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Old     (silverlude)      Join Date: Apr 2004       07-08-2011, 10:24 AM Reply   
We were on the Ohio river Monday July 4th and got checked by OH DNR. Ended up they could find nothing wrong with my safety eq.,jackets ect.... (even had to pass a sobriety test cause officer "didn't like the way my eyes looked" , ever heard of allergies?) Anyway, they gave me a ticket for $115 for people in my boat standin above the gunwale level, I had one person standing on a seat holding onto tower takin pics and vid and one was sitting on the motor cover(DD).By the way,we were only surfing at 11mph, pretty dangerous I know... Checked with Oh DNR and was given this code 1547.22 "center of gravity above the gunnel". Also did some checking with Indiana,Kentucky and Tennessee and none of them has this rule. Only that ya cant sit on the sides or rear deck of boat while pulling someone. Never thought it would get this rediculous with rules ect... but the DNR's always seem ta come up with more and more of them to fine us. I ask for a warning as I have never had a violation but he was not willing to cut any slack. Never ceases to amaze me.Even if I fight the ticketand win, I still get charged court costs of $50. What a racket they got.
Old     (moto817)      Join Date: Jan 2011       07-08-2011, 10:28 AM Reply   
Ya the rule blows but in CA and AZ if yur goin over 5 you have to be seated in the seats or standing on the floor. Got pulled over in Havasu a few years back for this ...
Old     (bruizza)      Join Date: May 2009       07-08-2011, 10:47 AM Reply   
Definitely heard of this rule before because I got pulled over at Powell for it. We were doing a whopping 6.5mph and the officer told me the same thing as Moto if you are going over 5mph or what they consider a "wakeless speed" they can pull you over. Luckily I got let go with a warning.
Old     (cjh1669)      Join Date: Apr 2005       07-08-2011, 10:52 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by bruizza View Post
Definitely heard of this rule before because I got pulled over at Powell for it. We were doing a whopping 6.5mph and the officer told me the same thing as Moto if you are going over 5mph or what they consider a "wakeless speed" they can pull you over. Luckily I got let go with a warning.
The good thing was we were only 15mins into the trip, and no one had more than one beer.
Old     (sidekicknicholas)      Join Date: Mar 2007       07-08-2011, 10:57 AM Reply   
Quote:
sitting on the motor cover(DD).
I've seen people dinged for this before
Old     (bill_airjunky)      Join Date: Apr 2002       07-08-2011, 11:11 AM Reply   
Butts in the seats or else. Lots of people get this ticket.
Old     (cjh1669)      Join Date: Apr 2005       07-08-2011, 11:16 AM Reply   
On our lake you can ride on the swim deck at surf speed or less. Most lakes this is not the case
Old     (bruizza)      Join Date: May 2009       07-08-2011, 11:31 AM Reply   
This was the aftermath of me getting pulled over at Powell for this rule. 15 minutes into the trip lol.

Old     (cjh1669)      Join Date: Apr 2005       07-08-2011, 11:33 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by bruizza View Post
This was the aftermath of me getting pulled over at Powell for this rule. 15 minutes into the trip lol.

Should we show more of the aftermath of a few days later?
Old     (wotan)      Join Date: Jul 2008       07-08-2011, 12:21 PM Reply   
Wow... We've been pulled over for having people on the gunwale or on the sundeck, but never on the engine cover! Sounds like these cops were just being jerks!!
Old     (ottog1979)      Join Date: Apr 2007       07-08-2011, 12:24 PM Reply   
Easiest way to avoid all the small rules and interpretations state to state, keep the butts in the seat while underway.
Old     (wakebrdr94)      Join Date: Jul 2010       07-08-2011, 1:02 PM Reply   
I got stopped in Parker for moving while one of my buddies was standing and putting a board into the rack. Normally I don't move while people are leaning out like that, but the current was taking me toward the rocks. Didn't ticket me, but held us up for about 15 mins. I'm with andy above, I don't even get moving until everyone is in and seated unless current forces me to move
Old     (ottog1979)      Join Date: Apr 2007       07-08-2011, 1:37 PM Reply   
I don't want to provide any possible reasons to be sitting in a picture like above.
Old    Haugy            07-08-2011, 1:41 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by ottog1979 View Post
Easiest way to avoid all the small rules and interpretations state to state, keep the cops far away while underway.
There, fixed it for ya. All water cops are useless. Yeah I said it. I'm a rescue diver, and not once has a water cop done anything helpful. Even when I'm trying to get my gear into the boat from a dive, no help, nothing. Never have.

Avoid them. They are meter maids with no brain pan, and a boat. Bad combo.
Old     (iliketowakealot)      Join Date: May 2011       07-08-2011, 1:56 PM Reply   
Well, the OH DNR has to pay for their boat some way!! I've had an enforcement vessel tell me my flag was not orange enough (in CA, you must indicate a downed rider with a flag). Basically they were checking me out to make sure I wasnt running a booze cruise. Been also boarded by local harbor police and the US Coast Guard. In the end, they do it becasue they can!
Old     (nitrousbird)      Join Date: Sep 2008       07-08-2011, 4:43 PM Reply   
Where I normally boat, there are rarely cops on the water, and never bother us. But once a year we go to Buckeye Lake (nasty crap hold of a shallow, choppy lake with dead fish everywhere) to watch Buckeye Blast (fireworks show) on the water. Pretty much every year they say something to us.

Got a quick warning for sitting on the engine cover - we were doing under 10 MPH because of the insane chop, and I wasn't going anywhere.

Got warned few days ago for running my dock lights while driving (didn't know that was against the rules - never had a boat with docking lights). They were going to board us until the guy in front saw we had my 6 month old with us, and decided not to (exact words "oh, there's a baby on the boat."). Of course our little one was fully geared up in her in the neoprene Body Glove infant vest I got her in the safest seat on the boat with my wife holding her. We had a visible cooler, but I don't drink much when I'm boating.

I'm pleased I've never been boarded. We saw boats sent back to the ramps before the fireworks for life vest violations.
Old     (richmondrider)      Join Date: Apr 2005       07-08-2011, 6:08 PM Reply   
We have the same law in MN...i've been warned several times.
Old     (stang_killa_ss)      Join Date: Jan 2010       07-08-2011, 6:35 PM Reply   
"center of gravity above the gunnel"

a house boat with no one in it would break this rule.
Old     (silverlude)      Join Date: Apr 2004       07-08-2011, 8:42 PM Reply   
Like I said, a warning would have been appropriate, but no, typical power trippin bullcarap as many have mentioned. Whatever happen to "protect and serve", seems all we get is rape and pillage. I know they have alot of idiots to deal with, but these nit-pick things deserve a warning, not a ticket. And yea, how the hell does a pontoon boat pass that test???? We operate safely and still have plenty of fun and I think they sometimes simply want to infringe, check out the babes on the boat, and power trip. Never had anyone fall out in 25yrs of owning a boat and plenty of people have stood up ect... while running.
Old     (brett564)      Join Date: Jul 2006       07-09-2011, 12:07 AM Reply   
Huagy, great post. I'm sure you'll be proud of it for years. The water cops job has absolutely nothing to do with helping "rescue divers" reload their gear. It has more to do with keeping our fun activities safe for us and our families and children.

Brian, your post is more intelligent as the above but I'll mention an observation (albeit my own) of years spent enforcing the law. Warnings do very little to change behavior, especially because most people who get stopped by the police expect a warning with no intention of changing the behavior of what got them stopped. On a basic level, the average person who gets stopped for speeding on the freeway will speed again within an hour of getting stopped after only getting a warning. After getting a ticket, that person will stop speeding for much longer. After getting two tickets or more, that person is looking at losing a license in the future. That fear will change their speeding behavior.

I use speeding as an example because its a law many violate regularly although the relationship between how fast you were going prior to a collision and the amount of injuries sustained after the collision is extremely strong.

In essence a warning by itself often increases the poor behavior that drew attention in the first place, because the violator got stopped, got away with it, and now feels he/she can get away with it again. The behavior has reinforced itself.

I'm all for warnings when the situation presents itself as just. The majority of the time however, if you were doing something that drew my attention, whether on the water or not, and caused me to stop you, and I determine you were in violation of a law, I'm probably (case by case) going to enforce the law (i.e. my job).

There is no doubt the Water/Land Pigs are easy to hate on. For everyone reading these threads, Just remember to follow the rules (there really aren't that many of them on the water compared to land), and keep in mind how your outlook on "carefree fun vs. oppressed by the man" may change after you have children and families of your own.
Old     (brett564)      Join Date: Jul 2006       07-09-2011, 12:13 AM Reply   
Brian, the rape and pillage, checking out the babes, power tripping, etc. etc.

Grow up and just follow the rules.
Old     (rmotoxxx711)      Join Date: Oct 2008       07-09-2011, 12:32 AM Reply   
Yea I agree in Cali were screwed. Long story shorter we were camping on shasta and a cop told us to leave a legit boat in camp sight after I told him calmly we were to drunk to drive and would gladly leave in the AM. I left drunk at 5mph at night went around the corner and got a DUI by the cop that told us to leave that I said we were too faded. Actually I got a "bui" which we all cal a bouy now haha
In the long run got the case thrown out, I win hhaha
Old     (ktrent)      Join Date: Jul 2010       07-09-2011, 6:27 AM Reply   
Man this post will be many pages of stories. Water patrol or twra as we call them in tn is pretty cool on my lake. Mostly the same few guys and we have never got on there bad side so they don't bother us at all.

Now for the actual water police in knoxville during events like boomsday that's a different story. We were pulled over once while in idle. Everyone including me was drinking, but had a sober driver. He asked for the owner and I said me. He insisted I sit in the drivers seat, asking me multiple time to sit there knowing I was a little drunk. I never did but we all know where I would have spent the evening if I did. Moral of this story. Some cops are good just like us and some have a bit of short man syndrome.

sent using tapatalk
Old     (austin)      Join Date: Apr 2010       07-09-2011, 8:55 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by stang_killa_ss View Post
"center of gravity above the gunnel"

a house boat with no one in it would break this rule.
Perhaps he meant a person's center of gravity, not the boat. A single person standing up would have little effect on a whole boat's center of gravity.
Old     (superairdawg)      Join Date: May 2003       07-09-2011, 11:28 AM Reply   
Actually, 1547.22 is something to the effect of no one is supposed to be standing while the boat is under way, or sitting somewhere they shouldn't. Both your standing person and the person sitting on the dogbox were in violation.

Sitting, Standing, Walking on Moving Vessels Restricted
(ORC 1547.22)
No occupant of a vessel underway shall sit, stand, or walk on any area not designed for that movement except when immediately necessary for safe and reasonable navigation or operation.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/watercraf...3/Default.aspx

Kinda sucks they busted you for it, but it's there in black and white.
Old    Haugy            07-10-2011, 8:59 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by brett564 View Post
Huagy, great post. I'm sure you'll be proud of it for years. The water cops job has absolutely nothing to do with helping "rescue divers" reload their gear. It has more to do with keeping our fun activities safe for us and our families and children.
Yep, very proud. Comments from another water maid don't bother me. I've done more in helping protect people than you writing tickets will ever do. I've led Safety training classes for kids, CPR Classes, boater education classes. Teaching kids at the local YMCA and public pool how to swim. So yeah I think I've done more than most water cops in keeping our activities safe for our families and children.

Keep writing tickets, I hear they save lives.

And you've obviously never been on an S&R before. Otherwise you'd understand my comment about reloading gear. It's not putting it away in my truck to end my day.
Old     (bill_airjunky)      Join Date: Apr 2002       07-11-2011, 2:06 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by silverlude View Post
Never had anyone fall out in 25yrs of owning a boat and plenty of people have stood up ect... while running.
It's a bit surprising that someone with so much experience would not know the rules of the waterways, especially if your on your own home lake/river. Especially a rule that seems like common sense (to me).
I imagine this will be taken the wrong way, but maybe it's time to start checking out what you are & are not allowed to do in a boat. People fall out of boats all too often. Maybe your particular boat is safer than some other make/model. But the rules are written for everyone. If it was your kid or wife that it happened to, maybe you'd have a little more respect for the rule?
As for whether or not it should have been a warning or a ticket, sometimes that comes down to how cooperative you are with the guy. Cop an attitude with them & their not going to be inclined to be nice back to ya.
Sorry if thats harsh, but you asked.
Old     (murphy_smith)      Join Date: Dec 2005       07-11-2011, 2:22 PM Reply   
Common Sense is not so Common Anymore!
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       07-11-2011, 2:41 PM Reply   
I didn't read every post but in case it has not been said, in CA, your waist (center of gravity) must be 6 inches below the gun whale when the boat is in gear.
Old     (jmanolinsky)      Join Date: Dec 2005       07-12-2011, 5:48 AM Reply   
First a shout out to Kevin Trent from Knoxville above. Go Vols! Now on to the subject.

This is one rule that I agree with. It's an obvious one at speed, but hit reverse to stop or slow the boat while picking up a downed rider, idling through a no wake zone or docking and it is very easy for your standing passenger to fall out or take a bite out of the top of the windhield, etc.
Just wait until I stop to get in the cooler or whatever.

I'm not sure what is that makes everyone want to stand up when I slow down and start getting close to the dock. It's not like the driver needs to be able to see or anything. (sarcasm) Adults and kids alike do this. It is a pet peeve of mine. I make it clear that I want everyone to stay seated when the boat is in gear or moving, period, but I still have people do it.

Jman
Old     (joe_crawley)      Join Date: Jan 2007       07-12-2011, 8:27 AM Reply   
Usually I would agree and think most stops and tickets are a stretch, but you had someone standing on the seat while underway and you are complaining.

Brian, we see guys like you every 4th of July and we always chuckle when we see the dnr getting ready to write them a ticket. How can you be so stupid to have a violation like that on the 4th! That is the day the DNR pays its bills for the whole year. The easiest way to tell an experienced pilot from a wally is what their passengers are doing. 25 years eh?

Last edited by joe_crawley; 07-12-2011 at 8:32 AM.
Old     (fuzzball147)      Join Date: Apr 2010       07-13-2011, 4:18 AM Reply   
Joe hit it exactly. I can almost garuentee that you would have gotten a warning if it had not been a holiday weekend. That officer pulled you and wrote you while a million "holiday boating morons" (those that bless the lake with their stupidy only on holiday weekends) watched. And they probably thought "Oh crap, the police are out here" and maybe they had a moment of thinking about how they did not want a ticket and drove safely within the rules, and checked thier life jackets, had one less beer, etc...I'm sorry you got the ticket but there's a good chance that your misfortune could have helped the rest of the folks on the lake. I NEVER go on holiday weekends unless it's to sit at the dock and enjoy those trying to load and unload...and help if they ask, of course.
Old     (silverlude)      Join Date: Apr 2004       07-20-2011, 11:29 AM Reply   
After reading comments and evaluating the safety issues I understand the rule and it's intent for safety. Did some research and I see how someone could get hurt. I just felt that we were goin so slow that no one could have gotten hurt, but I could be wrong. As we have never had an issue,I guess I let my guard down and didn't see the added risk level as we have always ran a safe boating experience with all safety equipment ect...
As far as the officer that pulled up to us, he had an attitude immediately,even tho we produced all safety eq. ect... He had no booklets to hand out and was not interested in educating or assisting us in safe operation of our boat. He was simply lookin for a way to ticket us in some way shape or form. In talking to others in my area,this officer has a "bad" rep for attitude issues and lack of respect for the public. I know they deal with alot of morons but we were very respectful and asked questions about safety ect... but he was not very willing to offer any advise ect... I rarely venture into Ohio jurisdiction on the river, so I was ignorant of the rule as KY and Indiana have never had an issues or mentioned it was an issue. Like I stated tho, after evaluating the issue I can see the safety factor involved and plan to adjust accordingly. Just goes ta show,ya can teach an old dog new tricks. Tks for the input guys, thats why I love this site. Have a great summer.

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