Friday Night Catamaran in Cattle Landing
 

So I'm coming back to the island Friday night at about 10:30PM from Sheps and came upon an essentially dead in the water catamaran in the Cattle Landing channel between the mainland and Bear Island. He was facing east (his stern to me), and was not only essentially stationary, but his nav lights were completely obstructed as he was facing away from me. His mast light was lit, but with the cat not moving (no wind to speak of), a light that high can easily be lost with the other lights on the mountains and shoreline. I came off plane long before I was on top of him, but couldn't believe a kid would be out on the lake in a narrow passage area on a calm windless night. Truly an accident waiting to happen. I honestly thought he was broken down and trolled by him close enough to ask. He was fine, he said.

While he was "legal" with all his lights, to be out on the lake in that area at 10:30 on a calm night in a small catamaran is anything but intelligent.

Stark reminder of how we all must expect the unexpected on the lake -- particularly at night. And why a 25 mph nightime speed limit makes all the sense in the world.

Where is there a 25mph speed limit at night? Not on Winnipesaukee.

30 mph at night, correct?

http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/n...estricted.html

Lake Winnipesaukee:
RSA 270-D, X - Speed limit of 45 mph during daylight hours and 25 mph during the period from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise. (See Revised Statutes Annotated, RSA 270-D - General Rules for Vessels Operating on Water, subsection X, for complete statute)

I believe this info is incorrect...The original bill was amended on June 28th, 2010 by Governor Lynch which increased the night time speed limit to 30 MPH.

Dan

I believe ishoot is correct, but can't find the amendment


.

It was an amendment to Senate Bill 464 I believe...

Edit: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legi...10/SB0464.html

Bonehead
 

Short bonehead story. Coming towards my dock at night there was some guy in a small boat fishing along it. I saw him...no problem but i guess he wanted to be sure so he shined his 1 million candle spot light in my face just to be sure I knew he was there. I suggested that to him that it was not a good idea to blind another boater but he told me i was an idiot and shined me again. I guess he left since I could not see anything for a few minutes or so.

According to the NH Boating Guide:

“On Lake Winnipesaukee (located in Belknap and Carroll counties), the speed limits are:
25 miles per hour maximum between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise
45 miles per hour maximum at all other times”

Excerpt From: Ed, Boat. “The Boater's Guide of New Hampshire.” Kalkomey Enterprises, Inc., 2012-05-23. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

I've always been told that the speed limit at night is 25 mph. If this is not correct, then I'd be happy to go 30 mph as my boat is easier to keep at that speed!

Different this year
 

I understand that the Marine Patrol has reduced their presence on the lake this year and I have noticed a substantial difference in the number of "Captain Boneheads".

1. In the Governors Island "No Wake" zone I was passed by someone who went around me doing 20 - 25 MPH.

2. I was going into the Weirs Channel and two jet skis, with operators over 40 years old, came in on my left, sped up to get ahead of me, and cut me off. I wanted to explain the 150 foot no wake rule as well as the right of way rule but did not feel like getting into an arguement.

3. And as far as courtesy: I was in a disabled boat this morning being taken into the Glendale docks by another boat. We were 100 feet from the docks and there was one open spot on the end. There were several open spots further in. A boat with 4 people came around us and when I informed them that we were moving toward that end dock and the woman on board yelled that they had to take the end spot because their boat driver was inexperienced. They did. We waited.

These are just a few examples. I have seen more violations and issues to address in the last month than I have in the past 5 years. I hope that the Marine Patrol gets a little more funding next year.

So much for getting a boating certificate...no one knows the speed limit.

Too funny!

I was incorrect

Senate Bill 464 was the Senate bill and the 30 mph amendment is part of it . The final RSA is RSA 270-D:2 and that is what is shown on the http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/...-D/270-D-2.htm-patrol/restricted.html The nighttime speed limit is 30 MPH as of 8/27/10. http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/...-D/270-D-2.htm is the full page.

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/...-D/270-D-2.htm

Right from the State of NH Dept. of Safety website. 30 mph at night.

It's wrong....many state web sites and literature were not updated after the amendment.

It was changed to 30 due to some boats not being able to maintain plane at 25 or less. All of the ramp signs I have noted has it at 25 incorrectly.

2013 Boater's Guide of New Hampshire states that you cannot exceed 30MPH at night.

I have read this 5 times now and can't think of a thing that the sailboat did wrong. I have seen plenty of powerboats at idle (just in gear) from the stern and the only thing I can see is their white light.

He has as much right to be on the water as I do in my powerboat. I have the added responsibilities of extra vigilance and keeping watch due to my speed when on plane.

His point is they were not doing anything wrong but you still have to be vigilant. A single light at night, especially higher up can be easy to miss. If someone came tooling along at even 30mph and wasn't paying close attention we could have had a repeat of Meredith.

Blending lights
 

As noted above, sailboat lights, and those of other slow moving vessels, often blend in with shore lights. Power boats may be more visible because of rapid motion across the field of view. I have seen many sailboat captains shine a temporary light on their sail when another boat is approaching. This may not be consistent with the discussion about what lights to display e.g. cockpit and cabin lights, but it is very helpful.

...... and !
 

....and, if a sailboat, rowboat, kayak or canoe does not have an engine (including an electric trolling motor), then all it needs is a single white light for night time navigation as opposed to the standard red/green and white nav lights and it can be a candle in a candle lantern, or a battery operated small lantern with a white light that is visible from 360-degrees, more or less, around the boat!