Radar traps on the River

[eddiezuskin]

Starting to see Baltimore County Police boats set up shooting radar in no wake zone. I saw them where Frog Mortar Creek meets Middle River. Anyone seeing them elsewhere? I see many boats who, although not on plane, are definitely exceeding the no wake 6mph. I can't really get over 8 or 9mph without wasting fuel and my boat starting to dig in.
Eddie

 

[Alegria]

Yep they were crusing around Hart Miller on Sunday. They took off chasing someone coming out of the crowded anchorage directly in front of the beach in the afternoon. Saw the the person leaving, they were not exactly on plane in the no wake but way over 6mph for sure. What a sucky way to end a great day on the water for that person. But seriously though it was so crowded there on Sunday that anything other then a dead idle out of there is rude to the folks there and also you have to watch out for all the anchors and rode in the water!

 

[skibum]

Between 2 and 4PM they were stopping people left and right coming through the cut. One of the guys at the marina said that he watched at least 15 boats get stopped during that time. Looks like the county has found a new way to supplement the budget.

Makes me wonder if 6MPH on their gun matches 6MPH on my GPS. You know, this really isn't fair. Giving "speeding" tickets for 1-2MPH over the limit when everyone knows that boat speedometers aren't very accurate anyway.

 

[320Bob]

Do the "No Wake" zones in your part of the world have speed limits? If not, how can they determine you are going too fast? The wake zones on the river where I boat do not and it's a commercial waterway.

 

[mvoellinger]

No speed limits here...just the rule that if it says no wake, and you're making a wake...you're going too fast. Why do they also need a speed? My speedometer would be worthless that slow, so is everyone required to have a GPS to avoid a ticket?

 

[Groucho]

We have no wake zones all over our lake. Near populated shorelines and between islands where there is less than 200 feet or so between, many coves as well. Also less than 100 ft. from shore. You learn to know what 5 mph no wake means quickly...even if your speedo doesn't register. Basically if you can see white water splashing on your bow, you are going more than 5 mph. They give warning tickets on your first try...after that you get a ticket.

 

[Presentation]

Just wanted to point out that slow no wake does not mean you must not create a wake.

"Slow-no-wake" speed means the minimum speed at which a motorized watercraft is able to move and maintain adequate steerage control.

So if local current and conditions dictate a faster speed then you are still legal.

I saw this unfolding live Saturday June 19 2010 on the Fox River in Menasha WI. In the end the people were OK, the boat had damage.

The current in this area normally exists but is mild.

Due to heavy local rain in the recent past plus more rain in the weather forecast the needle gates on the damn just to the right of this photo were opened creating a very strong current.

I personally boated over this area twice, once before and once after these photos were taken. At 7 MPH per the GPS my boat ran thru the area at about a 30 degree stagger. I saw other boats going slower with a stagger at least and possibly over 45 degrees. If a law enforcement official gave a boater a ticket for going even 10 miles per hour I think any reasonable judge with a basic understanding of boat handling and current would have dismissed the ticket.


Just wanted to add, this river has a “Y.” The water flows from the bottom of the “Y” then out the top left side of the “Y” and to the right is the Menasha marina. The bridge in the photo is at middle of this “Y.” That is why so many boats pass this area, to get to the marina and lock. Past the marina is a lock to continue downriver.

 

[CAGE RATTLER]

Thanks for the heads up. This will make reason number 42 why I stay out of middle river on the weekends. :grin:

I guess the radar cameras on 695 arent making as much money as they need!

 

[Skeetobite]

You're allowed to make the speed necessary for safe navigation and control of the vessel, which trumps no wakes etc. We see this a lot under bridges at the inlets along the ICW on the gulf. Many, many times I have passed an in-bound CG or sheriff at a bridge or other inlet and we were both making better than 8 knots just to get through without getting pushed into the fender or each other by the currents.

Minimum and no wake is measured by your wake, not your speed.

 

[Alegria]

Is this something new in Baltimore? I guess they only have to stop the first attorney and they will have their first court case on the validity of this whole thing...

 

[SeaRide]

Just wanted to point out that slow no wake does not mean you must not create a wake.

"Slow-no-wake" speed means the minimum speed at which a motorized watercraft is able to move and maintain adequate steerage control.

So if local current and conditions dictate a faster speed then you are still legal.

The current in this area normally exists but is mild.

Due to heavy local rain in the recent past plus more rain in the weather forecast the needle gates on the damn just to the right of this photo were opened creating a very strong current.

I personally boated over this area twice, once before and once after these photos were taken. At 7 MPH per the GPS my boat ran thru the area at about a 30 degree stagger. I saw other boats going slower with a stagger at least and possibly over 45 degrees. If a law enforcement official gave a boater a ticket for going even 10 miles per hour I think any reasonable judge with a basic understanding of boat handling and current would have dismissed the ticket.


Just wanted to add, this river has a “Y.” The water flows from the bottom of the “Y” then out the top left side of the “Y” and to the right is the Menasha marina. The bridge in the photo is at middle of this “Y.” That is why so many boats pass this area, to get to the marina and lock. Past the marina is a lock to continue downriver.

Did the fire dept. use a tow boat to pull the Four Winns out from under the bridge or did they simply power away from the bridge piling? Either way looks like this guy will be doing some repairs to the gelcoat and bimini. They may have to replace the bimini.
I saw this unfolding live Saturday June 19 2010 on the Fox River in Menasha WI. In the end the people were OK, the boat had damage.

 

[CAGE RATTLER]

Is this something new in Baltimore? I guess they only have to stop the first attorney and they will have their first court case on the validity of this whole thing...

The entrance to MR and the cut are very high traffic zones on the weekend and the well posted 6 MPH speed limit is needed IMO. It really has nothing to do with a no wake zone in those areas.

 

[Presentation]

Did the fire dept. use a tow boat to pull the Four Winns out from under the bridge or did they simply power away from the bridge piling? Either way looks like this guy will be doing some repairs to the gelcoat and bimini. They may have to replace the bimini.

After a coast guard auxiliary vessel and a marina boat both attempted and failed to get a line to the boat in distress the boat in distress was able to get free from something that was hanging them up and power out.

Once they were free hundreds of people onshore along the wharf cheered.

I don’t want to steel this tread topic so I won’t. Just going to say that from pre-incident to conclusion and in my opinion multiple mistakes were made by the bridge operator, boater, and others.


It’s amazing to me that from my studying of incidents from the BP oil spill to a plane crash to a boat accident how most of the time multiple things coexisted that when combined causes the incident.