Vermont senator calls for statewide wake boat bans

Senator John Rodgers has proposed the bill to “regulate the operation of wake boats on the public waters of the state”. The bans will apply to all but two of the state’s inland waterways; Lake Champlain and Lake Memphremagog, which both straddle the US/Canadian border.

The bill will ban “plowing”, or operating a vessel with the bow elevated, and will apply to “any vessel of any length with ballast added for the purpose of creating a larger wake”.

Wake boats in the state currently must keep below 5mph (8km/h) within 60 metres of a shoreline.

The bill says the ban is needed “on certain public waters due to: the size and flow of the public waters; the predominant use of adjacent lands; the depth of the public water; the predominant use of the public waters prior to regulation; the uses for which the public water is adaptable; the availability of fishing, boating, and bathing facilities; the scenic beauty; or the recreational uses of the public water and surrounding area”.

The US National Marine Manufacturers Association, which represents the boating industry, said it was “firmly opposed to this measure and is actively working to prevent it from becoming law”.

“SB 69 [the wakeboard ban bill] may be the first bill to call for a statewide ban of ballasted boats,” the NMMA said. “Blocking passage of this bill is a top priority for NMMA and the Water Sports Industry Association.”

The WSIA claims saving Lake Beulah in Wisconsin from a watersports ban helped inject an extra $US21 million ($A30 million) into the region. Wake boats faced a potential ban after “angry” residents attempted to have wakeboarding and wakesurfing removed from the 45-plus hectare lake.

NSW is currently trialling no-wake zones on a 49-kilometre section of the Murray River to protect its banks from erosion. The NSW Roads and Maritime Services said late last year it had no plans to extend the trial to other sections of the river.