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How close is too close?
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dustindu4
Active Member
Maine law, where I ride, is kind of weird. Concerning wake jumping: " 8. Imprudent operation of watercraft. A person may not, while operating a watercraft on the inland or coastal waters of the State, engage in prolonged circling, informal racing, wake jumping or other types of continued and repeated activities that harass another person."
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/12/title12sec13068-A.html
So you can jump wakes of other boats as long as you don't "harass" them. So basically if somebody gets pissed off at you for wake jumping you have to stop. If a game warden witnesses an altercation, he can write a ticket for $100-500. Or the other person can file a complaint to the state.
There's no distance from other boat requirements, as long as you don't create a dangerous situation.
In my experience, 9 times out of 10 when I wake jump other boats, the passengers don't even notice that I'm there. If they do notice me they seem entertained. I always stay at least 150 feet away, I don't get close. If you keep your distance, nobody gets pissed off.
Game Wardens in Maine on my lake ride blue and white 2004-ish 4 stroke sea doos. First time I got pulled over by one was weird seeing a dude dressed in all black with tactical boots and a sidearm on the water. Guy was a dick too.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/12/title12sec13068-A.html
So you can jump wakes of other boats as long as you don't "harass" them. So basically if somebody gets pissed off at you for wake jumping you have to stop. If a game warden witnesses an altercation, he can write a ticket for $100-500. Or the other person can file a complaint to the state.
There's no distance from other boat requirements, as long as you don't create a dangerous situation.
In my experience, 9 times out of 10 when I wake jump other boats, the passengers don't even notice that I'm there. If they do notice me they seem entertained. I always stay at least 150 feet away, I don't get close. If you keep your distance, nobody gets pissed off.
Game Wardens in Maine on my lake ride blue and white 2004-ish 4 stroke sea doos. First time I got pulled over by one was weird seeing a dude dressed in all black with tactical boots and a sidearm on the water. Guy was a dick too.
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Spimothy Leary
Well-Known Member
for me, when i'm on my xp, i love to jump wakes, most boats just ignore me, even if i'm circling and jumping, some actually trim for me and the passengers will come to the back of the boat to watch, then we feel obligated to find big air and put on a show 
,, but a few cruisers will be annoyed, obvious since they slow down until my group moves on, so we do,,, again, respecting other watercraft, some care, some don't.
Tubers we're very careful about, you never know when somebody will get tossed, and the driver's don't want to see us zig zagging behind, I know this w/o being told. Lots of water out there so its no big deal to move along.
fisherman I do the same, I keep my distance, and keep out of their space, the only fisherman that annoy me are the ones that fish right in the channel, and those I sometimes don't even move out of the way at all, especially if i'm just cruising by, but if they are fishing like 50' outside of the channel, i'll go to the opposite side to give them a wide berth, i don't want to create wake, they might spill their beer
,, but a few cruisers will be annoyed, obvious since they slow down until my group moves on, so we do,,, again, respecting other watercraft, some care, some don't. Tubers we're very careful about, you never know when somebody will get tossed, and the driver's don't want to see us zig zagging behind, I know this w/o being told. Lots of water out there so its no big deal to move along.
fisherman I do the same, I keep my distance, and keep out of their space, the only fisherman that annoy me are the ones that fish right in the channel, and those I sometimes don't even move out of the way at all, especially if i'm just cruising by, but if they are fishing like 50' outside of the channel, i'll go to the opposite side to give them a wide berth, i don't want to create wake, they might spill their beer
dustindu4
Active Member
I never jump wakes of a boat with tubers or skiiers. In general I just stay the hell away from them. The boat driver has enough to worry about staying away from shore, watching the tuber/skiier, and avoiding other boats. They don't need some dickhead jumping wakes near their kids. I know it would make me pretty uncomfortable.
On a 13 mile long lake it's easy to avoid them
On a 13 mile long lake it's easy to avoid them
Murph_13
Active Member
Very interesting topic.
As a boat owner that does a lot of towing of various watersports, I agree that if a boat has someone in-tow (I consider a wake surfer as someone in-tow) that you should respect their space and not jump the wake behind their boat at any distance...as others have said, the driver has enough to be concerned with already. I have no problem with people jumping the wake behind my boat as long as I don't have anyone in-tow.
Obviously the driver of the boat was not comfortable with having someone in-tow and waverunners jumping behind...understandably in my opinion.
As a boat owner that does a lot of towing of various watersports, I agree that if a boat has someone in-tow (I consider a wake surfer as someone in-tow) that you should respect their space and not jump the wake behind their boat at any distance...as others have said, the driver has enough to be concerned with already. I have no problem with people jumping the wake behind my boat as long as I don't have anyone in-tow.
Obviously the driver of the boat was not comfortable with having someone in-tow and waverunners jumping behind...understandably in my opinion.
Strizzo
Well-Known Member
for me, when i'm on my xp, i love to jump wakes, most boats just ignore me, even if i'm circling and jumping, some actually trim for me and the passengers will come to the back of the boat to watch, then we feel obligated to find big air and put on a show
Tubers we're very careful about, you never know when somebody will get tossed, and the driver's don't want to see us zig zagging behind, I know this w/o being told. Lots of water out there so its no big deal to move along.
fisherman I do the same, I keep my distance, and keep out of their space, the only fisherman that annoy me are the ones that fish right in the channel, and those I sometimes don't even move out of the way at all, especially if i'm just cruising by, but if they are fishing like 50' outside of the channel, i'll go to the opposite side to give them a wide berth, i don't want to create wake, they might spill their beer
a lot of times the same guys that are annoyed at you jumping 150' behind their boat are the same ones that run 15 knots through an area where boats are moored or people are hanging out on the shore, but they don't want to be responsible for their wake (rules of the road), they just want to own it where it suits them.
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