Anyone on Smith Lake in Alabama.....All wake boats banned?!?!?

[2kwik4u]

I'm young enough to remember people telling me "Don't believe everything you see on the internet". I'm also old enough to know that it's often a good source of information. SO.....

Allen Johnson on Instagram: "Wake boat ban Smith Lake"

5,445 likes, 1,124 comments - thewheelerking on November 22, 2023: "Wake boat ban Smith Lake".

www.instagram.com

I have so many thoughts on this.....Curious if someone local can confirm/deny if this is true or not before I start down the path of tangents and rants.

 

[BigN8]

I’d say false.

 

[Cleveland Steamer]

A local lake here in WI are trying to ban them due to alleged shore erosion.

I think the argument is total crap. Obviously, my jet boat doesn’t create as large of a wake like a surf boat in a straight line but I’d venture to say I do when towing tubers in circles. So the idea of banning wake boats is ridiculous when my boat does the same thing. What’s next, no jet boats? Maybe no water sports at all?

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

I’d venture to say people with wake boats have the money to fight this in court. Also who enforces this? Doubt LEOs have any power here.

 

[BigN8]

And where do you draw the line? Any boat with a tower? Any boat with sacs? It would be impossible to enforce.

To me it’d be easier to just ban the actual act of wake surfing, not the boats.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I’m reminded of a 195 FSH sport owner and member here who has a High School boy that could not use his Dads jet boat for a High School bass tournament because it was a jet boat. This because the sanctioning body, BASS made it so after a guy with an outboard jet motor was getting into shallow water where the others could not get and the others cried about it. I’m also reminded of how Harley Davidson was crying when Honda started racing flat track and Ricky Graham was mopping the track with Harleys. So, Harley cried unto the heavens and the AMA first made a minimum weight rule since the Hondas were so much lighter and had to add a bunch of weight, the Hondas still kicked the Harleys ass. Next was rev limiters because the Hondas turned more rpm’s, Honda still won. Next came intake size limits that only applied to the Hondas, Honda still managed to win but barley then said ??To flat tracking.

As with most things it’s probably a lot of people getting pissed off for a good reason, or not. I share the lake with wake boats, am I happy when I get all topsy turvey from their wake? Not really but it’s a matter of sharing the water. What does piss me off is their super loud music which is, imho crappy, and a big FU to everyone else. My boat has way more freeboard than a bass boat so I’m sure some of these bass boats get water coming in over the sides. There has been several studies that confirm shoreline erosion as well as disturbing the bottom of the lake from the wake boats’ generated wake, so some lakes have limited the wake boats to 300’ from shore and in water deeper than 45’ if memory serves.

 

[Can0n11]

Michigan DNR proposals-

https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/09/michigan-dnr-eyes-inland-lake-restrictions-on-wakesurfing-boats.html?outputType=amp

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Michigan DNR proposals-

https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/09/michigan-dnr-eyes-inland-lake-restrictions-on-wakesurfing-boats.html?outputType=amp

Definitely some Karen’s in that article. But that’s the world we live in. I noticed there was mention of the loud music as a point of contention. I’d venture to say the loud music is adding salt to a wound because even though wake boats are “making waves” they are by nature quiet boats. I think that if wake boaters would stay away from the shore lines and keep their music loudness wayyyyyyyy down they would go a long ways to keeping a majority off of their backs.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

Poking around on-line it appears the video is a joke, but is based on the very real concerns of some residents who have experienced damage to their docks caused by wakes. Alabama does apparently has a new law covering wake surfing that is enforceable by the state authorities.

Jim

 

[HangOutdoors]

The problem that you have, at least around here, is there are always asshats in the boats that put out a sizeable wave running close to docks or in channels or near marina harbors, etc. So they start pissing off everyone at large. If people would just respect others and be smart about things it would be all good.

 

[BigN8]

The problem that you have, at least around here, is there are always asshats in the boats that put out a sizeable wave running close to docks or in channels or near marina harbors, etc. So they start pissing off everyone at large. If people would just respect others and be smart about things it would be all good.

There are asshats every where. The road, the lake, the golf course, the bar, etc. it is what it is.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

The problem that you have, at least around here, is there are always asshats in the boats that put out a sizeable wave running close to docks or in channels or near marina harbors, etc. So they start pissing off everyone at large. If people would just respect others and be smart about things it would be all good.

It’s what I like to call the 2% rule in that 2% of any one group mess it up for the rest.

The main issue IS that the ass hats of the world do not have respect for others.

 

[BlkGS]

I had a friend of a friend in NC who had a wake boat, it had a Ford 6.2L in it and man was it loud. He was kind exactly the sort of boat that people complain about. He'd come flying down the lake, music blasting, loud exhaust, loaded full of girls with daddy issues, throwing a HUGE wake. I made the mistake of letting him pass by me one time and the wake he threw rocked our sx230 like crazy. I vowed that day never again, and conveniently, his boat wasnt faster than mine, lol.

Cool boat to hang out by at the sandbar once he was stopped though, because of the aforementioned girls with daddy issues.

 

[BigN8]

He said "girls with daddy issues" LOL!!!

 

[AuburnVFR]

From the legal update put out by the AG's office earlier this year

Wake boarding •

Act 2023-459 only impacts three waters: Lewis Smith Lake, Lake Wedoee/R. L. Harris Reservoir, and Shoals Creek (north of Hwy 72). The Act prohibits a person from engaging in wakeboarding or wake surfing: (1)Between sunset and sunrise; (2) On any portion of the impounded waters where the width of the portion is less than 400 feet; (3) Within 200 feet from any shoreline, dock, pier, boathouse, or other structure located on the impounded waters; or ( 4) When not wearing a personal flotation device approved by the United States Coast Guard. First offense is punishable by a fine of no less than $100. Any subsequent offense during a single calendar year shall be fined no less than $200. They may also, at the discretion of the court, be subject to the revocation or suspension of his or her boater safety certification or vessel operator's certification or vessel operating privileges upon the waters of this state for the duration of the calendar year. During the first year after enactment, only warnings shall be issued to violators. Effective: September 1, 2023

 

[kgower]

Two-hundred-foot rule enacted here in GA this year for wake surfing/boarding. I would argue that cruisers of 30+ feet have a larger wake and are subject to a one-hundred-foot rule.

 

[haknslash]

No they’re not banned. That is just some stupid fake joke video the guy is posting for traffic. He has done other viral videos in the past. They did pass IIRC a 200’ shoreline law on smith lake that goes into effect next season for wake boats. The law is local to smith lake and a few other smaller lake. It is not state-wide.

 

[haknslash]

And where do you draw the line? Any boat with a tower? Any boat with sacs? It would be impossible to enforce.

To me it’d be easier to just ban the actual act of wake surfing, not the boats.

While we are at it ban tubing too. I’d say it creates a ton more wave action for the entire lake than surfing does. Also ban any boat larger than 19’ because anyone can ride off plane and create a wake to disrupt docks and shorelines. Ban fishing hats because they drive way too fast and cut on the inside of bends.

You know, while we’re at it let’s also ban sports cars for public road use. I mean, there’s no reason anyone needs to have a car that could exceed posted speed limits and could cause someone to drive very reckless if they can’t contain themselves. Lifted trucks too. No need for that. There are no ditches and ruts on the streets like there are in the woods. Those trucks are dangerous on the road with their big tires sticking out and taking up parking spaces at the Starbucks.

…and don’t get me started on the mean motorcycles. Those are just death rockets and no need for that kind of performance on public roads.

Obviously I don’t believe in any of this nonsense. I’d say 9 times out of 10 for every complaint about wake boats destroying someone’s dock, there’s never any proof. Just hot air and zero proof behind it. Do some idiots drive these boats? Of course. There’s bad apples in any category. IMO this is just people hating on other people because they think they “own” the lake. Most times it’s power companies or corp of engineers that “own” the lake. People like to complain to complain. It’s a nauseating trend in our failed society.

 

[BigN8]

I wish we could ban stupid people…..

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

While we are at it ban tubing too. I’d say it creates a ton more wave action for the entire lake than surfing does. Also ban any boat larger than 19’ because anyone can ride off plane and create a wake to disrupt docks and shorelines. Ban fishing hats because they drive way too fast and cut on the inside of bends.

You know, while we’re at it let’s also ban sports cars for public road use. I mean, there’s no reason anyone needs to have a car that could exceed posted speed limits and could cause someone to drive very reckless if they can’t contain themselves. Lifted trucks too. No need for that. There are no ditches and ruts on the streets like there are in the woods. Those trucks are dangerous on the road with their big tires sticking out and taking up parking spaces at the Starbucks.

…and don’t get me started on the mean motorcycles. Those are just death rockets and no need for that kind of performance on public roads.

Obviously I don’t believe in any of this nonsense. I’d say 9 times out of 10 for every complaint about wake boats destroying someone’s dock, there’s never any proof. Just hot air and zero proof behind it. Do some idiots drive these boats? Of course. There’s bad apples in any category. IMO this is just people hating on other people because they think they “own” the lake. Most times it’s power companies or corp of engineers that “own” the lake. People like to complain to complain. It’s a nauseating trend in our failed society.

While I agree with what you said, creating large wakes do contribute to the damage of docks and seawalls. There is no arguing that. Instant damage? Probably not unless the dock was on its last leg anyways.