aqua cops

(nossletoe) · (nossletoe) **Join Date: Jun 2007** 06-22-2007, 10:19 AM

we were recently busted by the aqua cop on the snake river in lewiston idaho and they have a stance of no tolerance for surfing on the river. has anyone else had trouble with the "aqua cop"?
they said that their was no law against it but he would cite the driver for negligent operation of a boat and was a real ••••••••••••• we made the front page the next morning.

(charman) · (charman) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 06-22-2007, 10:35 AM

that's ludicrous! i see people on the lake every time i'm out that could be classified as "negligent operators".

(nossletoe) · (nossletoe) **Join Date: Jun 2007** 06-22-2007, 11:24 AM

agreed but thats the mentaltity of an aqua cop for ya.

(michealhoward)

I have surfed right infront of the cops. Thats blows.

(nossletoe) · (nossletoe) **Join Date: Jun 2007** 06-22-2007, 11:25 AM

where are you guys riding?

(nossletoe) · (nossletoe) **Join Date: Jun 2007** 06-22-2007, 11:26 AM

has anyone been ticketed and fought the ticket.

(rwb) · (rwb) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 06-22-2007, 11:32 AM

What was the cops definition of negligent?

(nossletoe) · (nossletoe) **Join Date: Jun 2007** 06-22-2007, 11:46 AM

the driver was allowing someone to ride to close to the back of the boat and if something were to happen he siad someone could get hurt and he did not want to have to clean up the mess on his river.

(smedman) · (smedman) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 06-22-2007, 12:05 PM

that is too bad he was such a jerk. he was probably just uneducated and sincerly trying to keep the river safe. uneducated in that he probably doesn't get the concept of surfing behind an inboard boat vs. an outboard or I/O... you might try finding out who his boss is and explaining to him low low risk of getting anywhere near the prop (especially with the rudder in the way). or if you see another cop, invite him to come along on his day off so you can have him experience it. anything you can do to help edumacate them... :-)

i understand the cops were giving tickets here in austin a few years ago... now they just cruise by and wave...

you might want to print out some info from www.howtowakesurf.com -- lots of good info there

(Message edited by smedman on June 22, 2007)

surfdad 06-22-2007, 12:39 PM

Yeah, Matt is right...education is probably all that is needed.

The NASBLA has promulgated the:

MODEL ACT FOR SAFE PRACTICES FOR BOAT TOWED WATERSPORTS

It's original form would have accidentally outlawed wakesurfing. However, the hard work of folks from the WSIA, and the now dormant World Wakesurfing Association got that amended. I have that model law in PDF format, not that it was adopted in ID, but many other states have.
It might make the education process easier.

The preamble to that model law reads as follows:

Boat-Towed Watersports-Approved Sept. 21, 2005
Boat-Towed Watersports 92105 1
NASBLA MODEL ACT FOR SAFE PRACTICES FOR BOAT TOWED WATERSPORTS

This act originally was adopted by the membership of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators on Oct. 29, 2003. However, an original provision prohibiting the use of a tow rope of 20 feet or less would have precluded the popular sport of wake surfing. In response, during 2004, the NASBLA Committees on Law Enforcement and Boats and Associated Equipment revised the language and narrowed
the act to apply to teak surfing (platform dragging) and body surfing - water sports that pose potential dangers to the participant both because of proximity to the boat’s propeller and because of the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning. The amended act was approved by the NASBLA membership on Sept. 15, 2004.

However, in 2005, those committees reviewed, approved and recommended to the NASBLA membership this revised version as part of the Association’s Model Act Review and Standardization Project. The act was approved in revised form by the membership on Sept. 21, 2005.

(nossletoe) · (nossletoe) **Join Date: Jun 2007** 06-22-2007, 12:45 PM

goog ideas and thanx for the info so far..

(malibu) · (malibu) **Join Date: Sep 2004** 06-22-2007, 6:44 PM

Chad,
I'm sorry to hear you had trouble on the Snake. I have surfed the Snake and the Clearwater at Lewiston many times. We have never been stopped but it sounds like things could be different this year. We travel with our boat from Boise to North Idaho and Montana every summer. The Snake is one of my favorite places to surf. I will be riding it in July this year and I hope we don't have any trouble like you did. Are you planning to surf there anymore?
Sue

(nossletoe) · (nossletoe) **Join Date: Jun 2007** 06-23-2007, 3:34 PM

down by chief timmothy park in clarkston.

(melanie) · (melanie) **Join Date: Apr 2001** 07-01-2007, 7:50 PM

We had the Wildlife ask us about wakesurfing the other day. He said it looks dangerous to be so close behind the boat. I gave him a Wakesurfing mag that I happened to have on the boat. Im excited that we possibly educated them a bit.

Cant believe you made the front page. Thats crazy.

(siuski) · (siuski) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 07-02-2007, 10:16 AM

I took out the local DNR and Federal Wildlife officer (Fed is my neibor) for a education day. I had ppt presentation and CD with video's I found on the net. Both were cool with it, and every time I see the DNR out on the lake he want's to know when I'm taking him!

FWIW, I might be able to find that presentation if anyone is interested.