VT Groups Seek to Expand Wake Boat Ban

A watersurfer gets prepared to let go of the line. Photo/NEB

As a result of restrictions placed on so-called “wake boats” last April, wake boating and wake boarding is prohibited in 30 of Vermont’s 823 inland lakes. However, at least nine lake association groups are asking the state to expand the list of lakes in which wake boats are prohibited.

One example is the Westmore Association, which is petitioning the state to prohibit wake boating on Lake Willoughby in northern Vermont. The group contends that Willoughby’s steep banks and narrow shape cause the wave action created by wake boats to become more dangerous and unpredictable, posing a threat to kayakers, paddleboarders, swimmers, and even those simply using their docks.

In response to the recent petitions, the VT Department of Environmental Conservation will hold two public-comment meetings. The first will examine petitions filed by Great and Little Averill Lakes, Echo Lake, Lake Parker, Shadow Lake and Lake Willoughby. The second meeting will cover Waterbury Reservoir, Lake Fairlee, Caspian Lake, and Joe’s Pond.

Research shows that waves generated by wake boats can damage habitat for nesting waterfowl, erode shorelines, cause turbulence that disrupts plants and animals living in the lake sediment, and pose a risk to other lake users. Further, water contained in the ballast system of wake boats (used to generate larger wakes) can also transfer invasive species from one lake to another.

Last spring, the Maine legislature also approved a bill that sets limits on wake surfing and requires the state and boat dealers to educate boaters about the damage caused by generating large wakes in sensitive areas.