YA,I DID NOT KNOW THAT EITHER! & Now we do,which goes without saying,if we knew "ALL" the"LAWS" ,we would probably, all have different jobs,than we do now! that is good to know! Thanks,NO WAKE,FOR THAT PIECE OF INFO!--------sonar...........

 

So is it against the law to tow a tube or raft or watever with a rider in a no-wake zone. Or is it allowed and they got pulled over(stopped) for something else. I guess I'll be doing more research tomorrow, huh?
thanks for the heads-up!
donm

 

All I know is I watched the whole thing play out within about 5 mins. I was anchored. The patrol boat hit his lights and siren at a boat that was idling out of the swimming area towards the open zone, there were gestures made towards the kid on the tube and they pulled him in, lashed up the tube and went on their way, I noticed the kid did have a life preserver and scratched my head on what the heck just happened.
I just read this off the division of Watercraft rule change in 2008.
A “slow tow” provision will permit boaters to tow ski tubes and other towables at a slow pace in areas outside of the designated speed and ski zones, primarily in the interest of safety. This provision will create additional recreational opportunities for individuals who are physically unable to manage or do not desire the higher speeds of open zones.

So now what do you do, you absolutely cannot argue with those guys.
There must have been something else to it that I didn't notice, maybe because it was the designated swimming area heck I'm definately going to talk to a West Branch official about it to be sure.

 

WELL,,,,,,,,,let us know! this does need some clearing up!! I'll inquire next time I see an opportunity to ask,or when I,m being "SAFETY CHECKED", for some reason that hasn't happened to me this year yet?? I need my new sticker! Thanks,NOWAKE! --------sonar...........

 

The reason a boat cannot pull a tube/person in a no wake area is for safety.Most areas designated no wake is where boats are making the approach to dock and tighter area to navigate, the same for boaters leaving the area. Take the heads up from DNR and go on, it's not personal but for a good reason.

 

last I knew boats were not alowed in a swim area

 

I just called the park office and fortunately there just happened to be a watercraft officer available for me to speak with.
He said yes it is is unlawful to tow a tube through a no wake navigational area.
I mentioned what I had just read on the 2008 rule change on towing low speed and he agreed but on the other hand maintained that "into" and "out of" no wake zones ie. marina's, swimming areas, ect. are considered "navagational areas, man was he on the defense about it, I sure hope I never have to deal with that guy.

 

last I knew boats were not alowed in a swim area

The WB swim area is designated as a swim off your boat cove, don't get it confused with the beach swim area.

 

Skiing Confined to Ski or Open Zone
(ORC 1547.14)

Any person who rides or attempts to ride upon water skis or similar device or who barefoot skis, or any boat operator who tows a skier shall confine that activity within a designated ski zone or open zone.

Exceptions to this section exists on Lake Erie, Ohio River, and immediately connected harbors and anchorage facilities where these zones have not been established.

Towing for recreational purposes is permitted at idle speed in a designated no-wake zone as long as it is

not within 300 feet of a gas dock, launch ramp, or harbor entrance
not in an anchorage area, boat swimming area, or boat camping area
not under or within 300 feet of a bridge underpass
not in any area designated as a no-ski zone.
No person shall permit operation of a vessel in violation of this section.


Watercraft officer knows his laws. Makes sense when people are pulling in and out of areas like beaches and ramps.

 

Good research vulcan. There are a few areas that I can still pull grandma on the tube.

 

I pull my 4 year old with my wife on a tube at idle. I am glad this topic came up. I know i broke that law a few times. Now i know better since reading it more closely.

 

Wow - did not know this.

I pulled my wife and son all day at Salt Fork - back in and around the stone house area........saw a TON of other boats doing the same thing too. Come to think of it, when we used to camp down there - we'd ALWAYS see people doing that........especially since there is so much 'no wake' zone around the stone house and over from the cabins to the state ramp.

?????????????????????

 

Vulcan, thanks for info

 

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

"Towing for recreational purposes is permitted at idle speed in a designated no-wake zone as long as it is

not within 300 feet of a gas dock, launch ramp, or harbor entrance
not in an anchorage area, boat swimming area, or boat camping area
not under or within 300 feet of a bridge underpass
not in any area designated as a no-ski zone.
No person shall permit operation of a vessel in violation of this section."

So you CAN tow a tube in a no wake zone.........

 

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
So you CAN tow a tube in a no wake zone.........

Yes, If you consider idle speed, tubing, to me it is more like sight seeing. give me a fishing rod, would be and interesting way to troll. .. Though i will only take 4yr old at idle speed.

 

I pulled my wife and son all day at Salt Fork - back in and around the stone house area........saw a TON of other boats doing the same thing too. Come to think of it, when we used to camp down there - we'd ALWAYS see people doing that........especially since there is so much 'no wake' zone around the stone house and over from the cabins to the state ramp.

I would say that you are fine back in that area due to where it is located. I was once warned coming out of the ski zone driving towards the camper's beach. As I read the law, that area would still be off limits. I would think that around the stone house, and close to the park entrance would be about the only two areas that you could pull a tube at an idle at Salt Fork.

 

Last year at Berlin I witnessed a sheriff's boat warning a boater that pulling a tube in a "no wake" zone is not allowed; he did it by megaphone so it was easy to hear, although he did allow the boater to continue. This past weekend 5/29/10 we were fishing onshore at Berlin and heard some yelling. All of a sudden some kid on a jetski flew into the no wake zone and a woman on shore by the marina was calling him an A-hole and screaming at him to knock it off. The jetskier showed her by circling the "no wake" buoy several times at full speed. The problem? The sheriff was sitting in the marina having just towed in a boat that was out of gas and witnessed the entire matter. The blue lights and siren came on. In the end, they hauled away the jetski as another sheriff stood onshore until a vehicle came and picked up the owner. DUI. Earlier in the day, they came up to us onshore and asked for our fishing license, the second time this year. They are cracking down at Berlin, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

"I just read this off the division of Watercraft rule change in 2008.
A “slow tow” provision will permit boaters to tow ski tubes and other towables at a slow pace in areas outside of the designated speed and ski zones, primarily in the interest of safety. This provision will create additional recreational opportunities for individuals who are physically unable to manage or do not desire the higher speeds of open zones"......

The above is not a copy of the actual law. When this law was passed I went to the Division 3 office and asked for a copy of the actual law. They gave it to me and I keep it in my pontoon boat at all times. The law is very clear in that you are permitted to slow tow in 'no wake' areas. In fact, that was the point of the law in the first place, to "tow ski tubes and other towables at a slow pace in areas outside of the designated speed and ski zones, primarily in the interest of safety. This provision will create additional recreational opportunities for individuals who are physically unable to manage or do not desire the higher speeds of open zones....." I do not have the law in front of me at this time but as I recall there were no restrictions as to where you could 'slow troll'. I would suggest doing as I have, get a copy of the law and keep it in your boat so you have it if you are pulled over to show the officer. Many of these officers, especially on the weekends, are part time or auxilary offices who may not be up to date on all of the new laws. This is no fault of these officers and is not meant to demean them in any way as they work hard and well for our state when they can. Rather, I believe, it is just a fact that happens. In fact, when I went in to get a copy of the law, the officer who helped me was unaware of the new law himself. Although, at that time the law was only a couple of months old.

 

All you have to do is fish around the pilings on the 224 bridge at Berlin on a busy Weekend, and you will see the water cops nailing people for pulling intertubes under the bridge...

 

Regardless of the specifics of the designated zones, swim areas, no-wake zones, etc... I believe officials can interpret this under the broad scope of Unsafe Condition & Termination (ORC 1547.071). If the officer saw ANYTHING he did not feel safe, for example: the proximity of the tow rope to other swimmers for instance or something, he can very well intervene. I am sure he would prefer people thought of him as an overprotective jerk than have to deal with the aftermath of an incident.

 

Again:
Skiing Confined to Ski or Open Zone
(ORC 1547.14)
Towing for recreational purposes is permitted at idle speed in a designated no-wake zone as long as it is

not within 300 feet of a gas dock, launch ramp, or harbor entrance
not in an anchorage area, boat swimming area, or boat camping area
not under or within 300 feet of a bridge underpass
not in any area designated as a no-ski zone.
No person shall permit operation of a vessel in violation of this section.

Seems pretty clear cut to me. It is alowed but not in certain areas due to safety issues. I carry a copy of the laws on my boat. If i am questioned i will pull out the laws and show them and then of course due what ever they say.

Question for those that go to Milton????
Is between the bridges classified as a no ski zone or just a no wake zone??? I go out there and don't remember, i know it is idle speed

 

Yesterday I was out fishing the rocks at Edgewater... There was a boat coming in (in the harbor entrance) that was towing 2 tubers a bit faster than idle. One fell off which caused the huge sailboat behind him to frantically turn around, trying not to run the guy over, or to smash into the other boats entering after him...

So I saw firsthand what a mess this could've turned out to be.

Why not just use the old idiom "better safe than sorry?!"