Thats not accurate mars. The VA Gaming Warden is twisting an existing law for the sake of 'safety', state-wide. The law states that a boat driver must be operating at idle speed within 50 feet of a swimmer. The twist is the VA Warden is stating that as soon as you let go or toss the rope while wakesurfing, that you are a swimmer. Therefore the driver is now breaking the law. And I know because I got a first hand lecture from the warden. Only a moron would consider someone riding on top of the water a 'swimmer' and not a rider, but they are getting away with it. One ticket went to court, and the defendant lost from what I understand. Setting the precedence state wide with . The "rumor" is that the Warden's office is full of fisherman who were annoyed with their bass boats having to deal with the wakesurf waves, therefore they did something about it. I know the same warden that pulled me over was filming us wakesurfing a year before. I read the article and like you said Alan, it would be nice if things were like SML statewide. I plan on contacting the officer noted in the article and see if we can get some of the same information spread down here. Wakesurfing is our joy, and its been beating on me all summer to have to duck and hide just to get surfing. Thankfully it was chilly enough today to keep the game warden at home.
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