by Susan Trask, June 2005

Several times each summer, it seems, the Taylor Pond Association receives complaints of folks violating boating laws. Somebody is wake-jumping with a jet-ski; someone is going too fast near a shoreline. Every year at the Annual Meeting, someone suggests that we consider putting some restrictions on boating. I was amazed when I went on the State Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Website and saw just how many lakes and ponds in Maine have instituted boating restrictions! So far, we have not gone that route at Taylor Pond. However, the TPA does hope and expect that local boaters will adhere to the State safety regulations. These reg’s not only protect personal safety, but also help to preserve the health and viability of the resource we all treasure.

Here’s an outline of some of the most useful safety regulations:

Personal water craft:

• Anyone operating or riding a PWC must wear a personal flotation device (i.e. life jacket).
• PWCs may not be operated during the hours between sunset and sunrise.
• A person is guilty of “imprudent operation” if one “engages in prolonged circling, informal racing, wake jumping, or other types of continued and repeated activities that harass another person.”

Waterskiing:

• A watercraft towing a skier, surfboard, or aquaplane, shall not operate within the water safety zone (i.e. 200 feet of the shoreline), unless taking off or depositing the skier back to shore.
• A watercraft towing a skier, etc., must have a person aboard (in addition to the operator) who is at least 12 years old and can continually observe the person being towed.
• You may not tow someone on water skis, etc. between the hours of ½ hour after sunset and ½ hour before sunrise.

Speed:

• Watercraft may not be operated at a speed greater than “headway speed” (the minimum speed necessary to maintain steerage and control while the craft is moving) within the water safety zone (200 feet of the shoreline). “The operator must consider the effect of the wash or wave created by their watercraft to waterfront piers, floats or other property or shorelines.”

General safety:

• For craft under 16 feet, you must have one wearable PFD for each person aboard. For craft 16’ and over, you must also have a throwable (Type IV) device on board.
• Children under 10 years of age must wear a Type I, II, or III PFD while one board all watercraft.

For a complete reading of Maine’s boating regulations, go online to the State website, or pick up a booklet at Auburn Hall. A stack of these booklets sit right on the counter where you go to register your boat or car.

As you take to the water this summer, please respect the health and safety of your fellow boaters and swimmers, as well as the health of Taylor Pond itself. Try to really pay attention to amount of “wash” your boat creates on the shoreline. Think of it in terms of the extra phosphorous-laden soil that dumps directly back into the lake with each wave! Cultivate those good habits that will help to maintain the high quality of the beautiful lake we all enjoy and share!