too close.

Actually, Dayfish said the boat west of him was not more than 100 yards from him, and the wakeboard boat went between them.  So the probability is that the wakeboard boat was less than 150' from at least one, maybe both boats.  The point is that the proximitry rule is routinely ignored.  I've had precisely one boat slow to wakeless speed when he saw he was going to pass me closer than 150'.  Wakeboard boats and jet skiers seem to be the worst offenders.  I spoke to a ranger the other day about it and he advised I get bow numbers and call it in to Wasatch County dispatch.  That number is (435) 654-1411. I have saved it to my contact list. 

I wouldn't want to be on Jordanelle in a 12' boat.

[mtncat1]

Woooohooo it's about time! I have never seen a ranger in their boats at any of the local lakes. Yesterday at Jordanelle, around 10am, I was fishing just north of the arm. There was a boat to my west less than a hundred yards away. This jack wagon in a large wake board boat decides he wants to take the short way to the arm and cuts right between us--mind you we were only 200-300 yards from the bank. As I hold up my arms in a wtf gesture he yells for me to go back to the dock. The one finger salute from me followed.  Mind you, I have a 12 foot, deep-v, aluminum boat that handles rough water well but give me a break. That was the closest call.  I had many others where the boat towing a skier or wake boarder was headed straight for me before the towed person fell and the boat changed directions. I wondered when/if they were were planning to alter course several times. 

All a ranger would have to do is sit in the middle of the lake with a pair of binoculars. They would rack up the tickets.
half of 300 is 150 so the boat was ok , it's annoying but they have a right to be out there also , just try to grin and bear it 

An alternative--before someone gets hurt or killed (stand your ground comes to mind)--is for them to institute alternate even and odd days for making 3-4 foot waves and fishing, paddle boarding or sailing on all these small lakes where jack wagons like the aforementioned congregate. It is getting even more really ridiculous!

As for the fishing, it was slow. Picked up one Koke on a very shallow hump where another boater was trying to unstick one of his hung up cannon balls.

"A wakeless (defined as 5 mph or less) or idle speed is required when operating in a designated slow-wakeless speed area.  This also applies whenever you are withing 150 feet of another boat, a person in the water, a water skier, shore angler, launch ramp, dock, or other designated swimming areas."  The proximity law specifies closer than 150 feet and you better be wakeless or at idle speed.  You claimed he was closer than 300 feet and you were 600 to 900 feet off shore.  Don't misunderstand, I only fish and I'm not a fan of ANY power squadron watercraft or activities.  But you really haven't shown any evidence that the alleged miscreant violated the well established proximity restriction of maintaining a distance of 150 feet.  Sorry.

---

at strawberry on a sat they would give every one a ticket.

ROBERT - even you?  That surprises me.  

Technically, if I and you are both wakeless (as in trolling), I can LEGALLY pass within inches of your boat.  I wouldn't ever do that, but I would be legally within my rights to do so.  I'm comfortable with others being at least 30 feet or more away from me, but I also know some that think 100 feet is WAY too close.

Actually, Dayfish said the boat west of him was not more than 100 yards from him, and the wakeboard boat went between them.  So the probability is that the wakeboard boat was less than 150' from at least one, maybe both boats.  The point is that the proximitry rule is routinely ignored.  I've had precisely one boat slow to wakeless speed when he saw he was going to pass me closer than 150'.  Wakeboard boats and jet skiers seem to be the worst offenders.  I spoke to a ranger the other day about it and he advised I get bow numbers and call it in to Wasatch County dispatch.  That number is (435) 654-1411.  I have saved it to my contact list. 

I wouldn't want to be on Jordanelle in a 12' boat.

[RockyRaab2]

I would absolutely be in favor of alternating days for fishing and "high-speed" water sports. Better yet, I'd love to see certain lakes designated as fishing only and others as non-fishing.

The problem will only get worse as more and more of our reservoirs shrink to unlaunchable levels. The remaining lakes will then get all the pressure of both kinds of water sports. They'll either have to limit the number of boats that can launch on a given day, or find some other way to insure safety.

[Dayfish]

Woooohooo it's about time! I have never seen a ranger in their boats at any of the local lakes. Yesterday at Jordanelle, around 10am, I was fishing just north of the arm. There was a boat to my west less than a hundred yards away. This jack wagon in a large wake board boat decides he wants to take the short way to the arm and cuts right between us--mind you we were only 200-300 yards from the bank. As I hold up my arms in a wtf gesture he yells for me to go back to the dock. The one finger salute from me followed.  Mind you, I have a 12 foot, deep-v, aluminum boat that handles rough water well but give me a break. That was the closest call.  I had many others where the boat towing a skier or wake boarder was headed straight for me before the towed person fell and the boat changed directions. I wondered when/if they were were planning to alter course several times. 

All a ranger would have to do is sit in the middle of the lake with a pair of binoculars. They would rack up the tickets.

An alternative--before someone gets hurt or killed (stand your ground comes to mind)--is for them to institute alternate even and odd days for making 3-4 foot waves and fishing, paddle boarding or sailing on all these small lakes where jack wagons like the aforementioned congregate. It is getting even more really ridiculous!

As for the fishing, it was slow. Picked up one Koke on a very shallow hump where another boater was trying to unstick one of his hung up cannon balls.

"A wakeless (defined as 5 mph or less) or idle speed is required when operating in a designated slow-wakeless speed area.  This also applies whenever you are withing 150 feet of another boat, a person in the water, a water skier, shore angler, launch ramp, dock, or other designated swimming areas."  The proximity law specifies closer than 150 feet and you better be wakeless or at idle speed.  You claimed he was closer than 300 feet and you were 600 to 900 feet off shore.  Don't misunderstand, I only fish and I'm not a fan of ANY power squadron watercraft or activities.  But you really haven't shown any evidence that the alleged miscreant violated the well established proximity restriction of maintaining a distance of 150 feet.  Sorry.

---

at strawberry on a sat they would give every one a ticket.

ROBERT - even you?  That surprises me.  

Technically, if I and you are both wakeless (as in trolling), I can LEGALLY pass within inches of your boat.  I wouldn't ever do that, but I would be legally within my rights to do so.  I'm comfortable with others being at least 30 feet or more away from me, but I also know some that think 100 feet is WAY too close.

Maybe I wasn't real clear about the incident Bob. We were not in a wake-less area, I guesstimated that he was closer than 150 feet (50 yards--I am a long time archery hunter and fairly competent in judging distance but don't have rangefinder eyes)  and he definitely was under power in all his wake producing glory. Even if he was exactly 150 feet away, or even 160 feet away, I estimate 100 or less, he could've/should've avoided both of us and steered farther out into the lake to avoid any chance of close proximity. I mean, who sees a 12 foot and a 16 foot boat that are fishing 100yards apart and then decides to go between then under power? He had the whole lake from the north point of the arm to the dam. Just rude, dangerous and illegal--at the very least it was a total dick move--but I guess the way some people drive on the road is directly transferred to the water. 

---

Woooohooo it's about time! I have never seen a ranger in their boats at any of the local lakes. Yesterday at Jordanelle, around 10am, I was fishing just north of the arm. There was a boat to my west less than a hundred yards away. This jack wagon in a large wake board boat decides he wants to take the short way to the arm and cuts right between us--mind you we were only 200-300 yards from the bank. As I hold up my arms in a wtf gesture he yells for me to go back to the dock. The one finger salute from me followed.  Mind you, I have a 12 foot, deep-v, aluminum boat that handles rough water well but give me a break. That was the closest call.  I had many others where the boat towing a skier or wake boarder was headed straight for me before the towed person fell and the boat changed directions. I wondered when/if they were were planning to alter course several times. 

All a ranger would have to do is sit in the middle of the lake with a pair of binoculars. They would rack up the tickets.

An alternative--before someone gets hurt or killed (stand your ground comes to mind)--is for them to institute alternate even and odd days for making 3-4 foot waves and fishing, paddle boarding or sailing on all these small lakes where jack wagons like the aforementioned congregate. It is getting even more really ridiculous!

As for the fishing, it was slow. Picked up one Koke on a very shallow hump where another boater was trying to unstick one of his hung up cannon balls.

"A wakeless (defined as 5 mph or less) or idle speed is required when operating in a designated slow-wakeless speed area.  This also applies whenever you are withing 150 feet of another boat, a person in the water, a water skier, shore angler, launch ramp, dock, or other designated swimming areas."  The proximity law specifies closer than 150 feet and you better be wakeless or at idle speed.  You claimed he was closer than 300 feet and you were 600 to 900 feet off shore.  Don't misunderstand, I only fish and I'm not a fan of ANY power squadron watercraft or activities.  But you really haven't shown any evidence that the alleged miscreant violated the well established proximity restriction of maintaining a distance of 150 feet.  Sorry.

---

at strawberry on a sat they would give every one a ticket.

ROBERT - even you?  That surprises me.  

Technically, if I and you are both wakeless (as in trolling), I can LEGALLY pass within inches of your boat.  I wouldn't ever do that, but I would be legally within my rights to do so.  I'm comfortable with others being at least 30 feet or more away from me, but I also know some that think 100 feet is WAY too close.

Maybe I wasn't real clear about the incident Bob. We were not in a wake-less area, I guesstimated that he was closer than 150 feet (50 yards--I am a long time archery hunter and fairly competent in judging distance but don't have rangefinder eyes)  and he definitely was under power in all his wake producing glory. Even if he was exactly 150 feet away, or even 160 feet away, I estimate 100 or less, he could've/should've avoided both of us and steered farther out into the lake to avoid any chance of close proximity. I mean, who sees a 12 foot and a 16 foot boat that are fishing 100yards apart and then decides to go between then under power? He had the whole lake from the north point of the arm to the dam. Just rude, dangerous and illegal--at the very least it was a total dick move--but I guess the way some people drive on the road is directly transferred to the water. 

---

I would absolutely be in favor of alternating days for fishing and "high-speed" water sports. Better yet, I'd love to see certain lakes designated as fishing only and others as non-fishing.

The problem will only get worse as more and more of our reservoirs shrink to unlaunchable levels. The remaining lakes will then get all the pressure of both kinds of water sports. They'll either have to limit the number of boats that can launch on a given day, or find some other way to insure safety.

Totally agree Rocky.

---

Ask TD about people getting to close at speed !!  He has had more than one run in with The power squadron in his tube.  What I can't understand is why they have  to ski so close to the shore.  About 10 yrs ago,  I was fishing Deer Creek, mid morning buzz bait bite under the tracks.  I was sitting on the corner where the shore turns north, bout 20 ft off the shore, throwing back along the rocks.  A boat, pulling a skier is coming towards me, with the skier next to the shore.  Neither the driver or skier were paying attention and the skier was going to cut between me and the shoreline, pulling the rope over my boat.  I bounced my buzz bait off the windshield of the boat, causing the driver, a girl, to swerve to the right, dropping the skier into the water about  25-30 ft in front of me.  I got on the trolling motor and moved between the guy in the water and the boat.  Every time she would try and come in and pick him up, I would bounce the buzz bait off the windshield again.  Kept him in the water for about 20 minutes, then let her get him.  Of course they immediately went to the ranger who came over and was going to give me a ticket until I explained what happened.  He then went and ticketed them.  I can't count the number of times I have been fishing a shore line and had a ski boat or jet ski go between me and the shore.  It is insane.  I hope that this enforcement effort is not short lived, but continues on into the future.  We can only hope !!!

Love that story Therapist! Buzz bait off the windshield would be pretty intimidating. I bet it was good therapy all around when they got the ticket.

[fishskibum]

as someone who has fished the last couple decades without wake or the capability of making one
it aint gittin better
The unsinkable foam encased hdpe roto molded drifty can handle way worse and its just aggravating
on the sup its to the point of dangerous

Talking with the kids at the boat check on 40 yesterday hes astonished at the number of new captains in bust out 100's of them, with little to know experiance operating them
like the dude in the tubes says
some peoples kids....

have a lot o $$$ sense of entitlements but poor musical taste and little common sense or courtesy towards others

[TubeDude]

Therapist made reference to my "interactions" with proximity violations over the years.  Yea, verily.  I have had more than a few.  Some have included retaliation...with the projectile casting of sinkers or multihook crankbaits.  Others featured my proficiency with a wrist rocket.  Marbles off the boat windshield serve as a deterrent too.  Don't ask me how I know.

Sadly, the predominant mindset of the power squadron seems to be that the biggest and most powerful craft always has the right of way.  Anybody in a smaller craft...or fishing from shore...has no rights whatsoever...the law be damned.  And it is not a matter of the offending boat operator not knowing the law.  More often it is simply a matter of "boat bullying".  There have been more than a few on-the-water potential encounters...with a boat bearing down on my float tube location...in which I raised my camera to record the bow numbers of the approaching offender...only to have them suddenly kill the speed and/or veer away from me when they saw the camera.  Seldom a matter of "forgive them for they know not what they do". 

Greater publicity and repetition of the law will doubtless educate a few more boaters.  But as my buddy Ron White has established..."You can't fix stupid".  And as much emphasis is given to alcohol being a bad thing upon the waters, I maintain that just a bit of gasoline and a boat can bring out the worst in folks.

But sometimes all it takes for a small craft to ward off the high-powered doofii (plural of doofus) is something visual that can be seen before they get close enough to do any damage.
   

[smokepoles]

I would absolutely be in favor of alternating days for fishing and "high-speed" water sports. Better yet, I'd love to see certain lakes designated as fishing only and others as non-fishing.

The problem will only get worse as more and more of our reservoirs shrink to unlaunchable levels. The remaining lakes will then get all the pressure of both kinds of water sports. They'll either have to limit the number of boats that can launch on a given day, or find some other way to insure safety.

I, too, am on board with that. It gets to be almost impossible to fish even when lakes are full, and the issue compounded as the water levels decrease.  Alternating days would be the only way things could be enforced to any extent.

The pressure on our waters is almost unbelievable at times, as it is with our National Parks.  Some of the later have tried various approaches to limit or time visitorship finding that an open free-for-all is just not working to anyones enjoyment.

[dubob]

Maybe I wasn't real clear about the incident Bob. We were not in a wake-less area, I guesstimated that he was closer than 150 feet (50 yards--I am a long time archery hunter and fairly competent in judging distance but don't have rangefinder eyes)  and he definitely was under power in all his wake producing glory. Even if he was exactly 150 feet away, or even 160 feet away, I estimate 100 or less, he could've/should've avoided both of us and steered farther out into the lake to avoid any chance of close proximity. I mean, who sees a 12 foot and a 16 foot boat that are fishing 100yards apart and then decides to go between then under power? He had the whole lake from the north point of the arm to the dam. Just rude, dangerous and illegal--at the very least it was a total dick move--but I guess the way some people drive on the road is directly transferred to the water.

My bad; what I thought I read was that the boat west of you was the jack wagon in a large wake board boat.  I see now that wasn't the case.  And that the jack wagon more than likely was within 150 feet of one of you.  I responded to what I thought I read.  Humble apologies.

---

Wakeless speed rule closer than 150 feet of all the objects and people mentioned above is great. But what the law doesn't take into consideration as far as other boats or water craft are concerned, is the size of the other vessel. The smaller the other boat, the more hazard is presented by a large speed boat.  And the bigger the boat of any type, the more wake it will produce even at speeds of 5 mph or less.  That's why the rule says "wakeless speed" and not a specific mph number. 

Utah Code, Title 73 (Water and Irrigation), Chapter 18 (State Boating Act), Section 2 (Definitions), (20) "Wakeless speed" means an operating speed at which the vessel does not create or make a wake or white water trailing the vessel. This speed is not in excess of five miles per hour.

[MrShane]

It does not need to be alternating fishing/no fishing days.
I have said for years on this forum it needs to be alternating wakeless/wake days.
This way anyone can fish any day and any of the power squadron can still go out to swim/tow kids in tubes at wakeless speeds.
This rule does not need to be all lakes, just ones with unprecedented volumes of boaters.
Do I feel bad about a wakeboat not being able to make a wake on a wakeless day?
Nope, they caused this issue to become dangerous in the first place.
Deer Creek and Pineview need to be the first to implement this before a drowning happens.

P.S. A no cost required boating license would not hurt my feelings, some type of required license not unlike Quagga Mussel certification.

[fishskibum]

It works well in millcreek with dogs and bikes
every day is a dog day on odd ones you can bike and the dogs have to be leashed
and i will say the vast majority of airboat owners have been really good about not swamping the guy on the sup fishin behind willard

[fishgiver]

Today at Jordanelle, if my boat did not have a horn a big ski boat almost hit me. I could see it coming dead on from distance away and as it got closer without changing direction I began honking and they finally heard and veered off to only come within 50 feet. Of course there was no ranger!

[Anglinarcher]

I too have had interaction with dangerous boaters.  Once upon a time (pre cell phone or small portable cameras), in a lake not all that far from here, I was in my tube and the boat driver repeatedly drove so close to me that his skier could, and did, go right around, me taking the rope right over my head.  With each pass the rope would get closer.  The rest I will not discuss, although I think the statute of limitations has expired.  Funny, the boater abandoned the skier, I left the lake.  All of us were unharmed at my departure, but there was a distinct smell of human fecal material coming from the boat and the water logged skier.

Once at Gunlock a long time ago the family was in a a 16' boat.  A kid on a Jet Ski kept playing chicken with us.  Every time we would veer off to the side to miss him, until Dad had enough.  The last time he told us all to move to the back of the boat and hang on: he did not veer and the Jet Ski did not realize the game had changed until the very last fraction of a second.  We noticed that once he got back on the SKI, he limped it back to the dock: We only had a small dent on the Aluminum  boat.

It is my opinion that most of the dangerous boaters know better, but are either drunk with alcohol, or drunk with power.  I also believe that somehow the skiers and wakeboarders think that it is their obligation to impress us simple minded fisherman, swimmers, etc.

It reminds me of the Wild Wild West when there were laws, buy if they were not enforced, he with the fastest gun, or the best hiding space, or the most thugs backing them, ruled.  We have boating laws, but if they are not enforced, .... you get the analogy surely.

Alternating days won't work any more than what he have if you don't have enforcement, and the parks have no financial reason to enforce them.  Also, do we even have county or state enforcement with boats?  

I too hope the enforcement starts, is continuous, and works.  Yesterday on Willard, I know, what was I doing on Willard on a Saturday, I saw boats with skiers fallen in the water without flags. I saw boats with a skier in tow, but no spotter on the boat.  I had launched on the North ramp but at noon it was so backed up I dropped my newbies and brother off and had them drive around to the south ramp to pick up the boat.  I had to zig zag like a drunken sailor to get through the idiots.

Yes, if this does not work, if they don't "enforce" the law, there will be deaths.  Then, in normal lawyer proofing by the state, they will overreact and it will be the law abiding fisherman that pays.  

I sure hope that I am wrong, and that someone here will set me straight.