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The lake that I normally surf on is long and narrow. You simply can’t turn, you have to go straight. This lake has a boat length limit. The length limit has some effect on wake size but newer wakeboard boats still generate fairly big wakes, bigger at surfing speeds.
There are other lakes around that much larger 26 to 32 foot boats operate in. These boats make a bigger wake than I can and they do it all the time. The larger lakes are awful for wakeboarding but not a problem for surfing. So if you go to these lakes you committing to a day of surfing and nothing else.
I surf and wakeboard past many other boaters including rowing shells. We often sit and wait for rowing shells to pass. After a fall we might change direction so we don’t interfere with the rowers. However, if we are underway and passing or over taking a rowing shell we usually press on. They choose to be out on public waters, on fragile boats, without life vests, in boats with no gunnels what so ever. On a cold spring day they are going to get wet and cold.
I also press on if I see a bass fisherman standing up and fishing. I don’t think that someone standing up in a boat with 8 inch gunnels should be surprised by a wake in high speed zone.
Better wakeboard riders see my wake as an opportunity for a double up sized wake. I’ve seen 360s and inverts off of my surfing wake.
If we see a particularly dinky boat or other situation that looks like trouble we tell our surfer to bail and we stop. Once the problem passes we press on.
I think the wake generated by running in circle can be worse. When we make a turn we have to do it in a 300 foot or less cord. The jumble of wakes in the center resulting from this turn is a beast. I don’t make a turn like this if there are other boats around. Instead we drop the surfer, turn at idle speed and start fresh.
Yes you are responsible for your wake. However, other boaters also have responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is navigating through the wakes of other boats.
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