Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

I spoke to a performance boat dealer up North who said officers were giving speeding tickets to those who were boating in Lake Charlevoix lately which feeds into Lake Michigan I believe and the officers were saying that there is a speed limit of 55 mph in all lakes in the State. The officer specifically said the speed limit in Lake Michigan is also 55 MPH. So I went to work to research it not believing what I had heard.

This comes from a very good reliable source. It is the first time I have heard of such a thing and it seems questionable but believable at the same time.

I did some legal research and found this to be the law:

"Slow No-Wake" and speeding Rules

The DNR has also adopted special administrative rules for governing Great Lakes:

These areas are marked with standard and special "NO WAKE" signs for your convenience. Violations of these ordinances are misdemeanors and may be punished by a fine, not to exceed one hundred ( $ 100.00) dollars, or imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days. Speeding laws are subject to penalties equal to those of "land based laws"


Michigan Boating Laws

"The following is a small sampling of rules that apply to boats operating in Michigan waters. For any questions, please direct all questions to the Marien Safety Act, Act 303 P.A. 1967,2004 as amended.

Speed Limit - 55 MPH : On waters of this state..., a maximum speed limit of 55 miles per hours is established. (MCLA 324.80146(3) and MCLA 324.80156 ammendment."

I had a paralegal do this research and the sppedlimit on "all Michigan waters" is 55 mph. We can't find out when this took place but it is being sporadically enforced with tickets, fines and points and can include reckless driving. We don't know if points are added to your record and what the fines etc. are.

Anyone have any further info??

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

Just curious....how is "Michigan water" defined? Are we discussing little lakes within Michigan proper? Seems to me it would be hard to draw a line in the middle of Lake Superior distinguishing Mighigan water from Canadian water.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

I wish I knew but I just talked to a Boarding Officer at the Coast guard in SCS, MI and he knew of no such speed laws but the 600 ft from shore no wake zones are enforced and the 200 feet from the banks of the St Clair river no wake are enforced.

I don't know what to make of it all. My boat only goes 60 MPH so I am not worried.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

I *believe* that Michigan is under the control of the coast guard. Last I knew, the coasties wern't too concerned with speed enforcement. Wisconsin may be different than Michigan, but here the speed limits are set locally. They may have to petition the state for the limit, I don't know, but I know that it's set locally.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

I think bodies of water that are small fall into a different category of laws and enforcement based on each specific body of water and are different than this situation in Upper Michigan. Another Coast Guard Officer said that there is a lobby effort to curtail speeds across the country due to the recent rise in speed related accidents. That we probably could have guessed was coming.

It is truly amazing at how much the speed-boat market in Michigan has declined. We have only a very few dealers who only sell a few boats now per season. I never thought I would see the day! A lot more mid-performance boats that go 40-50 MPH are seen along with many new cruisers. When I was out all day on the St. Clair river I saw one 30' performance boat and about 500 Sea Rays and similiar cruisers.

Looks like the offshore market has moved down South?

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

This is the case on the inland lake in southwest Michigan that I occasionally visit and do a lot of jet skiing on. However, some moron has a 29 Scarab w/twin 502s on that lake (its only 1000 acres), boat runs in the 70s (and DOES it all freakin day). I've never seen him pinched, plus there's a lot of personal watercraft that will easily exceed 55 and they don't seem to be hassled either. Probably just an officer with a bug up his a$$.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

This is what the DNR handbook for michigan says:

Failure to Regulate Speed is operating a vessel at speeds that may cause danger to life or property of any other person or speeds that will not permit you to bring your vessel to a safe stop. It is illegal to operate a vessel:

In excess of 55 mph except if at least one mile offshore of the Great Lakes or Lake St. Clair.
At greater than slow-no wake speed if any person is in the bow of a vessel without proper seating.
Faster than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions (weather, vessel traffic, etc.).

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

Thanks ofshore....I suspected there would be a different set of rules for the great lakes.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

So Lake Charlevoix must qualify as a seperate body of water. Now the question is; why are Coast Guard officers telling boaters up North that Lake Michigan has a speedlimit.?

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

"Failure to Regulate Speed"- is operating a vessel at speeds that may cause danger to life or property of any other person or speeds that will not permit you to bring your vessel to a safe stop.

That is quite a bit of lattitude. You could be out there with a guy in a fishing boat 20 miles out you can't have known about and get a ticket if caught due to a possible "near miss" or even worse slam into it.

"Failure to regulate speed" is an invitation for a legal nightmare if something ever happens. Every state has a version of this law. If you are caught between the nads on this you could be building your lawyer a new "wing" onto his house and neighbor's at that in legal fees alone. No matter what you do to defend a client most non-speed boaters think anything over 60 MPH is too fast.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

I was in Round Lake, which is between Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix, 2 summers ago and was pulled over by the Coast Guard for a safety check, which I passed. I always see the CG guys in waters that feed Lake Michigan. They must have jurisdiction in waters adjacent to the great lakes. I have never heard of anyone getting a speeding ticket in southern Lake Michigan and there sure are a lot of boats that go faster than 55 mph over here. :)

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

Lake Michigan is only 55 mph ONE mile from shore and closer. So, if you're out more than ONE mile, the "Failure to regulate speed" clause would be what gets you in trouble if you have an incident. Lake Michigan (and all the great lakes) are International Waters, so the Coasties have jurisdiction if more than one mile from shore.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

I have always understood it to be inland bodies of water are 55MPH. Race around Lake Michigan all day at 75MPH and pull into Lake Macatawa and its 55MPH. FWIW

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

it is my understanding that there is a 55 mph speed limit on all inland michigan lakes, this would include lake charlevoix. this is also what was explained to us at the boyne thunder poker run by the head of the coast gaurd post on lake charlevoix. he stated that there was not a speed limit on lake michigan, and for that day the limit on lake charlevoix was raised to 80 mph by the dnr.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

wow i need to type faster waterfowl and clc900

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

Must be two "round lakes" in Michigan. There's another one that is landlocked near Brooklyn (MIS) area in Lenawee county.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

What Foul said!!!

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

actually there are 3 or so... i live about 5 miles from brooklyn and from devils lake and there is also a round lake over by wamplers...

my neighbor and i were buzzing sand lake in his 18 donzi.. and didn't see the sherriff at the dock... we went by at about 75ish... we were lucky we received no ticket but we did get a good stern scolding...

55 miles per hour on all inland water unless otherwise posted LOWER.. and within one nautical mile of shore on the great lakes.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

Are these speed limits posted ?

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

LOL! The speed limit is damn near impossible to enforce, that's why nobody gets ticketed.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

I have never been talked to or even warned about speeding, but I knew the speed limit on the inland lakes was 55mph. However, I have no idea if a ticket would go on your driving record or not. Either people were doing some dumb driving or the "officers" had a bug up their a*s. Or both.

Do you guys also realize that this also applies to the lakes when they are frozen. So, if you're running wide open accross the lake(which I would never do :D) on your snowmobile they could nail you for it.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

Most tickets are for the no-wake violations.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

3 Round lakes? Huh! I'll bet there are at LEAST 7-8 Long Lakes in Michigan. I have fished at least 3 of them.

Oh, and the speed limit on them is 55 mph! And it's not posted. BUT, ignorance will not get you out of a ticket.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

I have also heard of the 55 mph inland speed law in michigan,all the non-boaters i work with are always telling me how they heard the cops are on lakes with radar busting everyone but iv'e yet to ever see that. I do know someone who was pulled over on higgins lake for speeding and given a stern warning and a thourogh safety check but no ticket. I always wondered about the st claire river,i will keep 200 ft from shore when opening it up.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

I know several people who have gotten speeding tickets on Hardy Dam Pond. One was for 102 mph!!!! Up there the county sherrif does indeed patrol the lake with a radar gun. Beware.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

No Sh-t,i was just there sunday!Iv'e seen law enforcement on the river several times near the gas docks and saw the dive team doing a recovery after 4th of july crash but wasn't aware of radar!What happened to the guy busted for 102? Iv'e always wondered if it went on your license (that would be more like a serious reckless driving ticket!!

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

I have not had the chance to ask him about the ticket... when I see him I will. I'll be up there for the Hardy Party the weekend after Labor Day.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

Yup, 55 inland and no limit on speed or noise past 1 mile. They never care closer unless it was crowded and then you deserve it. Isn't it no plane after dark? I know I have done it but I think it is a ticketed offense.

Re: Boat speeding tickets in Michigan
 

Wow, I have been to Higgins several times and seen some fast boats up there. Haven't been there in awhile though.