speeding through the islands?

fishbonz412 · Post by **fishbonz412** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 6:55 pm

This is a corollary to a prior post. What is the state or county law about travelling through the side sloughs where there is private property? I was running on plane along the south channel in Disappointment and wanted to cut over to the North channel. I went between the islands but there was some property with docks, etc. One of the men there shouted out that it is a no-wake zone. I yelled there is no post for that. he yelled something about "county law" that I did not catch as I was moving away from him (and the Optimax is pretty loud anyways). I merely complied with it to avoid the trouble. Anyone familiar with any laws that are applicable here? Thanks.

whazup · Post by **whazup** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 7:40 pm

Law is 5 mph within 200 feet of docked boat.

jimmy87 · Post by **jimmy87** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 7:51 pm

property might be private but water is not nor is the bottom of the river.

200 feet from a docked boat is 5 MPH

my question is at what size of vessel dose this law no longer apply?
I notice most ignore large boats that are docked.

Ken C. · Post by **Ken C.** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:30 pm

This law pertains to an occupied dock - be it a boat or people. Ask Marty about the dock on Holland around the corner from Franks! As far as I know there is no language in the law about the size of the boat, although if you go zipping by one of the ocean freighters I doubt anyone's going to complain..

Andy Giannini · Post by **Andy Giannini** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 2:40 am

"Where there is private property" is all over the Delta. There isn't a square inch that is not owned by someone.

One of my best memories was a guy who was trying to argue with LE about a speed zone violation because his craft was a hovercraft. In his mind, he was in a "Non displacement mode" hovering across the water not creating a wake so the law did not apply to him.

hasetak · Post by **hasetak** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:13 pm

I don't want to hijack but I have been curious about this and I feel like it is along the same lines. I knew the rule about 200' from a docked boat, my question is when there is a patchy tule island between yon and the docked boat / marin. I assume that if you are within 200' and there is not a solid "break" 5mph applies. Anyone have solid info on this? An example of this is lidquist landing marina.

fishin45 · Post by **fishin45** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 1:12 pm

Well i can assure you that if in fact you do go over 5 in an area where there is a boat docked even on a main slough the sheriff will give you a ticket. i got one a couple years back on holland cut where that dock is on the main channel just outside of the track. According to the officer if a slough is more than 160 ft wide you can stay on plane along the opposite shoreline. I completely understand why a homeowner with a moored boat would get upset it does rough your boat up.

Also please keep in mind that the people in sandmound get cranky even if you are going 5. last year i was out in sandmound slough and some drunk guy in an aluminum tracker came over(at about 30 miles an hour) claiming to be an OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICER threatening me because i was "destroying his property". the guy got so close to my boat i was able turn my graph and show him the gps said 5.1 mph. not good enough for him as he felt i was still leaving too much of a wake even at 5 and this dumb a$$ followed me for 10 minutes nagging me since i kept going 5.

some people are a bit intense even when it is not necessary and i am glad my son was with me who was 9 at the time or we would have likely had a real issue . I'm pretty laid back but enough is enough at times.

be safe

whazup · Post by **whazup** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 1:29 pm

I was told..even at 5 mph, if your wake is rolling over (white water) you are legally going too fast. Is this true?

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 6:59 pm

There are two different posting, a 5 MPH and No Wake Zone.

I have not read the 160 ft rule but I do know when there is no posting of 5 MPH or No Wake Zone and a boat is docked the distance is 200 ft.

200 ft is not that long – it is just 10 boats in a line. If you think about it, the front dock of Russo can hold 7 to 8 boats at one time. Counting the motors and the room between the boats that is about 200 ft.

When there is a 5 MPH posted to me that is 5 to 5.9 MPH and a No Wake Zone is about 3 MPH. As for tulle island in a 5 MPH posted area (one side with docks and the other side no boats or docks) the way most are posted it covers both sides. But I still think that is open for discussion. I don’t know of anyone getting a ticket as of yet and I know a lot of guys that do it.

ash · Post by **ash** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 7:07 am

The best part of dissapointment slough is all of the livaboards that have now taken over the islands and are there year round. Make it easy when cruising through dissapointment, when on pad stay on the outside lanes, and cut across right before HH or right after Paradise Point - then no bubbles no troubles. I would be lieing though if I were to say i havent shot through one of those sloughs to turn the corner and see a boat - when the mats are out there is not 200' to pass so it is a 5mph. I had a guy throw a full water bottle at me once as I was going by -