Presque Isle’s proposed “hazardous wake” ordinance

To the Editor:

Having reviewed The Lakeland Times Sept. 12 lead article, I applaud Supervisor Carl Wolter’s position regarding Presque Isle’s proposed “hazardous wake” ordinance.

I reside on Oxbow Lake which has had five wake boats in operation for the past several years. The first appearing on Oxbow Lake nine seasons ago. While operating in “wake surf mode”, these boats have been kept several hundred feet from shore and in depths between 25’ and 45’. Water quality measurements (phosphorous, chlorophyll and clarity) have not shown any signs of degradation and in fact, many view the 2022 results as being one of the best seasons on record.

If enacted, the proposed ordinance would open the door for unintended consequences. The proposed ordinance encourages multi-sport wake boat owners to transfer their boat between lakes in order to fulfill all of their recreational desires. Moving boats from lake to lake is a top contributor in the spreading of aquatic invasive species (AIS), such as spiny waterflea, Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leaf pondweed. Therefore, the probability of lakes throughout Presque Isle becoming infested with AIS would increase.

The proposed “hazardous wake” ordinance does not take into account the complete picture. Wake surfing has been in existence for decades dating back to the 1930s. The sport began gaining popularity during the ‘90s along with advances in technology. As with motorboats designed for surfing, technological advances have also driven changes in the personal watercraft arena. Personal watercrafts are now capable of developing 2,000 pounds of thrust and the sport has evolved from getting from one place to another quickly, to wave and wake jumping. It’s not unusual for personal watercrafts to jump waves and wakes created by all motorboats that are towing tubers, skiers, wakeboarders and especially wake boats with trailing surfers. This activity places the safety of tubers, skiers, wakeboarders and surfers at risk, especially if any of them go down. When the motorboats aren’t active on the lake, personal watercrafts create their own waves by riding in circles and jumping over one another’s waves and wakes. While jumping waves and wakes, personal watercraft operate at up to an 80+ degree angle directing all of that thrust downward. At 2,000 pounds of thrust and in relatively shallow water, the activity is destroying the native plant community, impacting shallow water quality and wreaking havoc in the littoral zone. Having a healthy and thriving native plant community, guards against the invasion of AIS, specifically Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leaf pondweed. Shallow water quality and the protection of the littoral zone are critical to the survival of many, many species.

Due to the technological advances in both the motorboat and personal watercraft arenas, Presque Isle’s associated ordinances are in need of updates and not the current proposed “hazardous wake” ordinance. 

Otto Novak  

Presque Isle