Wake surfing after dark!

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SeaLegs said:
True. I probably shouldn’t have responded that way, but I’m extremely frustrated with the situation and feel that many surfers ignore the fact that it is a serious issue now and getting worse every year. Something needs to change and soon before the government forces the changes. I know surfboat owners and they are beginning to comment on how bad it is getting. I’m not for banning any kind of watercraft but I wish the responsible owners would be more vocal about reckless behavior. I get it that many surfers are clueless and have not been educated on how and where to safely tow. It doesn't help when the powellheadz knucklehead posted a video of himself surfing at night.

Serious question. Why do some surfers cruise with ballast on board?
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Pretty much ALL surf boats have ballast (internal and/or external)…It’s what makes a surf boat a surf boat. Surf boats without ballast are called boats. :)
 
SeaLegs said:
Serious question. Why do some surfers cruise with ballast on board?
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No idea why anyone would do that on a regular basis. It doesn't make sense, only uses more fuel.

The only time I leave ballast in is if we are between riders or if the lake is really rough - my boat rides better if I leave the center tank full.
 
RiverRat68 said:
Pretty much ALL surf boats have ballast (internal and/or external)…It’s what makes a surf boat a surf boat. Surf boats without ballast are called boats. :)
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A lot more goes into a Surf Boat than just ballast as you probably know. The hull design, the V Drive, the wave shaping wedges and plows, the high HP motor and even the prop. The technology is amazing really. I think the question was more like why do some Surf boat operators feel the need to keep all that apparatus tuned to keep the big wave going wherever they go?

I think the answer is that it takes a little time to empty extra ballast and change settings especially if you are coming and going to surf anyway. I get that
 
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Marina Bum said:
I don't know why when folks who like to surf hear any suggestion of any kind of restriction
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Pretty much every complaint I see on this forum is from a behavior that is already illegal. So if laws are already being broken and not enforced how is it logical that adding additional regulations would be any different?

I will say regardless of the laws, where some people choose to moor their boat is just asking for issues. If you beach in Bullfrog Bay during prime season you should expect to have rough water.

Get away from the marina. Find a spot that is protected from the wind and not wide open behind you and you are unlikely to have problems.

I have a Malibu and a Lund so I think I'm sensitive to some of the complaints. But I honestly have never had trouble with other surf boats in my lifetime on Powell.
 
Marina Bum said:
a lot more goes into a Surf Boat that just ballast as you probably know. The hull design, the wave shaping wedges and plows, the high HP motor and even the prop. The technology is amazing really. I think the question was more like why do Surfboart operators feel the need to keep all that apparatus tuned to keep the big wave going wherever the go?

I think the answer is that it takes a little time to empty extra ballast and change settings especially if you are coming and going to surf anyway.
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Yeah, relative to cruising around the lake with any ballast…like Ryan points out there are instances when it might make sense but in general, it doesn’t make sense because of effect on handling and gas mileage…

We once spent a day cruising around Havasu (no surfing). The boat was driving and handling like a pig but, I just chalked it up to the rough water on Havasu during Memorial Day weekend (it was crazy rough). Just before trailering at the end of the day, I swiped to the ballast screen and realized I hadn’t drained the tanks from the day before…definitely a duh moment…
 
TR. said:
K, I’m gonna admit it. Water skiing under a full moon, 95 degree night. Not a single ripple on the water, not a breeze. A few miles straight of water, hundreds of feet deep. Not another boat for ever. A night my friends and I will never forget. Yep, we broke the law, but let me ask you this…what’s the difference between day skiing and night skiing under a full moon? I generally consider myself super-safe and this was a very small risk and it was very special. For all of you ready to come unglued…do you never push the envelope just a little? Live life, you only get one.
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You also didn’t effect anyone trying to enjoy the lake at night 👍
 
SeaLegs said:
"Get away from the marina"
That doesn't help much on south end.
This is a small cove in Rock Creek. They were surfing back there where we were anchored. Not an isolated incident.

View attachment 29663
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I don't know how getting away from the marina doesn't help on the south end. Go further if you want peace and quiet. There have been dozens of threads about how quiet mid-lake is.

To state the obvious, the south end proximity to large population centers is going to make it busier. Get up to canyons around DR and it will be quiet.

So what is your realistic solution to your problem? The boats aren't going to be banned. And lack of enforcement of anything on the lake dulls the effect of regulations.

Finally, not trying to be difficult, and I can't see everything from your photo, but it certainly seems to show a large wide open area behind where you are anchored. From that very basic photo it looks like an area I'd expect to see water sports.

This is more what I'm talking about. Kind of the perfect example, but we are able to find a similar spot like this every trip.

IMG_3486.jpeg
 
Marina Bum said:
I like to see people enjoy the lake, there is no one way to do that. People with Surf boats can enjoy the lake too, that's not the issue. I don't know why when folks who like to surf hear any suggestion of any kind of restriction on where they can drag a three foot hard faced wave behind them they start to freak out. Do you have to pass an egocentric to buy one? Do you think it's ok to completely disrespect everyone else on the lake even an angler in a canyon in a john boat or a kayaker? Do you know what that does to their craft? Do you care?

If ALL Surf Boat operators had some kind of manners (some do) if they all comported themselves with respect for others then I wouldn't think we'd need any help from Park Service but they don't. They'll surf right past a kayaker in a small cove and fell like it's their right to have a good time, F*#• Everyone Else! That's the vibe the rest of us get.
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What you are missing is that this same thought process could go for virtually every other type of boat owner....there are asshats in every other type of boat that are just as big of a problem. I used to carry a sling shot and marbles in my float tube to fling at waverunners for the exact same reasons you are recommending regulations be put in place for surf boats.

You can't regulate one and not the others. If all waverunner owners, houseboat owners, bass boat owners etc. had some kind of manners (some do) if they all comported themselves with respect for others then I wouldn't think we'd need any help from Park Service but they don't. They'll all fly past a float tuber in a small cove and "fell" like it's their right to have a good time. F*# Everypoone Else! That's the vibe the rest of us get.

You see, the hypocrisy is so thick with this line of thought that it maddens me. You can't restrict one type and not all the others...that is asinine when the others create the same problems.
 
Stuart Hepworth said:
What you are missing is that this same thought process could go for virtually every other type of boat owner....there are asshats in every other type of boat that are just as big of a problem.
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This is simply untrue, and statements like that are why you got the response you did earlier in this post. The amount of idiots in wake boats VASTY outweighs houseboats, bass boats and jet skis combined. You can easily look at the last few years of posts here and see the number of complaints about wakes boats vs any other type of craft and it's probably 5-1 if not greater. They are a problem. No other recreational creates such a disturbance for every other type of recreation, period. Even loud music heard from a 1/4 mile away doesn't have the chance to damage your boat or hurt people.
 
Sampson767 said:
This is simply untrue, and statements like that are why you got the response you did earlier in this post. The amount of idiots in wake boats VASTY outweighs houseboats, bass boats and jet skis combined. You can easily look at the last few years of posts here and see the number of complaints about wakes boats vs any other type of craft and it's probably 5-1 if not greater. They are a problem. No other recreational creates such a disturbance for every other type of recreation, period. Even loud music heard from a 1/4 mile away doesn't have the chance to damage your boat or hurt people.
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Not true, wave runners are the biggest problem on the lake!! They are almost always driven by renters or teenagers that have no clue of any of the rules. Every year I have wave runners following too close to my boat and have to worry about them running over my skier. I would take annoying waves any day over this danger. I don’t wish them to be banned though just wish people were more educated about rules when they rent and use these.
 
Sampson767 said:
This is simply untrue, and statements like that are why you got the response you did earlier in this post. The amount of idiots in wake boats VASTY outweighs houseboats, bass boats and jet skis combined. You can easily look at the last few years of posts here and see the number of complaints about wakes boats vs any other type of craft and it's probably 5-1 if not greater. They are a problem. No other recreational creates such a disturbance for every other type of recreation, period. Even loud music heard from a 1/4 mile away doesn't have the chance to damage your boat or hurt people.
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I totally disagree. I've seen it my whole life. The perspective is what has changed. When my lake use was primarily float tubing, it was the jet skis, bass boats, and wave runners that were the problem. When I ran my little 18-footer, it was the bigger boats--cabin cruisers, houseboats, and pontoon boats that were a pain. Now, I see issues with all of the above. The reason you see more complaints here about surf boats is because this is primarily a fishing website for Lake Powell and because there are becoming more and more of them.

I think we should make a regulation that houseboats should only be allowed to anchor on the main channel because they will often cover up or block good fishing habitat in the coves and canyons; I think we should make a regulation that only allows wave runners and jet skis in the main channel because of the danger they create for swimmers, surfers, and fishermen; I think we should make a regulation that makes it illegal for any boats over 24 feet to enter canyons or to travel outside of the main channel.
 
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