Wakeboard Boats Banned from Lake...What can we do????

gangster wake · Newbie Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 16 City: Florence

Williamstown Lake, KY .. The city of williamstown passed a city ordinance that bans anyone from weighting thier boats. (tanks, lead or whatever.) They say its a safety issue, but no accidents have ever been caused by a wakeboard boat and I have been going to lake for 20 yrs. So we make sure we have 10 ppl in the boat at all times. We are the only boat who gets pulled over and we've been pulled over atleast 7 times. Patrol claims they can fine us $500 if they catch us we our tanks filled.(I have a 02 san te) I have been told that the lake is state owned and that the city has no jurisdiction over a state owned lake and that the ordinance means nothing.
Here's the best part...3 people have drowned in the month of July due to alcohol related accidents... I guess this is not a safety issue for our lake.

http://grantky.com/articles/2004/07/14/news/news02.txt

Seth Martin · Moderator Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 891 City: Orlando

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

gangster wake, by that logic, fisherman cannot fill their livewells. Make a point to mention this next time you get pulled.

That door swings both ways....

Also, drive a Malibu though the lake WEDGE DOWN, MLS EMPTY. Guess what, no ballast big(ger) wake.

salmon_tacos

Rod Rinnert · Newbie Joined: 16 Dec 2003 Posts: 18

I thought the Coast Gaurd rating on the boat included the Weight of the Tanks? Or is becuase water is natural boyent that it would not matter for the Coast Gaurd flotation?

gangster wake · Newbie Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 16 City: Florence

The city had 3 meetings regarding the lake ordinance and they would'nt let any talk on our behalf. We brought up the point that fishermens live wells are illegal if they fill them up because it weighs the boat down. So when we get pulled now. I'll just say that we have fish in our tanks and it's our live well.[/quote]

aceyx · Addict Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 770 City: dirty

I would try and meet with someone from the Lake Association asking justification for the rule. Dress appropriately and be polite. Send in a letter saying that you will call to make an appointment.

What's likely (the only reason I can fathom) is that the boats are less maneuverable in the water and more prone to accidents.

Then ask (and get in writing) the number of accidents involving a weighted boat. Most likely it's going to turn up zero since we don't like riding near other boats in the first place.

If you keep getting pulled over file a complaint against the officer. There's no justification other than the fact that you have a wakeboard boat. Explain that you're not violating any laws, and while you are throwing a larger wake, you're well in the constraints of the law.

Use all this as justification for the fact that their rule actually makes less sense, by putting more people at risk (if you're always riding with 10 people). Write a good letter explaining all of this. Keep the word "unfair" out of your argument.

In the meantime, obey it to the letter. Make sure your registration is up to date, if you're in the age group where you need a license make sure you have it with you and keep enough PFDs on board for everybody.

When you can't find enough people, get coolers and fill them with drinks. There's nothing illegal about that. Put can after can of soda in and say "at least we're not drunk."

simland · Posted: Jul 23, 2004 2:35 pm Post subject:

DEfiantely play by their rools and do what aceyx said. You have the right to speak during the hearings. You just were not well informed so they toyed around with you. My guess is it's a small town and everyone on the board fishes and is sick of your boat. You might be able to get a Judge to overturn it if you need that extreme. Provide evidence that their law has no basis and is solely built on prejudices, or that it is not carried out fairly.

freerider4 · Posted: Jul 23, 2004 2:38 pm Post subject:

Just tell them it is not there lake it is the native american and say you are native american from the apachee tribe.

K-dub · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 14760

If the boat is equipped with hard plastic tanks (which most boats are now) the weight of the tank is factored into the CG rating of the boat. If you have sacks, lead, sand or whatever then you are taking on extra weight.

Im with Chavez....get a Malibu and drive with the wedge down...

gangster wake · Newbie Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 16 City: Florence

We are definitely being singled out. I think they are trying to scare us away but have found out that we're not going anywhere soon. We rarely have beer on the boat.. We keep it on a dock nearby just incase. We are all late 20's early 30's anyway, we just dont want to give them any reason to pull us over. Simland nailed it when he said small town and about 20% of the ppl hate our boat and someone apart of that 20% sits on city council and fishs and lives on the lake. So everytime we show up, patrols called. We ride with as many ppl as we can find just to piss them off. Writing a letter to the city would be a waste... I need to fing someone thru the state... who can i complain to if the city is against us????

intotheflats · Posted: Jul 23, 2004 4:50 pm Post subject:

I have seen this on private lakes before but not for safety issues, for errosion(sp).

tommyadrian5 · Addict Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 907

Get fat friends.

trammill · Soul Rider Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 389 City: Georgetown

F-em. Go to Taylorsville.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

So what's the difference between having water in your bilge or having your tanks full?

As long as your under your weight limit that's a load of crap. They really need to specify what you can't do. Because you could put x amount of weight using anything. Say you're just taking it to a friend or don't want to leave it in the car. Bring a case or 2 of oil with you and say you just want to be sure in case you start leaking. Bring gas cans full of gas... If they give you a ticket fight it and say you didn't want to run the risk of running out of gas.

vette74 · Posted: Jul 26, 2004 9:15 am Post subject:

Take 4" PVC pipes 3-4 feet long put screw on caps at the end then fill them full of lead and label them fishing rods or tackle or something fishing related and put them on the ski locker, side lockers or where ever. Make one PVC pipe that actually does have fishing tackle open it up and show it to the water cops when they ask.

wakeboardpro10 · Outlaw Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 218 City: OC

P

ut a gold fish in the tank and say it is a live well tank.

jbelson · Posted: Jul 26, 2004 3:07 pm Post subject:

The thing to do is check the city's jurisdiction over the lake. In the case of my lake, it's city run but state owned, so the city still has a say. But the best thing that you can do is to petition, write letters, and explain that fishermen with their tanks full fall under the same category. Tell the lake police that they must also check them for full tanks. The law probably doesn't stipulate a certain weight which is the technicality. Also, a law has to have a basis such as statistics on that lake to be passed. If no statistics are availiable than the law is based in prejudice, which is illegal in itself.
Do a little research, you'll be amazed at what kind of power you do have.

kerriokie · Outlaw Joined: 18 Jul 2003 Posts: 231 City: Cincinnati

gangster wake,

Here is a link to the original story dated May 5th.

http://grantky.com/articles/2004/05/05/news/news02.txt

I quote: "Williamstown City Council members approved an ordinance during a meeting on May 3, in a 5-1 vote, that would prohibit bladder boats (boats with large tanks that can be filled with liquids to make them ride lower in the water and create more of a wake)."

The Williamstown City mayor Glenn Caldwell said, "because Williamstown Lake is a narrow lake, the large wakes created by bladder boats causes the wakes to slam against docks and property.

"The wake from that boat could capsize another smaller boat or someone floating near their dock or it could push one boat into another boat causing damage and it would be the bladder boat owners responsibility for that."

I say Bull Shizzle!!! If you read further in the article the Lake Association wrote letters and hired an attorney to have the ordinance amended, I'm sure so they don't have to abide by all the dock requirements that the ordinance is requiring.

Good luck in your fight. And I hope this article helps.

kerriokie · Outlaw Joined: 18 Jul 2003 Posts: 231 City: Cincinnati

gangster wake,

You know what really irks me even more? That at the end of June beginning of July three people died on that lake in three weeks. Was it wakeboard boat related??? Absolutely Not!!

Guy one died while hiking trails. Decides to take a dip in one of the lagoons on the lake... cant swim so he drowns.

Guy two died on a fishing boat. 80yr man doesn't know how to swim, not wearing his life jacket; boat starts to take on water he drowns because of his own mistake.

Guy three died in a collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat. Speedboat takes a hard turn going 35mph at 9:00pm traveling on the wrong side of the lake. Operator of the speedboat had just recently purchased the boat and no experience on the water. And guess what? NO CHARGES FILED! For crap sake he killed someone!

But they think blatter boats aka wakeboard boats are a danger. That’s crap.
Evil or Very Mad

aceyx · Addict Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 770 City: dirty

the justification is boater safety,

htownbdr · Posted: Jul 27, 2004 3:12 pm Post subject:

Wow, that sucks. Evidentally, someone that lives on that lake has a little power and doesn't like wakeboarders/wakeboard boats. What a pain in the A*%.

I think no matter what you do you, it is probably going to cost you some money and/or a lot of time to get this problem fixed. Your best bet is to hire a lawyer and he/she is going to have to argue some sort of bill of attainder or that the law is overbroad.

People can get carried away when making laws and they will not be held up if tested...happens all the time. But, the problem is, you are probably either going to have to test it reactively (get a ticket and fight it like crazy and argue at that point the attainder or overbroad issue) or try to proactively fixing it by just attacking the law.

Either way, it is probably going to be a huge pain in order to correct.

Good luck with it.

gangster wake · Newbie Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 16 City: Florence

If we fill our tanks and get caught and can't get over turned then what..... We've already talk about this. We've agreed to come together and fight if one of us gets ticketed. There are 8 wakeboard boats that live on this lake and I've asked everyone of them if they have been stop yet, and no one has except me..(5 times) I dont want this to backfire in our faces.. I dont want them to ban the boats off the lake for good.. I'm just so fustrated.. They dont have a clue on what they are talking about at all..

Bowen · Posted: Jul 28, 2004 2:04 pm Post subject:

Maybe the people just don't like you...i'm being serious, chances are you sent rollers to some public figure who was fishing, now everytime he sees your boat he calls on you.

firedog · Criminal Joined: 21 Jul 2004 Posts: 57 City: Dry Ridge

agfan12 you probably hit the nail on the head....

got water · Soul Rider Joined: 23 Feb 2004 Posts: 379 City: Detroit

If the guy has enough pull with the cop boat, he will probably just have him write you up a ticket wether the sacks are filled or not. I bet that the fisherman had a 20lb bass on the line, just taken the hook out of it's mouth and ready to pull it back in the boat, when bam, a roller from your ride comes by and causes Bertha to drop back in Williamstown Lake. You will be on his mind forever.