Future of surfing?

[Michigan boarder]

5 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

The manual and course is about rules - nothing really about how you actually drive a boat.

The two times I've taken the in-person class there are lots of good "real world" storied that come out.  It is typically taught by a DNR or retired Sheriff, and they can give good examples of bad decisions that have been made, and make you think about things that you wouldn't and would otherwise come with experiences (that may go badly).  I think they are worth it, @drewski300 you should take it.

[oldjeep]

13 minutes ago, Michigan boarder said:

The two times I've taken the in-person class there are lots of good "real world" storied that come out.  It is typically taught by a DNR or retired Sheriff, and they can give good examples of bad decisions that have been made, and make you think about things that you wouldn't and would otherwise come with experiences (that may go badly).  I think they are worth it, @drewski300 you should take it.

I'm not aware of in person classes here - although maybe they exist.  They were online when the kids took them many years ago.

[Raleigh]

NC has a safety course requirement. It’s a good rule and will prevent younger boaters from killing others. 

“Any person born on or after January 1, 1988 must complete a NASBLA approved boating education course before operating any vessel propelled by a motor of 10 HP or greater.”

[shawndoggy]

On 6/18/2020 at 9:29 AM, Raleigh said:

Get a BIG foil!

check this guy out surfing the third JET SKI wake:

 

[Eagleboy99]

Amazing!  I might have to get one  this summer.  And the dock start - WOW!

Edited June 20, 2020 by Eagleboy99
No reason

[Ronnie]

15 minutes ago, shawndoggy said:

check this guy out surfing the third JET SKI wake:

 

There's some skillz right there. He makes it look way too easy.

 

[carguy79ta]

Crazy. Looks like fun.

[MNNewb]

The MN law is mostly common sense or what should be common sense.  I read an article when this was being drafted.  Multiple boat dealerships were able to significantly influence the language.  MN Inboard was specifically called out.  That said I told my wife last night it's only a matter of time before we see something much stronger.  

Maybe cuz I'm getting old but do you really need to crank rap music from your tower speakers so everyone within a mile can hear?  Modified my boat so I can adjust the towers so I don't  p*ss off the neighbors.  

I'm also a bit sympathetic for not surfing when other boaters are around.  Yeah, it's not fair if someone else comes in then I can't surf.  However with the size of the boats and waves getting so huge it's a safety thing too.  Not supposed to be drunk because your a hazard to others.  So is your surf wave.  I can take a chilly dip just from another's surf wave even when I don't have ballast.  Imagine how the retired couple or family with young kids feel when they get rocked by a surf wave?

Some dealers will go out with you for lessons when you buy.  Shout out to Kody at MN Inboard Baxter, MN.  We didn't buy ours from them so we paid Kody for some lessons.  Etiquette both wave and stereo came up along with setting up the wave, proper turn around, and some surf lessons.  Totally worth it!

Edited June 20, 2020 by MNNewb

[Jeff247]

I didn't know that law was recently passed in MN.  That explains the change in surf patterns on the bay I'm on. Things have actually been better co-existing in the morning when I am in the corner trying to get a few barefoot runs, or slalom in.  Surfing stops before they cross the end where I'm skiing, so win win.  Honestly, if surfers would have just respected what other people are trying to do on the lake, then they wouldn't get to be such a target. But most that buy surf boats these days really haven't skied, so understanding how your waves are a big negative towards others can be missed. (or just don't care) I get so many ski sessions cut short because surfers start to cut across to the end where I'm skiing or the morning boater doing the shoreline loop around the bay at 7-8am.  I always throttle down to not toss rollers if someone is skiing, barefooting (I'm sure I'm the only one...:), kayaks/SUP, and even wakeboarding, because I don't want to ruin their time on the lake.  I have seen some glimmer of hope that some of people can realize this that are not in a direct drive.  Fishing boats, well, never do really.

Fyi, I do have a Wakesetter also, but just wakeboard.  I think the biggest waves that hit my shoreline are the 40+ cruiser a few houses down that plows by occasionally, and the barge that is parked on the bay.

It doesn't help that all the advertising that the boat manufacturers do for the surf boats is "look how big my wave is".

[PNWoke]

I know that the Oregon state Marine board is considering lots of extra restrictions on the willamette and tualitin sections of the metro Portland waterways.  They’re basically pitting the kayakers and SUP’rs and fishermen against the recreational boaters.  Likely resulting in additional restrictions for all the groups to deal with.  I haven’t followed too closely because I don’t boat there but I know there are some silly ideas being tossed around.

[UWSkier]

48 minutes ago, PNWoke said:

I know that the Oregon state Marine board is considering lots of extra restrictions on the willamette and tualitin sections of the metro Portland waterways.  They’re basically pitting the kayakers and SUP’rs and fishermen against the recreational boaters.  Likely resulting in additional restrictions for all the groups to deal with.  I haven’t followed too closely because I don’t boat there but I know there are some silly ideas being tossed around.

It'll be the kayaker and SUPers who don't get the shaft

[PNWoke]

2 hours ago, UWSkier said:

It'll be the kayaker and SUPers who don't get the shaft

They definitely seem to have the loudest “karen” voices dominating the mostly online/email conversations.  It could backfire on them though.  Kayakers and SUPrs are now required in state to have vests.  I could see boaters pushing back and making it madatory that they have flags like atvs in the sand dunes.  It never gets better, only worse when the government is involved.  

[drewski300]

On 6/20/2020 at 7:40 AM, MNNewb said:

The MN law is mostly common sense or what should be common sense.  I read an article when this was being drafted.  Multiple boat dealerships were able to significantly influence the language.  MN Inboard was specifically called out.  That said I told my wife last night it's only a matter of time before we see something much stronger.  

Maybe cuz I'm getting old but do you really need to crank rap music from your tower speakers so everyone within a mile can hear?  Modified my boat so I can adjust the towers so I don't  p*ss off the neighbors.  

I'm also a bit sympathetic for not surfing when other boaters are around.  Yeah, it's not fair if someone else comes in then I can't surf.  However with the size of the boats and waves getting so huge it's a safety thing too.  Not supposed to be drunk because your a hazard to others.  So is your surf wave.  I can take a chilly dip just from another's surf wave even when I don't have ballast.  Imagine how the retired couple or family with young kids feel when they get rocked by a surf wave?

Some dealers will go out with you for lessons when you buy.  Shout out to Kody at MN Inboard Baxter, MN.  We didn't buy ours from them so we paid Kody for some lessons.  Etiquette both wave and stereo came up along with setting up the wave, proper turn around, and some surf lessons.  Totally worth it!

MN Inboard is an awesome dealership! We bought through them and they did give us an on-water lesson. But you can't teach everything you need to learn in a one hour session. I too agree that cranking music, sitting on the back platform while the boat is in motion, and not following along is a recipe for getting stopped. You can make an argument that one large energy wave does less damage than people whipping s***ty's for the tubers they are pulling as well as the damage from wind and ice. I'm just worried that surf boats are the easiest target so that's what they go after. The sport is fairly new still so I am not sure there is enough data to show shoreline erosion caused by surf boats. It would just hate to buy a new boat and surfing could only be done in certain areas on certain lakes.

Our neighbor recently came to us and asked if we would surf somewhere else. He was pissed that he dropped a lot of sand on his beach and some of it washed away. This was in early spring/summer when water temps were around 60° and frankly we didn't want to boat 30 mins to only surf for 30 min. I watched him add more sand only to have it washed away by tubers and pontooners (not us). These surf boats will always have a target even though they aren't the only boats to cause erosion.  

I think boating etiquette should be considered. I try letting the fishing boats and kayaks early morning lake time. Mid-day is better suited for the recreational sports and leave the evenings for the pontoon cruises.

Regardless of all of this, it would be pretty devastating if they increase the 200' number to 500/1000/whatever.

Edited June 22, 2020 by drewski300

[oldjeep]

19 hours ago, Jeff247 said:

I didn't know that law was recently passed in MN.  That explains the change in surf patterns on the bay I'm on. Things have actually been better co-existing in the morning when I am in the corner trying to get a few barefoot runs, or slalom in.  Surfing stops before they cross the end where I'm skiing, so win win.  Honestly, if surfers would have just respected what other people are trying to do on the lake, then they wouldn't get to be such a target. But most that buy surf boats these days really haven't skied, so understanding how your waves are a big negative towards others can be missed. (or just don't care) I get so many ski sessions cut short because surfers start to cut across to the end where I'm skiing or the morning boater doing the shoreline loop around the bay at 7-8am.  I always throttle down to not toss rollers if someone is skiing, barefooting (I'm sure I'm the only one...:), kayaks/SUP, and even wakeboarding, because I don't want to ruin their time on the lake.  I have seen some glimmer of hope that some of people can realize this that are not in a direct drive.  Fishing boats, well, never do really.

Fyi, I do have a Wakesetter also, but just wakeboard.  I think the biggest waves that hit my shoreline are the 40+ cruiser a few houses down that plows by occasionally, and the barge that is parked on the bay.

It doesn't help that all the advertising that the boat manufacturers do for the surf boats is "look how big my wave is".

That may actually explain why I have not been seeing surfers back in the thin arm of Halstad bay and have been seeing them running the middle of Priests bay lately.  I hadn't actually heard of the new law until this thread.

[Jeff247]

On 6/21/2020 at 7:05 PM, PNWoke said:

I know that the Oregon state Marine board is considering lots of extra restrictions on the willamette and tualitin sections of the metro Portland waterways.  They’re basically pitting the kayakers and SUP’rs and fishermen against the recreational boaters.  Likely resulting in additional restrictions for all the groups to deal with.  I haven’t followed too closely because I don’t boat there but I know there are some silly ideas being tossed around.

This is one of my worries with the 200' law in MN. It can spread as other "groups" want to complain about other things. My lake has seen different groups try to get more parts of the lake as "no wake" zones, first claiming erosion, then when that didn't work, toss out safety concerns. I recall seeing a small FB group that was advocating for designating one day per week as "no wake" on entire lake after we had very high water a few summers ago where the entire lake was "no wake" for almost 2 months. They were big fans of that high water event.

I've been part of ski teams that have been kicked off lakes, restricted, and sometimes harassed by small vocal groups that just don't like how other people enjoy the water.  Typically starts with erosion concerns.  Then safety. Then some other thing like noise, or pollution. 

I just do my best to respect how other people are enjoying the lake.