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Questions about local boating laws

  • Thread starter Thread starter TheNerd
  • Start date Start date
T

TheNerd

Guest
Well, I live in Mid Michigan and do most of my boating here or in Northern Michigan, Iosco County to be exact. Here in Michigan there is generally a 55 mph speed limit that is typically not enforced, and as long as you are not over the legal limit, there has never been a problem with having a few beers on the boat. Now, this has been my experience and one of the things that keeps me boating. As long as you are being safe, or reasonably safe you are not bothered by the water cops.
I hear stories of areas where the water cops enforce a 45 mph speed limit, have size restrictions on certian water ways, and it is illegal to drink on a boat. Also stories of the water cops setting up random check points and going over your boat.
I guess my question is...... Does this kinda thing happen in your area, and what fun would boating be with out going fast, drinking beer, and letting loose????
 
I know that on the 4th of July last year (the 2nd day I owned my Convincor) my boat and my friends were stopped, boarded and searched because we were the only two boats headed back upriver from the bay when the fireworks let out (there were about 3000 boats headed downriver). The DNR officer that boarded mine was an @$$ #*!& and trommped with his rubber boots all over my clean seats and was ordering me where to stand in my own boat...for no reason....all of this while I was trying to swap batteries with another boat because mine went dead starting and stopping so much because they wouldn't open the river so we could continue. I was 100% sober and pissed. We were tied up with another boat that we were swapping batteries with and he ordered us to sepparate because we were "too close." the coast guard took my buddy's boat to the seawall and searched them. That was a very bad experience with the water pigs (like every other time I get stopped).

On a better note, I did learn that the no wake zone by Ojibway Island is not enforcable because it was not approved with the coast guard. They took the signs off of the bridges last year too.

They have been slowly tightening the laws on the river (along with every where else) and are making it impossible to have fun without being bothered. Yes there are idiots out there that hurt people but don't harrass the general population too....just my .02!
 
i run the potomac river, and during the week there is no speed limit, but during the weekend there is a 45MPH SPEED LIMIT, stupid right? but we manly go up river in the shallow and tie up and drink alittle, throw the football and stuff like that until later in the day, when the DNR pull off and then the river is ALL ours. so your not alone. but i can say ive been boating there for 13 years and 10 years before that with my family and ive NEVER been pulled over, i guess i better go knock on wood now, huh.
 
Hey Gimme, are you going to have that boat back together for Memorial Day weekend??? There are a few boats that are going to be hitting the river.


Last year the Sheriffs Department in Iosco county ran out of funds and posted a sad note about the cut backs. One of the major cut backs was no water patrol. That was a open invite to misbehave.
 
I do all my boating on the St. Croix river here in MN. Last year I spun a hub on my Pulsare and was being towed to a island. When we got close to the island I got up on my bow so that my boat would not hit the tow boat and was stopped by the water cops for being on the bow of my boat, because the rails were not high enough. I think that they need to find better things to bust people for.
 
Nerd....It will not be back together that early. It should be together a week or two after that though. Just enough time to test and tune before KCQ Fest and Jobbie Nooner. I should have an assembled short block back in a week to a week and a half.... the block is being machined first thing tomorrow!

I just hate hearing about those cutbacks...it almost brought a tear to my eye...almost:bigthumb:

Ron:cheers:
 
I mostly boat on Lake Norman NO SPEED LIMIT. I have been stopped a lot they never board just make me show them a life jacket per person on the boat and a through cushion. One time they wanted to see paper work. Beer is always on the boat but I stay in the cabin eating peanut butter crackers slowly handing out life jackets. The Sheriff patrols and the Gain-warden. The Gain-warden here has more authority on the water then the sheriffs department. They can be more of a butt head. I do not avoid them when leaving a tie up or whatever, if I see them I make it a point to drive by them. This seems to help me not get pulled over as much.

I think my problem is, my boat is a soild red Convincor,so it stands out like a target.
 
I can see why the cop wanted to check you guys out I should have looked odd with only 2 boats on the water tied up handing stuff to each other might have looked like some drug stuff.
Gimme Fuel said:
I know that on the 4th of July last year (the 2nd day I owned my Convincor) my boat and my friends were stopped, boarded and searched because we were the only two boats headed back upriver from the bay when the fireworks let out (there were about 3000 boats headed downriver). The DNR officer that boarded mine was an @$$ #*!& and trommped with his rubber boots all over my clean seats and was ordering me where to stand in my own boat...for no reason....all of this while I was trying to swap batteries with another boat because mine went dead starting and stopping so much because they wouldn't open the river so we could continue. I was 100% sober and pissed. We were tied up with another boat that we were swapping batteries with and he ordered us to sepparate because we were "too close." the coast guard took my buddy's boat to the seawall and searched them. That was a very bad experience with the water pigs (like every other time I get stopped).

On a better note, I did learn that the no wake zone by Ojibway Island is not enforcable because it was not approved with the coast guard. They took the signs off of the bridges last year too.

They have been slowly tightening the laws on the river (along with every where else) and are making it impossible to have fun without being bothered. Yes there are idiots out there that hurt people but don't harrass the general population too....just my .02!
Click to expand...
 
Here in OH most all of the lakes are a state park. That meens no beers at all. The speed limit is either 40 or 55 on some lakes and rivers. I havnt had any run ins here yet.

In MI with my predictor I was getting boarded all the time. I would say at least a couplt times a year. Man they had it in for me. The only ticket I got was for going to close to a jet ski. They never said a word about all the beer on the boat. I did have to take a couple breathalizers. I was told to park the boat a couple times. Got LUCKY as hell both times.

Got LUCKY on this one. :cheers:

ohCrap.jpg
 
Jet skies are at the bottom of the totem pole here. Sail boats have the number one rightoway, Then the largest vessel comes next and at the bottom are the jet-skies.
 
There are 5 lakes controlled by the muskingum watershed district around me, no speed limit except for no wake zones, the only times i saw po po was inspections which they do at the ramp periodicly and maybe a patrol once a day. although we have been ordered to the beach when a thunderstorm has rolled up. and yes beer is ok.....i guess
 
last year, i was boarded 2x ,checed out @ launch ramp 2x ! 1x by each dnr & coast guard ! even w/ sticker on windshield of inspection ! ! only answer i got was different agency so they still have the right to check . as for beers on board driver cant be drinking & driving . or operating over the limit.
 
Where we boat in northern MI on a tiny lake, the cops put in for an hour once over 4th of july and once over labor day - everyone sees them and straightens up, not that it's a very crowded or crazy lake.

What I cannot understand are the rules in OH. At Lake St. Mary in OH, you cannot anchor and swim except for in the few designated crowded spots. Now you can ski / tube basically anywhere, but not anchor and let the kids swim - I guess that's too dangerous for a 13000 acre lake. This was the same lake where my bro-in-law was teaching me how to roll a kayak (you need to be in about 4 or 5 feet of water) and the cops came up and said you can't have a "boat" in a swim area and you can't swim outside of the swim area. Ridiculous...

Nick - any advice for us over memorial day on that lake?!? Keep an eye out for me, looks like the starliner will be ready!!!
 
Anthony, nothing particular to watch for- I should be around. I agree that the swimmin in designated ares is a complete joke. I've never had any problems with water cops/ which are park rangers for the most part. I don't worry about beer on board, usually I'm anchored in a swim area or at the bar if I'm drinking. Last year I saw the cops once during the races in the water and maybe twice towing thier boat from the ramp. This year I've seen them two out of three trips and I've heard of ramp check dates. You can find the dates and locations of Ohio ramp checks here: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/NewsandEvents/VesselSafetyChecks/tabid/2487/Default.aspx :thumb:

Hey Matt, I know why you were attracting so much attention: They always though that Predictor was sinking!:poke: Man, that thing looks low- especially with a "150" or whatever it says on the cowl:bigthumb:
 
the cops are clamping down everywhere now.....at KCQ fest last year on Ojibway Island, the cops wouldn't let you even stand on the beach next to the boats with a beer in your hand....If you wanted to drink you had to be touching the boat....total PITA! Everywhere you go not the police are cracking down......partly to create more revenue....and the other part I believe is most of the good 'ol boy cops have retired and now the younger..power happy generation is in force....just my .02. Most of my experiences with cops have been negative. Rarely do you ever meet a friendly one.
 
when i lived in CO. the ponds that are called lakes had 40 mph speed limits ,directional pattern to boat in , separate swim area, sail area etc it was nuts ! then to see the size of boats people would use LMAO !
 
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