| The Wake Page |
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| Watch Your Wake |
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Current Wake Restrictions on the Willamette River
In October of 2008, the Oregon Marine Board adopted rules that will maintain broad use of the Willamette River while attempting to reduce the peak wakes causing numerous complaints from waterfront property owners and certain other users. In a nutshell, the rules do two things on the river between Newberg and Canby:
- Beginning January 2009, boats must operate at a 5 mph slow-no-wake speed within 100 feet of private docks.
- Beginning January 2010, use of wake enhancing devices will be prohibited. “No person shall use wake-enhancing devices, including ballast tanks, wedges or hydrofoils or other mechanical devices, or un-even loading of persons or gear, to artificially operate bow-high.”
These restrictions are limited to the Newberg Pool of the Willamette River from the Hwy 219 Bridge near Newberg to the upper end of Willow Island near Canby.
Please note that these rules do not address individual operation. You can still wakeboard, ski or pull an inflatable tube. It doesn’t address figure eights or power-on turns. The two rules that were adopted were felt to have the least general impact on boaters while addressing the largest wakes adjacent to more developed areas of the river.
Law enforcement will be stepped up from the mouth of the Yamhill River to Willamette Falls, and special attention will be focused in 2009 on the Willamette River below Willamette Falls to ensure that the largest wake activities are simply not displaced outside the restriction area.
There are many waterbodies in Oregon suitable for boats designed to create large wakes. The most popular Willamette Valley reservoirs, such as Detroit Lake, as well as the mainstem Columbia, Lake Billy Chinook and other areas provide large surface areas or undeveloped or rocky shorelines where wakes are less of a problem. However, wake management is still a key issue that all boaters should be aware of – especially if you run a large boat (20 feet plus) or a boat designed to create large wakes. A 500-foot buffer for the Prineville Reservoir Resort was adopted in July 2008 specifically to protect the fuel dock, boat launch and marina slips. The resort was already in a vulnerable location and the move toward larger boats and more wakeboard boats was increasing property damage, human injury and risk of fuel spills. The slow-no-wake zone between the I-5 Bridge and railroad bridge at Wilsonville was adopted in 2007 for the same reason.
To prevent future regulations, large boat operators and wakeboard boat operators are strongly encouraged to adopt conservative operation practices when near any developed public or private facilities or near sensitive ecological areas or areas showing clear signs of erosion.
The process leading to regulations
Click here to view the proposed rule language being brought before the Board at their October 2008 meeting, in Bend.
Public Notice Poster
River Widths (arial views and proximity) for proposed stretch of river.
Wake Setback Diagrams
2008 Underway Newsletter
Next steps:
Comments were collected at the September 9 public hearing on the proposed rules and are being sent to the Board for their review. The Board will make a decision on the proposed rules at the next Board meeting, scheduled for October 14, at the Riverhouse in Bend.
Oregon State Statute requires that the Marine Board hold quarterly meetings in different geographic areas around the state. The Bend location was identified to be in conjunction with the Law Enforcement post-season conference being held in the same location, at the same time.
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| Boat Wakes = Damage |
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In April of 2005, the Marine Board accepted a petition seeking to create a “low wake zone” on a portion of the lower Willamette River. This controversial idea was not without merit, but based on several issues, the Board chose to not implement the proposal. Instead, they directed staff to form a working group to look more deeply at the wake issue and address using current and available tools. Those tools would be enforcement and education.
However, education alone was not enough to curtail the issue. In April of 2008, the Board approved a rulemaking process affecting the Lower Willamette River from Newberg to Canby to help minimize wakes while allowing for boating activities to continue within certain limitations.
Click here to see the proposed rules from July 2008 Board meeting for the Willamette River.
If a skipper operates his boat in a way that damages or is likely to damage private property or cause injury, ORS 830.305 clearly states it as a citable offense. If you’re operating your boat in a developed area, near other small boats, paddlers, or swimmers and you create a wake that causes damage or injury, you could be cited ($720).
We formed a working group to look at the education part of this solution. Made up of landowners, boaters and law enforcement, we wanted to make sure that both sides of the controversy get an important message.
For boaters, the message is “Play Away.” If you are operating a wakeboard boat or yacht and you are creating large wakes, do so in an area where there are not docks, moored boats, other boats or paddle craft. Be cautious. When in crowded areas, operate your boat in a way that minimizes your wake. Click here to see our wake boarder direct mailer.
For landowners, recognize that boaters have a legitimate claim to the river. It’s public property. If you’re going to build a dock, make sure you have the proper permits and that you build it strong to withstand the weather, the tides, the seasonal currents and the boats that have used the river for so long. If you see someone committing an egregious violation – clearly being careless, call your local marine officers and report it.
We have a number of projects we’re working on – signage at boat ramps, direct mail to landowners and wakeboarders, handouts and other information. We hope that education and common sense will prevail and prevent the need for restrictive regulations. Yachts can also create wakes. Click here to see our yachting direct mailer.
The number of boats 16-26 feet has grown in Oregon from 91,000 in 2000, to 102,000 in 2006. The number of boats under 16 feet has declined from 98,000 in 2000 to 84,000 in 2005. These larger boats have a larger footprint in the water and are more noticeable.
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| Outreach Efforts |
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2007 Wake Outreach Activities
- Direct mail flyer to 7,000 wakeboarders and waterskiers in Marion, Yamhill, Clackamas, Multnomah and Columbia counites (done 5/24).
- Direct mail to 900 large-boat owners (30' plus) in Multnomah, Columbia and Clackamas counties (done 5/24).
- Direct mail to 500 waterfront homeowners in Clackamas and Multnomah counties (due mid-June).
- Saturation patrols focusing on wake, noise and alcohol violations (July / August).
- Implementation of Clackamas County noise ordinance specifically to address high-powered loudspeakers on boats in the water (ongoing). To report excessively loud, disruptive music, please report to Clackamas County Sheriff Department.
- Printing and distribution of 100 new "Please Don't Wake Me" signs, which are available on request (ongoing). Send us your addres and we'll mail or deliver.
- Boat Ramp flyer hand-outs. Volunteers will provide wakeboard and yacht flyers to boaters at boat ramps on key weekends (ongoing).
- Banners: Five large Wakeboard banners noting fines and violations available for launch point education or loan (ongoing).
- US Coast Guard Auxiliary education patrols (July / August).
- Media releases and education efforts (May 24).
- Wake Water - Bottled water with educational label (all donated to OSMB) for boater contacts (ongoing).
- Dealer visits: Encourage dealers to provide the "Play Away" message and explain the issue to customers (Contacts in January, additional in June).
- Marina visits: Provide handouts, signs and banners to marinas that serve wakeboarders and yachters and encourage participation in outreach (May 25, ongoing).
- Regulation study: Review other state efforts to address wake complaints (ongoing).
- Web page improvement and maintenance (ongoing).
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