New Michigan law????
03-27-2019, 03:38 PM
#12
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I JUST received another updated reply to my email. Its a bit of a long read....
"Currently, there are several lakes throughout Michigan that limit hours of access for speedboats and waterskiing (even though there is an existing state law that sets the time for water skiing on all lakes--one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset; MCL 324.80151 Michigan Legislature - Section 324.80151 ) between 10am and 6:30pm. Meaning that these specific lakes do not allow these activities after 6:30pm or before 10am. With today's families' schedules, 6:30pm doesn't make sense. Especially with Michigan summers having sunsets well past 6:30pm. I've provided a link to the DNR's website which lists these lakes, by county: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,...491---,00.html . I found that many of these time restrictions were set in the mid-1960s. In addition to not being consistent with other lakes around the state, again, I felt that these hours do not represent today's families' schedules-which is why I wanted to expand these hours from 6:30pm to sunset on the lakes that currently have restrictions. Let me be clear, my intent was never to limit access. However, I understand that's exactly what HB 4362 does now and I am committed to working to correct this mistake.
While I EXPANDED lake access for these specific lakes by at least 2 hours on each end, VERY UNFORTUNATELY, what I also did was LIMIT all boating after sunset and before 8am-this includes anyone who fishes/hunts or simply wants to take a low-key cruise around the lake. I cannot state enough that this was NEVER my intent. As a result of this error, I am currently working on substitute language to clear this up. The Michigan United Conservation Clubs issued a statement in support of my commitment to fixing the language: https://mucc.org/current-bill-to-res...ely-to-change/
My goal for this bill was always to EXPAND access for people on the specific lakes that currently have restrictions that do not reflect today's families' schedules. All-sports lakes that currently restrict activities from 10am to 6:30pm.
As you can imagine, I have heard from hundreds of people on this bill. And I certainly appreciate the feedback-it will help moving forward. However, many have vilified me without being open to accepting my admission of my mistake. It simply does not make sense why ANYONE in the state legislature would try to LIMIT lake access-we are, after all, the GREAT LAKES STATE. It seems there are some who would much rather believe that someone has bad intentions rather than accept that people make mistakes. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to explain my thinking prior to the bill being introduced and your understanding that mistakes happen. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
Jason Sheppard
56th District
"Currently, there are several lakes throughout Michigan that limit hours of access for speedboats and waterskiing (even though there is an existing state law that sets the time for water skiing on all lakes--one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset; MCL 324.80151 Michigan Legislature - Section 324.80151 ) between 10am and 6:30pm. Meaning that these specific lakes do not allow these activities after 6:30pm or before 10am. With today's families' schedules, 6:30pm doesn't make sense. Especially with Michigan summers having sunsets well past 6:30pm. I've provided a link to the DNR's website which lists these lakes, by county: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,...491---,00.html . I found that many of these time restrictions were set in the mid-1960s. In addition to not being consistent with other lakes around the state, again, I felt that these hours do not represent today's families' schedules-which is why I wanted to expand these hours from 6:30pm to sunset on the lakes that currently have restrictions. Let me be clear, my intent was never to limit access. However, I understand that's exactly what HB 4362 does now and I am committed to working to correct this mistake.
While I EXPANDED lake access for these specific lakes by at least 2 hours on each end, VERY UNFORTUNATELY, what I also did was LIMIT all boating after sunset and before 8am-this includes anyone who fishes/hunts or simply wants to take a low-key cruise around the lake. I cannot state enough that this was NEVER my intent. As a result of this error, I am currently working on substitute language to clear this up. The Michigan United Conservation Clubs issued a statement in support of my commitment to fixing the language: https://mucc.org/current-bill-to-res...ely-to-change/
My goal for this bill was always to EXPAND access for people on the specific lakes that currently have restrictions that do not reflect today's families' schedules. All-sports lakes that currently restrict activities from 10am to 6:30pm.
As you can imagine, I have heard from hundreds of people on this bill. And I certainly appreciate the feedback-it will help moving forward. However, many have vilified me without being open to accepting my admission of my mistake. It simply does not make sense why ANYONE in the state legislature would try to LIMIT lake access-we are, after all, the GREAT LAKES STATE. It seems there are some who would much rather believe that someone has bad intentions rather than accept that people make mistakes. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to explain my thinking prior to the bill being introduced and your understanding that mistakes happen. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
Jason Sheppard
56th District
03-27-2019, 09:49 PM
#13
VIP Member
VIP Member
What an ass clown. This is exactly what's wrong with our politicians today; they want so much to get their name on something they don't research the existing laws and end up spending the taxpayers money on new regulations that have huge unintended consequences.
Mi currently has a dusk to dawn law IE you can operate at high speed during those hours. (on public lakes)
This law can be modified by the local municipality to shorten high speed operation hours, but if the hours of high speed operation are shortened, they have to be from 10am to 630 pm which with daylight savings time in effect when our water isn't hard means 11 am to 730. Per the DNR rep our lake association met with a few years ago when we looked in to modifying our curfew (adding a couple hours of high speed boating) it has to be either the state (dawn to dusk) rule or the 10-630 rule; in other words each lake can't make their own arbitrary rules.
This guy probably bought a house on a lake that has a curfew, got yelled at by his neighbors for pulling skiers/tubers/surfers/wake boarders after hours, got pissed when he saw fisherman and LOP's (little old peoples) in their pontoon boats ignoring the curfew with no consequences and decided to do something about it by gawd because they messed with the wrong damn guy.
I grew up on an inland lake and still live here nearly 50 years later. We have a curfew - no wake prior to 11am or after 7:30 pm (unless you're a fisherman or LOP with a pontoon - they're exempt somehow).
When I was young(er) I hated the curfew and everything about it with a passion. Now that I'm almost old, I will admit that it's nice to see the lake quiet down and be able to take a slow ride with the Mrs. and a bottle of wine, watch the sunset, etc. and not be dodging other boats (other than fisherman and LOP's etc)
However, the difference between "then" and "now" is the highway has expanded north and the lake has been found; we're inundated with trunk slammers. There isn't a single empty lot anywhere on the lake and everyone has a boat & several also have a 'toon and some sort of PWC. The boats are primarily MasterCrafts etc designed to throw huge wakes for boarders and surfers. The point I'm making is the lake is now BUSY & all the high speed activity is crammed into a few hours; the lake is so rough during high speed hours that a good skier can't ski (forget bare footing) and violating the 100' rule is common. We haven't had an accident yet but it's only a matter of time.
I can't help but think if the curfew was eliminated, or lengthened by a couple hours, that it would reduce the traffic because you're not compressing all that high speed activity into just a few hours. We've floated the idea of eliminating our curfew at the association meetings and the reaction from the really old timers was borderline hilarious; they have an almost fanatical support of the curfew - I think we'd have had less of a reaction if we'd suggested we sacrifice a virgin every Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The fishermen were almost as bad because they all claim they can't fish while everyone else is high speed boating; they claim they need that quiet time in the morning and evening (except for when they're zooming to & from their spot) which is absolute bull**** because they're out there anchored or trolling all damn day and generally in the way of anyone who wants to pull a skier/tuber/surfer etc.
I really have almost no opinion re keep or eliminate the curfew. I hated it, now I think it's kind of nice for the lake to quiet down, but I don't want to see anyone hurt because of the congestion the forced activity between 11-7:30 results in.
Sorry to rant...getting the single finger salute from a fisherman (who's been in your way all f'n day) for 40 years because you're pulling a skier at 7:25 pm - and then watching him blast off the lake at 9:00 pm when he's done - will do that to you.
Don't even get me started on the azz-hole fishermen who anchor - literally - 10' off your dock when your wife and her girlfriends are sunning on the dock or finding lures stuck in your boat seat or lift canvas. Or around the dock legs.
I'm working on a system of sprinklers activated by motion sensors (like security lights) to mount on the dock to keep the "birds" away. I'm sure the first few times it goes off and soaks the "birds" things will get a little bit western but I'm thinking even the dumbest birds will eventually learn.
cheers
Mi currently has a dusk to dawn law IE you can operate at high speed during those hours. (on public lakes)
This law can be modified by the local municipality to shorten high speed operation hours, but if the hours of high speed operation are shortened, they have to be from 10am to 630 pm which with daylight savings time in effect when our water isn't hard means 11 am to 730. Per the DNR rep our lake association met with a few years ago when we looked in to modifying our curfew (adding a couple hours of high speed boating) it has to be either the state (dawn to dusk) rule or the 10-630 rule; in other words each lake can't make their own arbitrary rules.
This guy probably bought a house on a lake that has a curfew, got yelled at by his neighbors for pulling skiers/tubers/surfers/wake boarders after hours, got pissed when he saw fisherman and LOP's (little old peoples) in their pontoon boats ignoring the curfew with no consequences and decided to do something about it by gawd because they messed with the wrong damn guy.
I grew up on an inland lake and still live here nearly 50 years later. We have a curfew - no wake prior to 11am or after 7:30 pm (unless you're a fisherman or LOP with a pontoon - they're exempt somehow).
When I was young(er) I hated the curfew and everything about it with a passion. Now that I'm almost old, I will admit that it's nice to see the lake quiet down and be able to take a slow ride with the Mrs. and a bottle of wine, watch the sunset, etc. and not be dodging other boats (other than fisherman and LOP's etc)
However, the difference between "then" and "now" is the highway has expanded north and the lake has been found; we're inundated with trunk slammers. There isn't a single empty lot anywhere on the lake and everyone has a boat & several also have a 'toon and some sort of PWC. The boats are primarily MasterCrafts etc designed to throw huge wakes for boarders and surfers. The point I'm making is the lake is now BUSY & all the high speed activity is crammed into a few hours; the lake is so rough during high speed hours that a good skier can't ski (forget bare footing) and violating the 100' rule is common. We haven't had an accident yet but it's only a matter of time.
I can't help but think if the curfew was eliminated, or lengthened by a couple hours, that it would reduce the traffic because you're not compressing all that high speed activity into just a few hours. We've floated the idea of eliminating our curfew at the association meetings and the reaction from the really old timers was borderline hilarious; they have an almost fanatical support of the curfew - I think we'd have had less of a reaction if we'd suggested we sacrifice a virgin every Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The fishermen were almost as bad because they all claim they can't fish while everyone else is high speed boating; they claim they need that quiet time in the morning and evening (except for when they're zooming to & from their spot) which is absolute bull**** because they're out there anchored or trolling all damn day and generally in the way of anyone who wants to pull a skier/tuber/surfer etc.
I really have almost no opinion re keep or eliminate the curfew. I hated it, now I think it's kind of nice for the lake to quiet down, but I don't want to see anyone hurt because of the congestion the forced activity between 11-7:30 results in.
Sorry to rant...getting the single finger salute from a fisherman (who's been in your way all f'n day) for 40 years because you're pulling a skier at 7:25 pm - and then watching him blast off the lake at 9:00 pm when he's done - will do that to you.
Don't even get me started on the azz-hole fishermen who anchor - literally - 10' off your dock when your wife and her girlfriends are sunning on the dock or finding lures stuck in your boat seat or lift canvas. Or around the dock legs.
I'm working on a system of sprinklers activated by motion sensors (like security lights) to mount on the dock to keep the "birds" away. I'm sure the first few times it goes off and soaks the "birds" things will get a little bit western but I'm thinking even the dumbest birds will eventually learn.
cheers
__________________
There are 2 types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are 2 types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
03-28-2019, 07:04 AM
#14
Registered
I don't get how he wanted to expand the time but it got written another way. So who writes these things?
Slippery.
I grew up in Northern Indiana and we used to water ski/ barefoot very early in the morning on the river before work and before boat traffic. On your lake that sounds like it would be impossible. As for Dusk to dawn, doesn't it stay light till almost 10 pm in MI?
Slippery.
I grew up in Northern Indiana and we used to water ski/ barefoot very early in the morning on the river before work and before boat traffic. On your lake that sounds like it would be impossible. As for Dusk to dawn, doesn't it stay light till almost 10 pm in MI?
03-28-2019, 12:11 PM
#15
Registered
What an ass clown. This is exactly what's wrong with our politicians today; they want so much to get their name on something they don't research the existing laws and end up spending the taxpayers money on new regulations that have huge unintended consequences.
Mi currently has a dusk to dawn law IE you can operate at high speed during those hours. (on public lakes)
This law can be modified by the local municipality to shorten high speed operation hours, but if the hours of high speed operation are shortened, they have to be from 10am to 630 pm which with daylight savings time in effect when our water isn't hard means 11 am to 730. Per the DNR rep our lake association met with a few years ago when we looked in to modifying our curfew (adding a couple hours of high speed boating) it has to be either the state (dawn to dusk) rule or the 10-630 rule; in other words each lake can't make their own arbitrary rules.
This guy probably bought a house on a lake that has a curfew, got yelled at by his neighbors for pulling skiers/tubers/surfers/wake boarders after hours, got pissed when he saw fisherman and LOP's (little old peoples) in their pontoon boats ignoring the curfew with no consequences and decided to do something about it by gawd because they messed with the wrong damn guy.
I grew up on an inland lake and still live here nearly 50 years later. We have a curfew - no wake prior to 11am or after 7:30 pm (unless you're a fisherman or LOP with a pontoon - they're exempt somehow).
When I was young(er) I hated the curfew and everything about it with a passion. Now that I'm almost old, I will admit that it's nice to see the lake quiet down and be able to take a slow ride with the Mrs. and a bottle of wine, watch the sunset, etc. and not be dodging other boats (other than fisherman and LOP's etc)
However, the difference between "then" and "now" is the highway has expanded north and the lake has been found; we're inundated with trunk slammers. There isn't a single empty lot anywhere on the lake and everyone has a boat & several also have a 'toon and some sort of PWC. The boats are primarily MasterCrafts etc designed to throw huge wakes for boarders and surfers. The point I'm making is the lake is now BUSY & all the high speed activity is crammed into a few hours; the lake is so rough during high speed hours that a good skier can't ski (forget bare footing) and violating the 100' rule is common. We haven't had an accident yet but it's only a matter of time.
I can't help but think if the curfew was eliminated, or lengthened by a couple hours, that it would reduce the traffic because you're not compressing all that high speed activity into just a few hours. We've floated the idea of eliminating our curfew at the association meetings and the reaction from the really old timers was borderline hilarious; they have an almost fanatical support of the curfew - I think we'd have had less of a reaction if we'd suggested we sacrifice a virgin every Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The fishermen were almost as bad because they all claim they can't fish while everyone else is high speed boating; they claim they need that quiet time in the morning and evening (except for when they're zooming to & from their spot) which is absolute bull**** because they're out there anchored or trolling all damn day and generally in the way of anyone who wants to pull a skier/tuber/surfer etc.
I really have almost no opinion re keep or eliminate the curfew. I hated it, now I think it's kind of nice for the lake to quiet down, but I don't want to see anyone hurt because of the congestion the forced activity between 11-7:30 results in.
Sorry to rant...getting the single finger salute from a fisherman (who's been in your way all f'n day) for 40 years because you're pulling a skier at 7:25 pm - and then watching him blast off the lake at 9:00 pm when he's done - will do that to you.
Don't even get me started on the azz-hole fishermen who anchor - literally - 10' off your dock when your wife and her girlfriends are sunning on the dock or finding lures stuck in your boat seat or lift canvas. Or around the dock legs.
I'm working on a system of sprinklers activated by motion sensors (like security lights) to mount on the dock to keep the "birds" away. I'm sure the first few times it goes off and soaks the "birds" things will get a little bit western but I'm thinking even the dumbest birds will eventually learn.
cheers
Mi currently has a dusk to dawn law IE you can operate at high speed during those hours. (on public lakes)
This law can be modified by the local municipality to shorten high speed operation hours, but if the hours of high speed operation are shortened, they have to be from 10am to 630 pm which with daylight savings time in effect when our water isn't hard means 11 am to 730. Per the DNR rep our lake association met with a few years ago when we looked in to modifying our curfew (adding a couple hours of high speed boating) it has to be either the state (dawn to dusk) rule or the 10-630 rule; in other words each lake can't make their own arbitrary rules.
This guy probably bought a house on a lake that has a curfew, got yelled at by his neighbors for pulling skiers/tubers/surfers/wake boarders after hours, got pissed when he saw fisherman and LOP's (little old peoples) in their pontoon boats ignoring the curfew with no consequences and decided to do something about it by gawd because they messed with the wrong damn guy.
I grew up on an inland lake and still live here nearly 50 years later. We have a curfew - no wake prior to 11am or after 7:30 pm (unless you're a fisherman or LOP with a pontoon - they're exempt somehow).
When I was young(er) I hated the curfew and everything about it with a passion. Now that I'm almost old, I will admit that it's nice to see the lake quiet down and be able to take a slow ride with the Mrs. and a bottle of wine, watch the sunset, etc. and not be dodging other boats (other than fisherman and LOP's etc)
However, the difference between "then" and "now" is the highway has expanded north and the lake has been found; we're inundated with trunk slammers. There isn't a single empty lot anywhere on the lake and everyone has a boat & several also have a 'toon and some sort of PWC. The boats are primarily MasterCrafts etc designed to throw huge wakes for boarders and surfers. The point I'm making is the lake is now BUSY & all the high speed activity is crammed into a few hours; the lake is so rough during high speed hours that a good skier can't ski (forget bare footing) and violating the 100' rule is common. We haven't had an accident yet but it's only a matter of time.
I can't help but think if the curfew was eliminated, or lengthened by a couple hours, that it would reduce the traffic because you're not compressing all that high speed activity into just a few hours. We've floated the idea of eliminating our curfew at the association meetings and the reaction from the really old timers was borderline hilarious; they have an almost fanatical support of the curfew - I think we'd have had less of a reaction if we'd suggested we sacrifice a virgin every Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The fishermen were almost as bad because they all claim they can't fish while everyone else is high speed boating; they claim they need that quiet time in the morning and evening (except for when they're zooming to & from their spot) which is absolute bull**** because they're out there anchored or trolling all damn day and generally in the way of anyone who wants to pull a skier/tuber/surfer etc.
I really have almost no opinion re keep or eliminate the curfew. I hated it, now I think it's kind of nice for the lake to quiet down, but I don't want to see anyone hurt because of the congestion the forced activity between 11-7:30 results in.
Sorry to rant...getting the single finger salute from a fisherman (who's been in your way all f'n day) for 40 years because you're pulling a skier at 7:25 pm - and then watching him blast off the lake at 9:00 pm when he's done - will do that to you.
Don't even get me started on the azz-hole fishermen who anchor - literally - 10' off your dock when your wife and her girlfriends are sunning on the dock or finding lures stuck in your boat seat or lift canvas. Or around the dock legs.
I'm working on a system of sprinklers activated by motion sensors (like security lights) to mount on the dock to keep the "birds" away. I'm sure the first few times it goes off and soaks the "birds" things will get a little bit western but I'm thinking even the dumbest birds will eventually learn.
cheers
Sounds like you live on the same lake that I do...
03-28-2019, 12:38 PM
#16
arneson-industries.com
Offshoreonly Advertiser
03-29-2019, 10:24 AM
#17
VIP Member
VIP Member
I'm north of you a bit.
We're on Bills Lake which is between Newaygo & Howard City on M82 & just south of the Croton / Hardy area.
I think all the lakes with a curfew are experiencing the same issues; as nice as it is when the lake quiets down and get's (insert poetically peaceful term here) it also forces all the high speed activity to be crammed into just a few hours.
The question isn't "if" we have some sort of accident, it's "when" and "how bad".
It's gotten to the point where we almost don't have a dog in the fight; our lake has gotten so busy and the association meetings have turned into a constant *****fest that we'll go for a slow ride with a bottle of wine in the evening, but we now do our "real" boating upriver from Hardy Dam - which is 20 mins away - or we head to the big lake.
We
We're on Bills Lake which is between Newaygo & Howard City on M82 & just south of the Croton / Hardy area.
I think all the lakes with a curfew are experiencing the same issues; as nice as it is when the lake quiets down and get's (insert poetically peaceful term here) it also forces all the high speed activity to be crammed into just a few hours.
The question isn't "if" we have some sort of accident, it's "when" and "how bad".
It's gotten to the point where we almost don't have a dog in the fight; our lake has gotten so busy and the association meetings have turned into a constant *****fest that we'll go for a slow ride with a bottle of wine in the evening, but we now do our "real" boating upriver from Hardy Dam - which is 20 mins away - or we head to the big lake.
We
__________________
There are 2 types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are 2 types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
03-29-2019, 11:00 AM
#18
VIP Member
VIP Member
I don't get how he wanted to expand the time but it got written another way. So who writes these things?
Slippery.
I grew up in Northern Indiana and we used to water ski/ barefoot very early in the morning on the river before work and before boat traffic. On your lake that sounds like it would be impossible. As for Dusk to dawn, doesn't it stay light till almost 10 pm in MI?
Slippery.
I grew up in Northern Indiana and we used to water ski/ barefoot very early in the morning on the river before work and before boat traffic. On your lake that sounds like it would be impossible. As for Dusk to dawn, doesn't it stay light till almost 10 pm in MI?
Yes, stays light for quite a while. The "dawn to dusk" thing is more of a basic safety regulation and is fairly generic and covers the whole state. I'd have to look it up for the exact language but it generally conveys the message that high speed boating is permissible from 1/2 hour prior to sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset, conditions permitting, etc etc. Municipalities have the authority to amend the state law in a more restrictive manner as needed. I believe the DNR has to get involved and "bless" the process for the municipality - in our case the township - to further restrict the high speed hours. It has to be voted on etc. etc.
I've never done a scientific study, but it's been my general observation that lakes without the restrictive high speed curfew aren't as busy - I believe because you can "recreate" at high speed when you want to, as opposed to when you have to, along with everyone else (except of course, the fishermen).
We had a very interesting situation several years ago....as in "pre cell phone era" when I admittedly didn't have as much filter as I do now. We had friends up we hadn't seen in a long time and they wanted to ski and we ran a few minutes late...it may have been as much as 15 minutes (to 7:45) but we didn't have the opportunity to start until after 7 & they were leaving the next day. As we were idling back to the dock a fishing boat with a couple of guys in it pulled over to us and started writing our MC numbers down because he was going to "call the cops". I explained he didn't need to because I was good to go; I reached down and grabbed a couple of fishing poles, held them up and said "look, we've got fishing poles, I see you guys running around whenever you want so this must make it ok" ...LOL...They didn't think it was anywhere near as funny as we did & I reminded him we knew how to work a phone too and how big a shame it would be if someone called the cops on a couple of drunks in a fishing boat.
__________________
There are 2 types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are 2 types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
04-15-2019, 09:07 AM
#20
Registered
What an ass clown. This is exactly what's wrong with our politicians today; they want so much to get their name on something they don't research the existing laws and end up spending the taxpayers money on new regulations that have huge unintended consequences.
Mi currently has a dusk to dawn law IE you can operate at high speed during those hours. (on public lakes)
This law can be modified by the local municipality to shorten high speed operation hours, but if the hours of high speed operation are shortened, they have to be from 10am to 630 pm which with daylight savings time in effect when our water isn't hard means 11 am to 730. Per the DNR rep our lake association met with a few years ago when we looked in to modifying our curfew (adding a couple hours of high speed boating) it has to be either the state (dawn to dusk) rule or the 10-630 rule; in other words each lake can't make their own arbitrary rules.
This guy probably bought a house on a lake that has a curfew, got yelled at by his neighbors for pulling skiers/tubers/surfers/wake boarders after hours, got pissed when he saw fisherman and LOP's (little old peoples) in their pontoon boats ignoring the curfew with no consequences and decided to do something about it by gawd because they messed with the wrong damn guy.
I grew up on an inland lake and still live here nearly 50 years later. We have a curfew - no wake prior to 11am or after 7:30 pm (unless you're a fisherman or LOP with a pontoon - they're exempt somehow).
When I was young(er) I hated the curfew and everything about it with a passion. Now that I'm almost old, I will admit that it's nice to see the lake quiet down and be able to take a slow ride with the Mrs. and a bottle of wine, watch the sunset, etc. and not be dodging other boats (other than fisherman and LOP's etc)
However, the difference between "then" and "now" is the highway has expanded north and the lake has been found; we're inundated with trunk slammers. There isn't a single empty lot anywhere on the lake and everyone has a boat & several also have a 'toon and some sort of PWC. The boats are primarily MasterCrafts etc designed to throw huge wakes for boarders and surfers. The point I'm making is the lake is now BUSY & all the high speed activity is crammed into a few hours; the lake is so rough during high speed hours that a good skier can't ski (forget bare footing) and violating the 100' rule is common. We haven't had an accident yet but it's only a matter of time.
I can't help but think if the curfew was eliminated, or lengthened by a couple hours, that it would reduce the traffic because you're not compressing all that high speed activity into just a few hours. We've floated the idea of eliminating our curfew at the association meetings and the reaction from the really old timers was borderline hilarious; they have an almost fanatical support of the curfew - I think we'd have had less of a reaction if we'd suggested we sacrifice a virgin every Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The fishermen were almost as bad because they all claim they can't fish while everyone else is high speed boating; they claim they need that quiet time in the morning and evening (except for when they're zooming to & from their spot) which is absolute bull**** because they're out there anchored or trolling all damn day and generally in the way of anyone who wants to pull a skier/tuber/surfer etc.
I really have almost no opinion re keep or eliminate the curfew. I hated it, now I think it's kind of nice for the lake to quiet down, but I don't want to see anyone hurt because of the congestion the forced activity between 11-7:30 results in.
Sorry to rant...getting the single finger salute from a fisherman (who's been in your way all f'n day) for 40 years because you're pulling a skier at 7:25 pm - and then watching him blast off the lake at 9:00 pm when he's done - will do that to you.
Don't even get me started on the azz-hole fishermen who anchor - literally - 10' off your dock when your wife and her girlfriends are sunning on the dock or finding lures stuck in your boat seat or lift canvas. Or around the dock legs.
I'm working on a system of sprinklers activated by motion sensors (like security lights) to mount on the dock to keep the "birds" away. I'm sure the first few times it goes off and soaks the "birds" things will get a little bit western but I'm thinking even the dumbest birds will eventually learn.
cheers
Mi currently has a dusk to dawn law IE you can operate at high speed during those hours. (on public lakes)
This law can be modified by the local municipality to shorten high speed operation hours, but if the hours of high speed operation are shortened, they have to be from 10am to 630 pm which with daylight savings time in effect when our water isn't hard means 11 am to 730. Per the DNR rep our lake association met with a few years ago when we looked in to modifying our curfew (adding a couple hours of high speed boating) it has to be either the state (dawn to dusk) rule or the 10-630 rule; in other words each lake can't make their own arbitrary rules.
This guy probably bought a house on a lake that has a curfew, got yelled at by his neighbors for pulling skiers/tubers/surfers/wake boarders after hours, got pissed when he saw fisherman and LOP's (little old peoples) in their pontoon boats ignoring the curfew with no consequences and decided to do something about it by gawd because they messed with the wrong damn guy.
I grew up on an inland lake and still live here nearly 50 years later. We have a curfew - no wake prior to 11am or after 7:30 pm (unless you're a fisherman or LOP with a pontoon - they're exempt somehow).
When I was young(er) I hated the curfew and everything about it with a passion. Now that I'm almost old, I will admit that it's nice to see the lake quiet down and be able to take a slow ride with the Mrs. and a bottle of wine, watch the sunset, etc. and not be dodging other boats (other than fisherman and LOP's etc)
However, the difference between "then" and "now" is the highway has expanded north and the lake has been found; we're inundated with trunk slammers. There isn't a single empty lot anywhere on the lake and everyone has a boat & several also have a 'toon and some sort of PWC. The boats are primarily MasterCrafts etc designed to throw huge wakes for boarders and surfers. The point I'm making is the lake is now BUSY & all the high speed activity is crammed into a few hours; the lake is so rough during high speed hours that a good skier can't ski (forget bare footing) and violating the 100' rule is common. We haven't had an accident yet but it's only a matter of time.
I can't help but think if the curfew was eliminated, or lengthened by a couple hours, that it would reduce the traffic because you're not compressing all that high speed activity into just a few hours. We've floated the idea of eliminating our curfew at the association meetings and the reaction from the really old timers was borderline hilarious; they have an almost fanatical support of the curfew - I think we'd have had less of a reaction if we'd suggested we sacrifice a virgin every Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The fishermen were almost as bad because they all claim they can't fish while everyone else is high speed boating; they claim they need that quiet time in the morning and evening (except for when they're zooming to & from their spot) which is absolute bull**** because they're out there anchored or trolling all damn day and generally in the way of anyone who wants to pull a skier/tuber/surfer etc.
I really have almost no opinion re keep or eliminate the curfew. I hated it, now I think it's kind of nice for the lake to quiet down, but I don't want to see anyone hurt because of the congestion the forced activity between 11-7:30 results in.
Sorry to rant...getting the single finger salute from a fisherman (who's been in your way all f'n day) for 40 years because you're pulling a skier at 7:25 pm - and then watching him blast off the lake at 9:00 pm when he's done - will do that to you.
Don't even get me started on the azz-hole fishermen who anchor - literally - 10' off your dock when your wife and her girlfriends are sunning on the dock or finding lures stuck in your boat seat or lift canvas. Or around the dock legs.
I'm working on a system of sprinklers activated by motion sensors (like security lights) to mount on the dock to keep the "birds" away. I'm sure the first few times it goes off and soaks the "birds" things will get a little bit western but I'm thinking even the dumbest birds will eventually learn.
cheers
