No Wake and Wakesurfing on the Lake

By D. Ernes – Lake Management Committee

One of the more popular activities on the lake is boating. Just look at the lake during a nice weekend, and you will see a number of different types of boats, engaged in different types of activities. While each of us has their own idea of a pleasurable day on the lake, we must also consider one important effect of boating – the wake. It can have significant impacts. They include 1) risks to the safety of other boaters and swimmers, 2) the impact of the wake energy on the docks and boats tied off at lake front homeowner’s properties, and 3) the resuspension of sediment at the bottom of the lake which can cause an increase in phosphorous, fueling algal blooms.

Throughout the lake there are no wake zones. In these areas one must operate at no wake speeds which is defined as traveling at the minimum speed necessary for steerage of the vessel. But don’t get tied up on terminology – it really just means going slow. No wake buoys are placed at the entry of the coves, which are the shallowest parts of the lake. They also are usually the narrowest areas in the lake. Therefore, each of the negative aspects of wakes are amplified in these areas. The other important no wake zone is along the shoreline in the main body of the lake where you should travel at no wake speeds within 75 feet of the shoreline. There are a few studies that verify that by obeying no wake areas, negative impacts are minimized.

Recently, there has been some discussion on the impacts of wake boats. While the boat itself is not a problem, certain activities such as wakesurfing are of interest. There are a number of states, including Michigan and Wisconsin, who are looking at limiting wakesurfing and the impacts it has relative to a standard powerboat. One study found that wakesurfing generates 2-17 times the amount of wake energy as a standard outboard. And the distance it takes for the wake to dissipate is 2-3 times that of a standard boat. The wake energy downwards is also magnified, which can scour the lake bottom. The resuspended sediment can stay dispersed for hours, increasing the nutrients that can be released.

Each of the negative effects of boating on our lake and on our fellow resident’s property is magnified by several times while wakesurfing. It is suggested that, if you are operating your wake boat for wakesurfing or wakeboarding, that you try to confine the activities to the center of the lake, where it is the deepest.

We are working hard to develop a Lake Management Plan to improve the lake today and into the future. Anyone who chooses to ignore the no wake guidelines regardless of the type of watercraft, are making this task more difficult and more expensive for you and everyone else in the community.

BE WAKE RESPONSIBLE