Courteous Boating is Encouraged When Enjoying the Lake
Courteous boating, including wake courtesy, will remain a focus on Central’s lakes as the popularity of the lakes continue to grow. Regulation or laws will not solve every problem on a lake, so doing your part as a courteous boater will help with the overall safety and enjoyment of the lake.
- Be aware of your wake: Operating a boat involves not only keeping a proper look out ahead, but also being aware of every aspect of your boat’s performance, including the wake you create.
- Know your surroundings: Creating a large wake which a smaller watercraft may have difficulty navigating should be an important consideration for a boat operator. Likewise, when operating near docks, your wake should be minimized.
- Be a patient boater: Maintain a safe distance from other boats. This will give you more reaction time to avoid unexpected maneuvers by other boat operators. Don’t travel too fast for the conditions! As we all know, lakes can become very rough at times. Navigate large wakes in a matter which will prevent injuries to your passengers on your own vessel. Making your passengers aware of upcoming large wakes, combined with cautious navigation across those wakes will reduce many of the injuries we see on the lake.
- Obey traditional navigational rules: When approaching another boat, stay to the right. Give less maneuverable vessels the right of way.
Bring back the great tradition in boating: Boat courteously!
