Water safey key concern
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
New rules requiring boaters to have a personal water craft license should help water etiquette, according to the Lake Country Board and Ski Club.
Club past president Tanya Chmilar says boating etiquette has gotten out of control on lakes, specifically Wood Lake, which the club uses to run camps and practise its towed sports.
They teach kids about running the proper line when towing a skier or wakeboarder, using the same line each time.
But too often boaters towing a tuber or people riding jet skis are zipping all over the place with no regard for anyone else.
“Jet skiers and tubers love to come behind a wakeboard boat to launch off the waves,” said Chmilar. “But it disturbs the water for kids that are training.”
Chmilar says the proper etiquette is for tubers to use the middle of the lake and wakeboarders and water skiers to use a line near the shore.
“Unfortunately a lot of times it’s just ignorance,” she said. “We’ll be running a line and someone will come right in front of us. So we take the time to explain to them and use it as an education tool for our kids.”
Chmilar says alcohol on boats is another huge problem but hopes the new licensing will help what is often an ugly scene on local lakes.
“It just teaches you safety right away,” she said. “People that have been driving boats forever think they don’t need this and know everything. Well, they don’t.”
For more information on boating safety go to www.boatingsafety.gc.ca.
v2
