Lake Winni.........Speed limit permanent.
 

Lake Winni speed limits here to stay



MEREDITH – Gov. John Lynch signed a law yesterday permanently limiting boat speed on Lake Winnipesaukee to 45 miles an hour during the daytime and 30 mph at night.

Boaters, residents and visitors to the Lakes Region expressed mixed reactions.

Arthur Caferelli of Meredith said there is enough room on Lake Winnipesaukee so that no boat speed limit should be required by law -- most of the time.

"But then there are certain times when I think it is wise," he said while sitting on a bench at the Meredith Town Docks, fishing rod in hand. There were few if any boats on the water yesterday, but he noted that will change this July 4th weekend.

"Forty-five miles an hour. That's fast enough. I mean, how fast do you need to go?"

But 18-year-old Jon Frame of Moultonborough said a permanent boat speed limit is taking away rights in the Live Free or Die state.

"If they think it is going to reduce accidents, they are wrong," said Frame, who insists he keeps his family's powerful boat below 50 mph at all times. "The main problem with accidents is inexperience and bad decision-making."

In 2009, the Legislature agreed to a two-year test of a boat speed limit on Lake Winnipesaukee. This spring, they cut the test period short and made the limits permanent.

The Squam Lakes have a boat speed limit as well, and have for years.

But limits don't exist on the remaining water bodies, which number nearly 1,000.

"Forty-five miles an hour is fast in a boat," said Atma Nahabedian, 11, of Meredith as he cast at fishing line over the waters of Meredith Bay.

Dennis Breslan of Lowell, Mass., tied up his small power boat at the town docks and pondered the speed limit.

"The night one is good. The day? If I had a larger boat, I might be upset," he said.

Frame said he has noticed a decline in boat traffic on Lake Winnipesaukee the past two summers, something he attributes to the economy.

And he said the true reason for the speed limits is to raise more revenues with fines.

The law includes a provision that requires Marine Patrol to notify the state Division of Motor Vehicles of violations, which then go on a person's driving record.

Pathetic...and I love the 11 year old chiming in.

we were looking at renting a compound for 11 of us, but I told the guy if the speed limit went through no thanks. he had 4 dates left when I talked to him last. so rents must be down up there. we might go to the cape late aug. I heard boats are going out on the broads and still going wfo from a guy monday I was talking to. also heard there was only two radar guns on the lake. but 30 at night is crazy what morons them dems are, maybe if a enough people leave they will get rid of the speed limit in two years, I know we won't go there summer or winter. live free or die yeah right:bsflag: also I thought NEW FOUND lake had a speed limit for years I have a friend up there thats what he told me.

Such a shame.

do you guys have a lot of jet skis up there on that lake??? if so what are they saying... i get passed by some of them going 60 in dominator and I look like i'm sitting still in the bay boat!!!:lolhit:

NH also recently became an income tax state on dividends and gambling winnings (10%). They slowly let the taxes/laws/limits start and pretty soon they are in full swing and everything is permanent/set in stone!

Not much reason to visit NH if you are a powerboater......best part is they made it law because the preliminary facts showed that it didn't have any effect on accidents!

I'm looking for a lake house, that takes Winni off the short list.

If you read any Mass. newspapers they generally refer to Southern NH as part of the Northern Mass. Greater Region when discussing businesses/jobs related to Mass.......everyone moved to NH to escape "taxachuesetts" yet the taxation/laws followed them!

I can't wait to see them force the "helmet law issue" next!

Once a state gets income tax money they can never again balance a budget without it. Funny how that works. Doug

They think they are going to generate revenue from this speed limit, which the Marine Patrol say they can't even enforce and don't want to, and what they really are doing is turning people away from coming to the area because they are worried about getting hassled. It truly is a shame!

I don't think it will change a thing for those of us that love the lake and will keep coming back. I know they were out with radar guns last weekend, but again, not a single stop. I do think it will have a negative impact on future tourism.

I can't tell you how many times I've almost been T-boned in the last 3 weekends by 18-20-something foot boats packed with families or kids that have zero concept of navigation. I would argue any day of the week that the high performance boaters on the lake are the best/safest boaters if you were to break down boaters into categories.

Pathetic and shameful how this entire thing started after the Littlefield accident by a few Bear Island residents. Very much looking forward to the next elections and the turn at bat to get this rescinded. The system works both ways!

Marine Patrol already has its hands full with jet skis, out of area boaters and general traffic. To add this to their 8 hour shift can't be great. It may be a nice law to have in your back pocket to break a guys balls but for 90% of the boats on the lake it is not applicable (boats don't break 45). However I suspect 90%+++ of the jet skis on the lake can break 45!

I think the 2 year study was going to find out nothing so they decided to make it law while they still had momentum. Holidays/Summer Weekends at peak hours may have been appropriate but not for 24-7-365.

Interesting point- Does this include snomobiles in the winter months? Technically they are on the lake! What about aircraft that land on the lake w/sponsons?

They can't enforce it. The lake is beautiful and we are here to stay...as well as our boats :)

The bottom line is that it is business as usual. The Marine Patrol thinks its a joke and are sick of getting the complaints and calls that a 22 Donzi is doing 100 MPH somewhere on the lake. They know it is not true and are tired of the crybabies. Also, the house and senate should be ashamed of themselves. To pass any law without supporting data and on emotion is wrong. The house is full of the most incompetant bunch of fools in the state. The senate is not as bad, but they should of stood up and did the right thing and corrected this wrong doing. The governor didn't even want to get involved. He told the senate to squash it. There are many boats that exceed the speed limit daily. You just have to be careful where you do it. Its like doing 80 mph in a 65 mph zone in your car. It is not always enforceable. So, enjoy your boat, but before you do a high speed run, take a look first and see who is around.

P.S.
It is not about revenue, its about a small group of people who don't like the noise of powerboats and revenge for one of their friends that was killed by a 30 foot Baja going less than 30mph at night by a dui.

It IS ashame, and the Gov, should be ashamed of himself for signing feel-good legislation, period. Times change, but to curtsy to a bunch of whiners - for whining - is just wrong...

Some very good points made and I agree that we are not going anywhere, here to stay for sure so they better get used to it!

Amen to that!

DK - how's the 20 comin' along!?

It is at Phil's and he is pretty busy but it's coming along slowly.

There is nothing worse than passing a law just to pass it. How about looking at some stats? How about talking to the Marine patrol, who in their own words said it was not needed. Why would you agree to create a new law when every fact shows that you need to? Its hard to believe these fools are making laws at all. It is nothing short of disgraceful.

The fact is the Lake property owners that have DEEP Pockets dictate to the politicians what they want. $$$$ has a lot of clout on Winni as it does on Lake George. When all the special laws were passed on LG some 25+ years ago, a lot of HP boaters said it wouldn't last.
Maybe the existing Marine patrol isn't happy with it and may turn their heads the other way, but what if a lake commission is formed and they start a permit system and charging fees to use the lake?? Then take that revenue, buy boats and form a Lake patrol with a bunch of Gung Ho wanna be cops that will wear out a ball point pen in one day.
There are a lot of HP boaters on OSO that have had some experience with the LG patrol. They can tell you some stories.

The Marine Patrol is very underfunded. What they really need is to concentrate is on existing rules and boating safety. Radar guns are such a waste of time for them so they admitt.

Will they train their lake patrols any better than LG does?

i have a good story about boating on LG, I've been cruising around the lake for the past 2 months with speed up to 80mph and have had no problems with MP. i had a LG patrol boat pull up to me while doing 30 mph (i had slowed down from 65) he had his binoculars (sp?), looked the boat over a turned away. I was told he was checking for my permit. I have acually been pulled over more time on the GSL than LG.

Here is my take on speed limits...everday i get in my truck or car and drive down the road, most of the time i exceed the speed limit. BIG DEAL.

I like your way of thinking.

I'll be boating on lake winnie tomorrow...Slow speeds are not my friend:party-smiley-004:

My Wife and I spent many years boating on Winni; that slowed some after moving to Sebago but we still would head over there for a week every summer.

We have not been to Winnipesaukee since all this speed limit stuff has gone down. Just don't need the hassel.

Kurt

Hopefully, Winni's MP won't be turned into what I hear about the patrols on LG. The biggest complaint on both lakes was noise, and those that wanted Golden Pond felt the easiest way to regulate was speed limits. Their arguments lacked any facts, but it worked.

My family had a waterfront house there for thirty years, and I spent every summer as a kid there. Too bad things changed so much. I would think HP boaters would prefer Champlain to Winni. Much more wide open, longer runs, bigger water. But a long haul for Southern NE folks.

My guess is that if people police their own groups and not allow things to get too bad, nothing much will change. I believe the MP hopes the law will be enough, because they don't want to be radar cops, they have better things to do. I think if people just respect the safe distance law (150'), and generally not abuse their rights, things will be fine. I'd rather have big HP boats going 80 mph at a safe distance than idiot bowrider rental boats with tubers cutting me off all day.

Stay sober, boat safely. And for those with video, be sure to take some footage of idiot boneheads doing stupid things at slow speeds. There's never a lack of good content for bonehead footage.:lolhit:

With the Skater?

Winni is still a blast! MP's have been nothing but very nice to me, I can't say enough good about the way I have been treated.

How about that time with the gladiator? :)

Generally speaking, I think they're probably more reasonable than most, with the exception of some of the younger, part timers from time to time. I'm sure the seasoned MP's can spot people having a good time safely,and those that are trouble makers, we all can.

I think if you are within noise limits, and keep it reasonable, they'll pretty much leave you alone. Like any LEO's, when stopped, be the friendliest, nicest person around and they'll remember that. Those that keep a low profile usually don't make the top ten list.

The biggest problem HP boaters have is other HP boaters. There's always one or two that act like cowboys. With a small minority of HP boaters on the lake, people tend to use a broad brush and paint the entire group. Being aligned with the MP's is not a bad position to be in.

Nope. His Skater is scared of the Gladiator. :D

Winnipesaukee Speed Limits
 

Some good comments on this forum. I have been on this lake for twenty years and the HP guys are generally the safest on the water. The best policy though, is to watch the speeds and stay away from the booze - no way in hell can you operate one of these boats under the influence........let's make sure that the law doesn't get reinforced due to any actions of us HP guys................

Ya think??:rolleyes:

I "think" that was a joke... ;)

It amazes me what a vocal minority can get done. A small group of old farts that want to relive the golden pond age when they come up from mass for a few weekends. Pisser is that most of the islanders dont know what NO WAKE means but they want a special law to make them feel less insecure.

I would love to see a Pure Platinum speed run up there at 180 MPH! The locals wouldn't know what it was! :D

Dude you hate LG!