*THE HULL TRUTH is the world's largest FREE network for the discussion of Boating & Fishing. Whether you're researching a new boat, or are a seasoned Captain, you'll find The Hull Truth Boating & Fishing Message Forum contains a wealth of information from Boaters and Sportfishermen around the world.
Welcome to the updated THT!
If you are having trouble signing in, please email feedback@thehulltruth.com with your username and we will help you. We thank you for your patience as we help you access the new site!
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.
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.
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.
I get the point.
I stay as far from the marina and buoys as depth will allow. That puts me 200 yards or more from the marina most of the time. Depending on the tide there can be a pretty strong current at that point so 5 knots over water could equal two or three over land. Also, in this case, I was trying to get in ahead of a storm.
My point is that here is a private citizen attempting to police the river by running down boats and intimidating boaters and he doesn't even know the law! One day he'll do this and the boater will pull a gun on him!
As I said above, if he wants the whole width of the river as a no wake zone, he can go to the state legislature and make his request.
BTW: Before I even got this boat, when I first started boating in the area, I looked up the law, then measured the distance from the no wake buoys to the marina with a range finder just to be certain I wasn't breaking the law.
I know a wake can travel a lot farther than a couple hundred yards, Why not just slow down where boats are tied to docks or floats? I know around here it seems the ones that realize the harbormaster is off at 4:00 think the no wake zones don't apply after that. When we are at Sandy neck beach and the whale boat goes by a mile away I know I have a couple minutes to move off the beach before the wake hits.
according to the scale on google sat maps the open water outside the marina is approx 475 yards. that leaves 375 yards--1125 feet of navigable water. no boater should have to slow down in that navigable water at any time. a marina takes from the public use for private gain, if they dont want boats to be waked then dock them inside. the other marinas in charleston use breakwaters to protect the boats. dolphin cove does not. i think the o.p. should have trimmed up and gave the jerk a bath.
Practically Speaking, there can be no such thing as a "no wake" zone, because unless you are dead in the water and not making way, you are creating a wake...For the life of me. i do not how the 5 year olds who write these laws can get away with this...
There are "minumum wake zones" and "reduced speed zones" and "idle speed zones" but you can not have a "no wake" zone...let's get some bottom dweller legal sharks to jump up on this and help us defend this issue!
Oh please. I have been yelled at coming back into Rock Hall harbor by people on sailboats, tied to their slips parallel to the channel, for my "wake". Dead slow, and my "wake" consists of bubbles smaller than what I can do on my own in a swimming pool. No wake isn't the same as no bubbles, as far as I'm concerned. Oh yeah, I bought my first boat in 1971, and have taught the boating courses. There are more horses asses out there than there are horses.
according to the scale on google sat maps the open water outside the marina is approx 475 yards. that leaves 375 yards--1125 feet of navigable water. no boater should have to slow down in that navigable water at any time. a marina takes from the public use for private gain, if they dont want boats to be waked then dock them inside. the other marinas in charleston use breakwaters to protect the boats. dolphin cove does not. i think the o.p. should have trimmed up and gave the jerk a bath.
As soon as I figure out how to trim up my single screw trawler, I'll do that!
The problem was, he jumped in his boat and chased me down and demanded that I stop while he (erroniously, it turns out) scolded me in front of my wife for making a wake in what he thought was a no wake zone. If I hadn't stopped, he would probably have followed me to my marina and made a scene there in front of the staff and my slip neighbors.
I am also thinking that he felt he could to this to an older man and his wife without personal risk. I'll bet he doesn't do it to a boat full of younger males with a few beers under their belts. Hundreds of boats pass by that marina every weekend or holiday and most do not slow down, they stay outside the no wake buoys.
I called the marina and complained to the manager. He claims it's not an employee but I believe it is. Next time I pass by, I'll try to get his boat numbers and a photo just in case. If he chases me down again, I will videotape him and charge him with assault. I will be carrying a printout of the SC law authorizing and defining the no wake zone.
"Always responsible for your own wake" is not always true, and I've posted links to court cases on THT before to prove the point. Boat/home/dock/marina owners in areas subject to wakes also have the responsibility to properly secure their property to be protected against reasonably expected wake/wave action. It's a good general common sense rule to use but there are exceptions.
__________________ 30' Chris Craft Tournament Sportfish
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.
This is NOT a no wake zone on the SW side of these buoys. That is what DNR told me. The same exists at Downtown Marina in Beaufort but, the sign on the bridge states from bridge to bridge. Go figure.
This is NOT a no wake zone on the SW side of these buoys. That is what DNR told me. The same exists at Downtown Marina in Beaufort but, the sign on the bridge states from bridge to bridge. Go figure.
Oddly enough, several of us travelled to Beaufort this past weekend and stayed at the Downtown Marina. We were on the face dock and those that were on the outside really noticed the boats going by in apparent violation of the posted signs.
I, of course, observed the posted no wake zone from the bridge to the marina
There is no mention of a no wake zone near the Downtown Marina, but the city might have jurisdiction also and that wouldn't be listed in the state law.
BigosS - 6/17/2008 6:41 PM "Always responsible for your own wake" is not always true, ..................
I disagree... If you are in control of your boat you are responsible for any damage you do with it, whether you run into something or damage something with the wake you create.
Quote:
BigosS - 6/17/2008 6:41 PM .......... Boat/home/dock/marina owners in areas subject to wakes also have the responsibility to properly secure their property to be protected against reasonably expected wake/wave action..................................
I totally agree, people are going to throw wakes, wind will blow hard against the tide and bring 2 to 3'ers through the docks. Only a fool isn't prepared to defend his property against these things, they are going to happen.
Ron, I am not suggesting you were wrong BTW, you don't seem the type.... I have seen many boater go bezerk over a wake when he had his 24' gofast with a big block tied to a local bars dock with 4" diameter dock bumpers 12" long... Then of course when the same guy leaves the dock, he's at 1500rpm, he couldn't make a bigger wake if he tried goin by the house.
If you can get their attention by waving them down, you can (if you want and they sit still long enough) explain what your concern is. If they listen and respond politely tell them have a nice day.
If this doesnt work then smile and wave and remember, sooner or later most ace-holes get caught, or mess up expensively.
Boaters should remember that not all legitimate wake-zones will be marked or listed on maps. Check your local reg.s for distances from thing like; the shore, other boats, swimmers, bridges or wild-life.
__________________ I'm not a boat expert, I just read THT!
For what its worth, I think you handled it about as well as you could. There was a time when I would have given it back to someone like that just as hard as he gave it to me. In today's world, its just not worth it. That being said, I would never allow someone like that to get close enough to my boat to allow him to board it. Just try to get his boat numbers, turn him in, and forget about it. As far as being embarrassed in front of others, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just handle yourself with class and explain to the ones that you are worried about exactly what the regulations are and how the other guy is the dumbass for not knowing as much as you.
Being overly officious is bad enough, but if you are not an official to start with then he can wind up in trouble. Sounds like he
may stop the wrong boat soon if he keeps this up.
Re: No Wake Zone? 
