[Hydrocat]

Hope someone has an answer here.... Can anyone put up there own 'no wake zone' sign up wherever they want? We were out this weekend and some guy starts firing the bird at us and screaming as we were just cruising in thru the canal. There were no boats in the water or tied up to any docks, none not even within sight. I guess he did not want his land to be washed away. He could put up a bulkhead....... Are we in the wrong? It was just his own hand made sign.

 

[CHARLIE]

Yes anyone can put up a sign. But if its not an ordinance in the city or county he lives in no one to enforce it. But if he is in a city or county that has ordinances against wakes in a canal you can be issued a ticket. Even if there is none I would hope that you do respect some other persons propety by slowing down and leaving no wake. And yes you are responsible for any damage done by your wake.

Charlie

 

[C. Moore]

Back in the Coast Guard days, I always remembered the statement that "You are responsible for your wake and any damage caused by your wake".

I remember in Yankeetown, Fl, they had no wake zones for Manatee areas......I was running a 41 foot Coast Guard boat, I slowed for the no wake zone, once I cleared the no wake zone, I brought it up to 20 kts and shorty after that we hit something. It was a Manatee out of the Manatee zone. Poor guy didn't survive. The local paper wrote up a nice article about me being a Manatee Killer. They said something like. "The Coast Guard runs down and kills a protected Manatee"!!! After the investigation, I was cleared of any wrong doing. Typical media trying to juice up a good story.

The signs in Florida were obviously Govt signs. I think the safest attitude to take is slow down when you see a sign.

 

[Kalamity]

No wake, more fun

Hydrocat,

My philosophy at no wake zones and areas where boats are tied up to docks and sometimes even empty docks or occasionally smaller boats (jon and shallow draft bay boats) where my wake would cause them to slow down too much or they are anchored:

If I'm in my boat, then my objective is to have FUN generally speaking; my rule is to try not to do anything that might upset another person, regardless of who has the "right". If someone is upset at an action I did then they may show this with a finger, choice words, a precisely cast bottom rig or worst case a freaken gun... My reaction, whatever it is (could be worst case...), necessarily means FUN OVER for a while at the least.

No Wake = More Fun.

Thanks
Kal