I'm Not Making This Up

[Mark 72@E]

I'm in search of a testing site in Maryland so I figured I would start at the top and request information from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Marine Police, the very folks I would be meeting on the water in case I was stopped.

My original email is on top. Their official response, unedited, is at the bottom.

****************************
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Ritchie
Date: Thursday, August 10, 2006 09:20 AM
To: customerservice@dnr.state.md.us (customerservice@dnr.state.md.us)
Subject: Boating Speed Limits

What is the best way to learn about boating speed limits throughout Maryland?

My son and I live in Maryland and race hydroplanes at American Power Boat Association sponsored events on the east coast. We are looking for legal places we can test our boats on non-race days.

--
Mark Ritchie

****************************

From: Customer Service <customerservice@dnr.state.md.us> Mailed-By: dnr.state.md.us
To: Mark Ritchie
Date: Aug 11, 2006 5:43 PM
Subject: RE:{MDDNR#264-573}Boating Speed Limits

To be perfectly honest, take it out on the Chesapeake Bay. Most of the tributaries are so regulated a this point that it would be frustrating, if not illegal to test you boat on race days.

****************************

[HRTV]

Hey Mark,

I don’t mean to insult your intelligence but did you really think the Marine Police would have responded in a positive way. This might be a bad analogy but it’s a bit like asking the police where is a safe place that my Son and I would be able to sell drugs in Maryland. I am truly sorry to be so harsh but you must know that Police and the words speed or racing don’t match.

[22W]

I think that their response was code for the following... "Find someplace small and quiet where we will never ever go to find anyone doing anything stupid." Seriously though, we all know its getting much harder to find good places. It looks like the Wisconsin stronghold, Kaukauna, is going away. I would however, advise against my theory which is don't test at all... It doesn't seem to be working very well for me!

[hoss20h]

testing

Why don't you register the boats so then you won't have any problems.

[j hydro racer]

we now about the marnie police

when we first learned about the law in jersey . the one offeicers [sp] said it was ok after we explain it then my dad said something and he was like no.... i think my dad said the motor size again or something but we got over it but still mad about not being able to test and race in my own state

[STEVE FRENCH]

I have found it best to take a morning from work weekdays. Test Monday am-Thurs am. Stay away from week-ends! Almost impossible to find flat water eves/weekends.

Say nothing! Just go, act like you own the water like everyone else......be courtious and answer questions and let it be known you can't race their jet-skis/ski-boats.............if they sit and watch fine..other wise you can't run with them......most will give ya the time ya need.

Seems to me if you register your rig (or use reg, that you hav'nt put on yet, from another small fish'n boat ), have as much required safety gear that you can carry (whistle or small co-2 air horn,paddle,3-pack of small flares, wear a ski-jacket, etc) , then you have as much right to the water as Mary ann and Gilligan sip'n cocktails on their pontoon...............

Carry your driver's license and boat reg in a zip-lock bag, zip-tied in boat (in case you take a swim ) (most states require boat card carried and it saves hav'n the "Fish Fuzz" escort ya back to get it.... )
I use contact/shelf paper to write numbers on and clear shipping tape for state reg sticker (once you peal back'n off you can't re-use sticker on another rig...It will "void" if you try to peal off).

Findley Lake, Ny. Sheriff wanted to see my anchor! he just went when I stared at him.....Then we bull $hited about racing and he said he had to make it look good, told me to stay clear of other boats, and left..........

Maybe we should ask Donny Baker from the "Bob and Tom show" how he would go about it.............

Have a chase boat!

19P

[RTM]

Join AOMCI

I believe if you join the AOMCI, you can go to their meets and test all day long. They will even have a chase boat.
If you register your boat, and carry a small bag with all your safty gear. An anchor could be a quart milk bottle filled with sand, and tied to a piece of parachute chord. you would be legal. Your wearing your life jacket, I don`t think any more are required. About speed and noise, I don`t know. sometimes I think its easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Back in the old days, (` 50`s) in the bays, we could always outrun the cops.

Rich

[sam]

I believe if you join the AOMCI, you can go to their meets and test all day long. They will even have a chase boat.
If you register your boat, and carry a small bag with all your safty gear. An anchor could be a quart milk bottle filled with sand, and tied to a piece of parachute chord. you would be legal. Your wearing your life jacket, I don`t think any more are required. About speed and noise, I don`t know. sometimes I think its easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Back in the old days, (` 50`s) in the bays, we could always outrun the cops.

Rich

I don't think you can do that in Mark's area, maybe the Constantine and Tomahawk "super meets", but not at each or even many AOMCI events ... and the "race boat" liability issue is almost tearing AOMCI in two anyhow. There are only 2 or 3 AOMCI events each year within driving distance of Mark & family - it would be an extreme time/day limitation.

Boats less than 16 ft don't have to carry an anchor or have a horn, but our Security and Lifeline jackets are not Coast Guard approved, you legally still have to carry a separate Coast Guard approved jacket when you are not at races. Mark's boats aren't noisey, so he has no concern with that - even if he did, I think Maryland still exempts outboards from the boat noise restricion ... Virginia still does.

[Bob Dunlap]

Testing

I test quite often at the AOMCI events, they love to see the race boats run even open pipes and there is always plenty of help and chase boats. However the only ones I am familar with is FL, GA and SC. They do have their own on the water laibility insurance now.

[Bill Huson]

And . . .

If you have an on-board fuel tank, bolted to engine counts as on-board, you must have a fire extinguiser. If your fuel tank is "portable", as in bungeed to the boat and easily unpluged from the engine, you can leave the fire extinguisher on the beach.

[sam]

How many AOMCI events in your area per year, Bob?

[hoss20h]

testing

When i go testing at Lake Anna its on the private side of the lake and no one bothers me i have yet to see a game warden or police. Although it is the private side. When we used to test at Camden and the police boats came we just explained to them what we were doing and they didn't mind in fact they sat and watched. Your best bet is to go to a secluded sight or a race sight if your not bothering anyone then you shouldn't have a problem.

[RacerX]

Testing.....

Bring enough beer to fill the cops bellies!!! It will help them wash down the donuts. Plan B extortion works great!! Take it right to the redline and right before you get locked up tell them you just sharted! They aren't gonna know what to say to that!!! Remember you are entitled to one phone call no worries dude!!!lol

[Mark 72@E]

Eureka!

EUREKA! I've found a testing spot! This photo was taken Sunday afternoon at about 5:00. The weather and temperature were perfect. How many boats do you see on the water??? How many houses line the shore??? This photo was shot at a wide angle, so to give you some perspective the small white buoy to the right is actually about 100 feet away. Up to the white buoy is the no wake zone. Beyond the white buoy there's no speed limit. This site is at the end of a cove with a much narrower portion continuing to the immediate right that would only be used by the occasional bass boat or other small boat. And the best part -- any recreational boat that would create a wake big enough to cause a problem is easy to see. A perfect spot for my 9 year old son to take his first ride in a JSH.


Note: This photo will eventually be removed to save server space.

[Merc55H]

Region 3 area AOMCI meets

There may be some places in the country where AOMCI meets might be helpful for testing but the 4 that I usually attend would be just so-so.

April, Ledgedale,PA on lake wallenpaupack. Stood around in drizzle and 39 degrees, not to many people around, don't know about noise.

May and Sept, Mays Landing, NJ> Lake Lenape, great spot, no open pipes, no cornpoppers. There is one guy with a C ricer that shows up. Excellent spot.

October, Lake Hopatcong, NJ. Speed zone in front of the Marina we launch from . Some years the water is OK others too lumpy for testing. NJ state police patrol visited last year, couple unregistered boats.

Driving at high speeds at these meets can get interesting, all those totally oblivious guys running their 1923 Waterwitch's always want to drive across your bow.

Something I've been curious about for a long time is testing on the Delaware river in the area above where the Tocks Island Dam was going to be built. There is quite a stretch of river where no one lives. Would require some research since there are a lot of shallows and small rapids. Believe the Jersey side is mostly parkland.