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Ther are many places where individuals put up their own no wake signs. Remember the Coast Guard's signs are orange and white. Not red or black or any other color. True World Marine when they moved here put up red and white no wake signs on their docks. If you put orange ones up I believe the Coasties would take exception to it. All bridges, I believe, are no wake zones.
UaVaj - 6/16/2008 1:30 AM
As for the hostile boater. Next time have a faster boat. Just don't let him catch you.
That's what I was going to say. Good luck catching me when I trim up the motors and feed the ponies a healthy serving of petrol. If he got close enough I would blast a rooster tail in his face.
As has gone civil discourse, so has the act of common courtesy.
My boat has been waked very hard at the dock by disrespectful, and I hope ametuer boaters who don't know better, that plow very close by the marina throwing the largest wake possible.
How these people don't understand that plowing with a planing hull causes a larger wake to be created and that this can cause damage to others boats, injury etc is beyond me. (someof them smile and wave to me while in the act . . . no kidding around)
All I wish is that these people would would have some respect for other people's property, and wildlife for that matter but thats another thread, while they are out on the water.
That said, the boater who chased should not have taken the no wake into his own hands. If there was damage to his boat, then he should probably have gone throught he proper channels to address it.
It seems like its always such a big deal for people to simply slow down. Why?
__________________ My Classic Plastic
1986 Pro-Line Center Console
A no-wake zone starts BETWEEN no-wake buoys and continues until you pass BETWEEN no-wake buoys again. If the law states a 100 yard clearence regardless of buoys and you were 100 yards away and there were no buoys across the river you were not in a no-wake. They are probably not "official" buoys and were placed there by the marina.
That being said, exercise good judgement and be courteous at all times. Err on the side of caution. You are responsible for your wake no matter what.
As far as the guy running you down, do not argue, apoligize and go on with your business. There are real crazies out there who may well be armed and easily provoked.
I generally obey official statutory No Wake/Minimum Wake zone signs.
I ignore privately erected signs. In Florida it is illegal to erect your own No Wake/Minimum Wake signs.
If you built a dock on a waterway that is not an official No Wake/Minimum Wake that was your choice. Buy a boat lift. Just don't expect others to have to slow down for you.
My pet peeve is when folks slow down off the plane, but try and get by as fast as they can, in the process creating a huge bow wave. I would rather they fly by at speed in that case.
SECTION 1. Section 50-21-135 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 181 of 1993, is further amended to read:
"Section 50-21-135. (A) A no wake zone is established on the Ashley River within one hundred yards of the Dolphin Cove Marina in Charleston County. The boundaries of this no wake zone must be marked clearly with signs designed and installed as specified by the department.
Leaving out any discussion of boaters being responsible for their own wakes, damage to one's personal boat, or other side issues; the marina is on one shore of the river, does this language indicate that the no wake zone extends into the river for one hundred yards from the outside edge of the marina or does it indicate that the no wake zone extends to the other shore of the river?
And yes, I will check with the DNR. If it's truly an official no wake zone, I will observe it. If it's not, I will, as I always heve done, stay as far away from the marina as safely possible, and travel at my normal cruising speed.
Sometimes NO WAKE ZONES are difficult to spot. ............When going up the Ashley River past City Marina, I consider the entire width Ashley a no wake zone from the red buoy all the way to the old bridge. (And probably past Bristol Marine) .............
I do also. It's posted by the Charleston Police Department. Also on the bridges and the remainder of the width is a federal designated anchorage. SC law prohibits boats from exceeding idle speed within fifty feet of a dock, swimmer, or another boat.
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Regarding hostile boaters......Sadly, civil discourse has eroded so much in this country, there will always be no shortage of rude and hostile people. The advise to listen, not respond, and go on your way is good advice. (Hard to follow when people become so offensive)
I tried giving the OK sign and waving but he insisted that I slow down while he ranted. Of course I could have kept going but he might have followed me to my slip and things could have gotten out of hand. I'm not a violent person by nature but I don't like to be embarrased publicly either.
And if it matters, I was racing an approaching storm.
The problem is that I pass this marina whenever I go anywhere. If he's right, I will slow down, end of problem. If he's wrong, I'm likely to encounter him again and again until he becomes convinced that he is wrong and shouldn't be chasing me in his boat. And it's embarassing when he does it in front of family or guests.
OK, I just checked with the DNR and the legal no-wake zone is from the marina to the buoys just like I thought.
I called the marina manager and told him what happened. He claimed it was not one of his employees but I believe it was. He also tried to tell me that the river is only 100 yards wide at that point but it's really three times that wide.
If it happens again, I'll get the registration numbers and take his picture. And explain the law to him.
OK, I just checked with the DNR and the legal no-wake zone is from the marina to the buoys just like I thought.
I called the marina manager and told him what happened. He claimed it was not one of his employees but I believe it was. He also tried to tell me that the river is only 100 yards wide at that point but it's really three times that wide.
If it happens again, I'll get the registration numbers and take his picture. And explain the law to him.
BTW: It's not my intent to damage anyone's property and I try my best to be a courtious and professional boater, but this guy doesn't own the entire river. He has no right to try to control the speed of the hundreds of boats passing by on his own. If he thinks the entire width of the river should be a no wake zone, he can try to get that approved legally.
Whether you are in a No Wake zone or not you are ALWAYS responsible for your wake. Basic rules of the road.
Go down to Ft Lauderdale and tie your boat up to a dock in an area on the ICW that is not an officially marked slow speed zone one weekend in the summer and see if you get waked or not.
Whether you are in a No Wake zone or not you are ALWAYS responsible for your wake. Basic rules of the road.
The other day I heard a guy on the radio trying to raise some boats about the wakes they were making. He was being pretty nasty and they weren't answering their radios. He was apparently on a work barge and these guys were rocking the barge and making it unsafe.
Finally, he decided to call the Coast Guard and make a public issue of it. Turns out, these were US Navy boats doing some kind of manuvers in the harbor.
Honestly, you already know the answer to both of your questions...
I was pretty sure but wanted to be absolutely certain before I ignored this guy and ran the risk of him calling the DNR on me and getting an expensive ticket.
Rwidman, your Camano can throw a large rolling sea which can easily travel great distances. For the person who has a house with a dock in an area of no restrictions, no sympathy. Anywhere near a marina, speed restrictions or not, I'd slow down to 5kts. What's it gonna cost me? A few seconds, maybe a minute of my time? I'm on the boat. Time is governed by the sun & my stomach.
Rwidman, your Camano can throw a large rolling sea which can easily travel great distances. For the person who has a house with a dock in an area of no restrictions, no sympathy. Anywhere near a marina, speed restrictions or not, I'd slow down to 5kts. What's it gonna cost me? A few seconds, maybe a minute of my time? I'm on the boat. Time is governed by the sun & my stomach.
Re: No Wake Zone? 
