Wakesurfing on Sammamish (regulation question)

Last weekend I was pulled over by a King County Sherrif on Lake Sammamish while wakesurfing, there were numerous boats out there surfing at the time, I think he singled me out because I had so many people onboard (10 people, which is within the capacity limit of my boat). Anyhow, after running me through the ringer making sure I had life jackets for each person (which I did), and making sure I had my registration, fire extinguisher, and a few other things, he started to give me a hard time about my surfing and weighting one side of the boat. First he tried to tell me that wakesurfing is illegal out here now, I told him that I was aware that a new law had been approved in march making teak surfing illegal but that it didn't apply to wake surfing. He said that one had been passed June 6th regarding wake surfing but that he wasn't even sure of the exact regulation yet so it was at his discretion as to whether he enforced it (he didn't end up enforcing it). He also gave me a hard time about how much weight I had in the boat, I explained that the boat came from the manufacturer with all of the ballast I was currently using and that I hadn't filled any extra sacs because of the number of people I had on board. He asked me to empty out some of the water and then let me go and continue wakesurfing. All things considered, he was actually pretty cool about it. But, I searched online and couldn't find anything about any new wakesurfing regulations like he was saying. I found the new teak surfing regulations on the state website and NASBLA's website, but absolutely no mention of wakesurfing. I'd like to have something I could print out and have on board so if I get pulled over again for this, I have something I can show them about wakesurfing not being illegal. Anyone have anything?

Does this thread help you at all?http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/87668/281929.html

Hey David,

This is the legislative history of SB6364:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6364

This is the actual text of the law as enacted by the Govenor:

http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2005-06/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/6364.PL.pdf

Section 1 Paragraph's 4 & 5 define the illegal activity, which doesn't include wakesurfing. You handled it great! I think the biggest confusion we face is the similarity in the name - teaksurfing and wakesurfing. I wish that platform dragging were used more frequently to describe the illegal activity. You'll keep us posted on any future developments, please?

http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2005-06/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/6364.PL.pdf

This appears to be the approved Bill.

I win, I got there first!

Thanks guys, that helps. I think I'll just print up this regulation and a description of wakesurfing vs teak surfing, and if they give me a hard time again, I'll show it to them and ask them to produce this "new regulation" regarding wakesurfing. And yeah, I'll let you know if I have any more issues. I may actually pull the cop over next time I see him out there and talk to him about it again, the cops on Sammamish are actually pretty cool...

(Message edited by evil_e on June 21, 2006)

Yeah, most of the deputies we have here in CA are the same, they are just doing their job and trying to prevent injury to body or property. There are, however, times of confusion and having something to show is always good. While it's not supportive in WA, I like this graphic developed by the State of California:

http://www.dbw.ca.gov/PressRoom/2004/Images/TeakSurfing.asp

you are right about the cops being fairly cool on sammamish. I grew up with a boat on the lake and was out all summer every summer either boarding or cruising around the lake. When putting around we always sit and the sides(which I know is illegal while in gear), but was never pulled over once. First time I ever took the boat on lake washington was pulled over within 15 minutes for this. sorry about this off topic post.