As wake surfing continues to grow in popularity, citizens in Wisconsin are voicing concerns about alleged damage caused by the boats used in the sport. Requests for action have been made by the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board to potentially create new laws to regulate the activity.
An article on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel website on Dec. 18 followed an NRB meeting that had been held recently in Madison, Wisc., to address the issue.
“(Wake boating) is definitely a hot topic and it is definitely a growing sport in popularity,” Darren Kuhn, the state department of natural resources boating law administrator, said in the article.
State residents reportedly testified at the meeting, saying that the large wakes caused by the boats that are designed to carry thousands of pounds of water ballast pose a danger to other boaters, habitat and wildlife. The NRB has asked boaters to be aware of the risks and in July 2019 issued a press release that included the messages, “Others are sharing the waters — keep wakes in check” and “Own Your Wake — for eveyone’s sake.”
This issue isn’t new and has been addressed recently in other states including Minnesota and New Hampshire. “Wakesurfing is an increasingly popular sport for boater enthusiasts across Wisconsin,” Brad Fralick, chief government affairs officer for the Water Sports Industry Association, told Trade Only Today in an email. “Our industry has long supported prioritizing boater education and safety instruction to ensure boating is safe for everyone, including through our Wake Responsibly initiative which educates boaters about courteous behavior on the water. As stewards of the environment and the communities where we live and work, the recreational boating community continues to collaboratively address environmental protection and safety throughout our waterways.”
Wake surfing has reportedly been a topic at several Wisconsin NRB meetings over the last 14 months. At the meeting on December, Kuhn gave the board a presentation of enforcement issues related to wake sports boats.
Some state statutes already apply to the boats, including a law that says all boats are required to proceed at no-wake speed when within 100 feet of any shoreline, dock or pier. A second law regulating wakes reads, “No person shall operate a motorboat so as to approach or pass another boat in such a manner as to create a hazardous wake or wash,” according to the Journal-Sentinel. There are also concerns about aquatic invasive species being transported from one body of water to another when ballast tanks are emptied and filled.
DNR wardens have the authority to enforce these laws, according to Kuhn. Additionally, municipalities can enact local ordinances. Examples include waterways with reduced speed zones or limiting boating activities by time of day. The problem with these is that state wardens don’t enforce local regulations.
Kuhn said that he was not in a position to add more laws but added that he would work with legislators to create reasonable statutes.
