Von Bongo

The glaize Narrows Association is circulating petitions to extend the current no wake zone at the bridge to an additional 2500 feet North of it's current position. Basically to the main channel.

The president of the association is Richard "Dick" Ebling (his signature, not my embelishment lest you think I am bitter )

Personally I do not support this but I wanted to pass it along to other people that boat here to either support or oppose this matter.

I think I could be more supprotive if it were only in effect on the 3 major holiday weekends. The petition indicates that it is a 5-7 minute idle through the proposed zone. I timed it last year and at a no wake speed in the fountain it was 7 minutes, this would add about 5 more by my guess, everyone has a different idle speed I tend to be conservative since I have a "performance boat" cruisers seem to get a lot more leaway. Even with the larger wakes.

The petition also states that if party cove relocates the zone should be lifted, which I agree with. Even though this is a no wake zone, it is rough there so I just don't know if this will help the water condtions. It may help some congestion when merging into the main channel, however boats now have a half mile to spread out and to get up to speed, now it will be like merging onto an interstate from a standing start.

The Glaize association is offering to maintain the zone.

Just my $.06, oh wait I haven't paid yet.

tanned fat looks better

They might as well stock the lake with manatee's now.

cigarette1

All you guys do is sit in Potty Cove anyway

Waterfoul

Honestly, you guys at LOTO don't know how good you have it. I've boated there the last two summers, one without the zone, one with it. It is a snap. Short. NOTHING like what we deal with EVERY WEEKEND here on the Great Lakes. EVERY time you enter a port, you face at LEAST a 10 minute idle. Many are longer than that. Grand Haven, from the boat ramp to Lake Michigan is nearly 20 minutes all by itself. From Lake Michigan to Spring Lake (Grand Haven area again) is about 5 MILES!!!!!!

I can see your points of course. But, you don't really have it that bad. I'll bet the guys who boat the Chain Of Lakes in Illinios would agree with me. As would the OSO members in Florida's Manatee Zones (and other ICW boaters that have to deal with the no-wake zones there).

Look at it as an opportunity to have a beverage (your choice as to what kind of beverage) and check out some awsome powerboats and babes .

PhantomChaos

You're right......potty cove would mean $hit in the water.....it is brown and ugly. Do you want me to post a pic for you?

PhantomChaos

As I recall.....it was posted by someone that goes to LOTO (Lots Of Trash Overboard).

outlawinil

Don't you have a parade to go to?

Big E

You know what gets me, is that no one pays attention to the big cruisers. The wake from the cruisers are the ones that do the damage to the docks, it seems as though no one down there notices that (anyone with any authority). I don't know how many times you see a 40'+ Searay, Carver, etc. with some old idiot driving it, trying to get his big tub on plane at 25 mph. Why don't they put the no wake restriction on cruisers only and leave the other boaters alone? The cruisers are made to cruise, the people that own these should use them for that purpose. A 40' Cig, Baja, Scarab, Formula, etc (performance boat) throws no wake compared to the cruisers!!!! The cruisers are the idiots that are making it hard on everyone else. I guess money talks, and those are the people with all of the money. Just my .02. Eric

Waterfoul

Spring Lake, MI (off the Grand River in Grand Haven) is a ling, narrow lake not unlike LOTO. On this lake, if your boat is 26 feet or longer, you are required to travel at no wake at ALL TIMES. Day, night, weekdays, weekends. Might be something to consider at LOTO, BUT, anyone who doesn't make the cut with an offshore boat will not be any happier than they are now. I would almost gaurentee they would set the limit at something WELL under 30' for that area of LOTO. Fat boat and small wake would not matter. They always set those limits on LENGTH, not displacement.

I honestly can't understand why everyone at LOTO is so upset. Sorry for the indifference, but as I stated, it's not that long a no-wake zone. And if the times don't change, it's only for 2 days a week (longer on holiday weekends of course). Here, it's everyday, every hour, all summmer long.

Not trying to make any enemies here, pointing out that you don't have it that bad compared to some others.

Dean Ferry

Sorry to hear that NEW idle zones are popping up EVERYWHERE! WF has some good points, IT could be alot worse, and hopefully it won't get any worse.
Just be thankful that you don't have a 9 MILE LONG IDLE like we DO!!
MD
PS: We Floridains will speak to the $MC about shipping up some Manatees to LOTO, if that will help make these new no-wake zones more justified! J/K
MD