No wake zone???

gtdavis

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Messages
78
Is the definition of "no wake" a matter of opinion??? I was out on the lake with my wife when we decided to go to a water front bar and grill that we often visit.... Anyway as I'm idling Yes really idling.... Any slower would have needed paddles.. The owner comes out and starts yelling at me about being in a no wake zone asking if I knew what those blank blank bouies meant!! I tried to tell him I was at idle as he continued to yell?? I was the only boat there too!! I have no clue!?? As I was turning to leave and content to listen to his bantering and watching him try to take down my boat I'D yelling "I got you" I drifted into the shallows and scrapped up my prop pretty bad. I even started questioning myself maybe I wasn't paying attention about my speed I asked my wife and she said she was actually wondering why I was going so slow???? Well won't be going back thats for sure!
 

Splat

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
Messages
1,366
Re: No wake zone???

A no wake zone is just that. Traveling at a speed at which your boat doesnt create a wave or wake of any size behind you. Speed differs from boat to boat depending on hull design and draft. If you look behid you and can see the path you just travelled outlined by a wave, your going to fast.

Sounds like this guy may have been a bit of a blowhole tho.

Also you are responsible for any damage that you create due to your wake. This includes other vessles, and property on shore. Just a FYI.

Bill
 

dlngr

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 15, 2007
Messages
547
Re: No wake zone???

I think I can understand Splats definition,but going by that I wouldn't even be able to run the trolling motor on my little 14 footer!! You have to apply some bit of power just to steer the darn boat.
 

gtdavis

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Messages
78
Re: No wake zone???

If it did leave anything it was a ripple as I approached the boat was running completely flat trim down at idle...serious one step above drifting... and when he was yelling at me I was actually in neutral! The only damage that in any could have been done was whe I was turning around and my prop dug in but that was to my property!! I'm always or think I'm always very careful actually have made comments about boaters flying past me when I'm just approaching the no wake zone. Even if he ha said hey you came in a little fast slow it down next time or something??? Sad I liked going there and had been there and approached the dock the exact same way??? Anyway just throwing it out there felt like I needed to vent!
 

gtdavis

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Messages
78
Re: No wake zone???

And...... Even though it dinged up my prop I felt bad for digging it in the lake bed
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
Re: No wake zone???

Is the definition of "no wake" a matter of opinion??? I was out on the lake with my wife when we decided to go to a water front bar and grill that we often visit.... Anyway as I'm idling Yes really idling.... Any slower would have needed paddles.. The owner comes out and starts yelling at me about being in a no wake zone asking if I knew what those blank blank bouies meant!! I tried to tell him I was at idle as he continued to yell?? I was the only boat there too!! I have no clue!?? As I was turning to leave and content to listen to his bantering and watching him try to take down my boat I'D yelling "I got you" I drifted into the shallows and scrapped up my prop pretty bad. I even started questioning myself maybe I wasn't paying attention about my speed I asked my wife and she said she was actually wondering why I was going so slow???? Well won't be going back thats for sure!

Maybe they won't let you back!

"At idle" means that your throttle was back all the way. Like maybe 800 or 1000 rpm. If you were faster than that you weren't at idle and were creating a wake.
 

dwco5051

Commander
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
2,326
Re: No wake zone???

I tell people that it is the minimum speed that you can go and still maintain steerage. It will vary as was said above from boat to boat depending on hull design and size.
 

Stachi

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
1,671
Re: No wake zone???

had any boats gone by and their wakes make it in about the time you were there ?....sounds like the guy may just be a blow hole....lol
 

mnypitboat

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
May 31, 2010
Messages
1,091
Re: No wake zone???

Maybe they won't let you back!

"At idle" means that your throttle was back all the way. Like maybe 800 or 1000 rpm. If you were faster than that you weren't at idle and were creating a wake.

Here are the definitions

■Any vessel operating in a speed zone posted as "Idle Speed - No Wake" must operate at the minimum speed that allows the vessel to maintain headway and steerageway.
■Any vessel operating in a speed zone posted as "Slow Down - Minimum Wake" must operate fully off plane and completely settled in water.
■The vessel's wake must not be excessive nor create a hazard to other vessels.

In other words, if your boat idles too high, it may still pull a wake. I had an FWC officer tell me I had to fix my boat because it wouldnt go any slower. I had to lower my idle from 800 to 600 to satisfy him. As said before, you should not pull any wake or any sign that you just went through an area.

HTH
 

idaharoam

Cadet
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Messages
15
Re: No wake zone???

It sounds to me like you did everything right. I can promise you this I would have shown him an fbi turn around with some huuuge rollers heading towards his docks if there were'nt any boats at. Lol. Then my wife would have been chewing my but all the way home.. lol.

Ryan.
 

gtdavis

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Messages
78
Re: No wake zone???

Wow JimS do you know the guy I'm talking about or something? What up with the comment????? I'm trying to do two thing here: one is vent a little frustration because I was really looking forward to some southwestern egg rolls they serve and two learn what I may have done wrong.... I'm not a reckless boater. I'm a firefighter that has had to fish people out of the very same lake I was in. And btw my boat idles at 850 rpm I am very aware if what at idle means, as I was only in forward gear at idle so I could steer!
 

gtdavis

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Messages
78
Re: No wake zone???

LOL at Ryan!!!!!! I thought the same thing and when i told my wife said she would have chewed my out!!!!!! Lol
 

jeepnsam

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 20, 2010
Messages
128
Re: No wake zone???

sound like the guy thinks "no wake" means "no boat" Zone
 

gtdavis

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Messages
78
Re: No wake zone???

Thanks mnypitboat.... That helps to know.... Idk if I can drop my idle anymore and be able to maintain steerage but I can give it a try to avoid future problems!
 

45Auto

Commander
Joined
May 31, 2002
Messages
2,842
Re: No wake zone???

my boat idles at 850 rpm I am very aware if what at idle means

If you were in the 1994 3.0L that's in your profile, factory Mercruiser idle spec is 650-700 RPM.

My boat idles at 650 RPM doing 2.5 MPH with no wake, and makes a noticeable wake at 900 RPM doing 6 MPH.
 

iop

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
112
Re: No wake zone???

GT I would not worry about it... if you were going slow the dude is an a-hole.
I have met plenty of then in the water. I will always admit my guilt but some dudes are just wanna be hall monitor types. F'em.
 

BF

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 8, 2003
Messages
1,489
Re: No wake zone???

I'm not saying this was you, but often it seems operators think "no wake" means "not planing" Lots of times I've seen boats go thru a no wake zone with their boats going slow, but plowing and making a huge wake. BTW, idling means the lowest possible throttle setting (just in gear, no extra throttle). Anything above that is not idling, but is above idle. Sounds like you might have been above idle, but were not planing. Issue is whether you were throwing a wake or not. It doesn't take much more than idle to make a wake. We're not talking a ripple here, throwing a stone in water makes a ripple... we're talking about an appreciable rolling wave caused by the movement of your boat.

Yes, it could also be that the person thought "no wake" meant "no boat"... but if they were in a boat up establishment (?) I doubt that.
 
Top