[Evenstar]

Originally Posted by Airwaves

So tell me how quoting a former Commanding Officier at a Coast Guard Station in Florida (who in all likelihood has never been on Winni) and The American Canoe Association looking at national numbers is relevant to Lake Winnipesaukee especailly when the marine law enforcement agency that actually patrols the lake states speed is not a major factor in accidents on Winnipesaukee?

Opponents of a speed limit have repeated claimed that there's no relationship between higher speeds and accidents. Both of these sources said that there is a definite connection. If statistics actually show that more collisions happen at higher speeds, then there is a connection, even if you refuse to admit that these statistics apply to Winni.

I thought HB 162 was about speed limits of 45/25 or are we beginning to see the second wave of the assault, banning PWCs?

My post was to show how collisions and speed are connected, and not an attack against all PWC. If that was my intention, then I would have used different quotes from the ACA report. I'm not out to ban any type of watercraft - I just want the fastest ones to slow down to a safer speed.

And 40 mph would still be under the limits of HB162 so it helps how?

The quote doesn't say "40mph", it says "in excess of 40 mph" - 60mph is in excess of 40 mph.

As I have posted in response to you prior, (that supporters of HB162 are still ignoring) Using the article you provided a link to, boating accidents in NH have decreased by 68% between 1999 and 2004, (109 to 35) that's almost double the percentage nationally.

A number of the supporters of HB-162 have addressed those statistics many times. I've brought up the fact several times that not all boating accidents make it into the USGC reports, plus the argument that smaller boats have been using Winni less in recent years. There are other possible reasons for a lower number of REPORTED accidents in 2004. For one thing, it was one of the coldest and wettest summer in recent years, which likely has some impact.

Overall, NH doesn't have a very good boating safety record compared with our neighboring states, which is something that the opponents to HB-162 are ignoring.