ICW Trouble Spots

But neither Smith Mountain or Lake Norman is now enjoyable on a holiday or a peak Sunday.

Let's not confuse the on-plane sections of the ICW with idle speed zones that were put in place to minimize damage to property and/or vessels docked along the ICW or inside basins. The problem isn't simply uneducated operators, it's bad operators. Common sense and decency should be mandatory equipment. Would love to see law enforcement write tickets for that!

100% Agree. My point was people who want to change the rules to benefit their current situation. I.E. I built in a known non-no wake zone but expect everyone to slow down now since I put in a dock. Usually the same guy doesn't apply those rules when he is going through a similar area in his boat. Believe me I have know a couple of those guys.

They should be 100% ticketed absolutely no argument here ! The police should also take down all the fake no wake signs. Maybe they are not in a hurry but choose to boat at a different speed than you do ! Just a thought.

Grew up in lighthouse point on the intracoastal. When I was a teenager Jim" Gallant Lady" had local sheriff move no wake signs from LHP marina a mile north to 48 st canal. The manatees needed a much larger safe zone!! Reality was he was building a new house north of current one and didn't want to have wake for his collection of yachts. So not all wake zones are done ethically or from a real need.
There are problems on both sides of the argument.
First wake zones are fine for small to medium vessels not 50 or 60 footers going 15 knots bow high. These waves breach seawalls and wash out sediment, very harmful to peoples properties. The original zones were implemented before vessels this large could travel at planning speeds and wasn't an issue 30 plus years ago. Smaller vessels should not be restricted in these areas.
Second the no wake zones that are in sensitive areas like marinas are ignored by an increasing percentage of boaters. It's become ridiculous how many people don't slow down.
Real mariners know the laws and use common sense. The typical boater today doesn't know or care about anyone except themselves. The total disregard for other people's property and safety is in full display on the ICW every weekend. They could choose to be courteous to fellow boaters in the 18 ft bow rider they're passing at 15 knots pushing a 4 plus ft wake but don't.

I agree there are two perspectives. I lived right before the no wake zone ended around sunrise so I got them coming up and going down. One thing I was very clear on though, when I bought my ICW house was where I was and that my boat was going to be rocking.

I agree rocking boat is par for the course but waves so big they rip cleats out and smash dock fender boards is not legal.

Well Technically not illegal I would say it falls under the "you are responsible for your wave" which is highly overused by many and is wide open for interpretation. I will say this is one of those circular conversations though. If a cleat ripped out of my boat I would worry about the boat. I have seen many hanging form being tied improperly and amazed the cleat hadn't come out. I can certainly respect your opinion though.

It was an aluminum dock cleat with 1" megabraid tied to a 73ft trawler on side canal with dolphins. 4 or 5 ft waves don't belong on a waterway 100 yds wide with seawalls on both sides.

Going to stay on Circular argument. Lobby your local reps. to change to a no wake zone. Know where you are moving.

If I went the air travel route I would most likely take off from an Airport where there are people who hate that airport. Even though it was there when they bought their house. Everyone lives their lives differently we all need to understand BOTH sides of the argument. I consider myself a courteous boater and do not try to endanger others. To ask me to slow down because it is what that particular person would like me to do when they too are on an ocean going vessel is where I draw the line. As long as the canal has plenty of width for safe passage and proper seamanship would create no issues for the vessel. If it just because you do not want to put your bow into my wave and no other safety issues exist then I would have to disagree.

Don't have any issues with boats traveling at speed in front of my house, it is a wake zone. My issue is large vessels that have no business making 4 or 5 ft waves in the 100 yd wide ICW. Those waves are dangerous to other boaters and damage property.
Would you want me to pass your house at 20 knots in my 60 sportfish?
Broward county has a 15" max wave height rule with is regularly ignored.

Can you provide a link to that rule?

Signs are posted by broward county. I'll get a photo of them on Fri

I meant link to the law or rule. I will help.

https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Home...text=miles per hour.-,3.,25') from the vessel.

Now, there are some other interesting aspects. Note the section immediately following the 30 mph and 15" rule which is 80 decibels.

68D-24.008 Broward County Boating Restricted Areas. Part 1

(1) For the purpose of regulating speed and operation of vessel traffic on and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway in Broward County, Florida, the following year-round boating restricted areas are established. The boating restricted areas exclude all associated tributaries, creeks, canals, backwaters, channels, boat basins and other waterways unless otherwise designated or specifically described for inclusion: (a)1. Hillsboro Boulevard Bridge – An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 750 feet north of the Hillsboro Boulevard Bridge and bounded on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 800 feet south of said bridge as depicted in drawing A.

2. Hillsboro Inlet Zones – a. An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 100 feet north of latitude 26° 17.339’ North, longitude 80° 4.842’ West (approximately located at Channel Marker “68”), and on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,050 feet southwest of the intersection of the centerline of the Hillsboro Inlet channel and the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, as depicted in drawing B. b. A Slow Speed Minimum Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, and including all waters of the Hillsboro Inlet, bounded on the northwest by a line drawn from headland to headland across the northwestern end of the Hillsboro Inlet at its confluence with the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, and on the southeast by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the inlet channel 150 feet northwest of the seaward extremities of the Hillsboro Inlet jetties, as depicted in drawing B. c. A Slow Speed Minimum Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,050 feet south of the intersection of the centerline of the Hillsboro Inlet channel and the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway and on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,425 feet north of the North East 14th Street Bridge in Pompano Beach, as depicted in drawing B.

3. North East 14th Street Bridge – An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,425 feet north of the North East 14th Street Bridge in Pompano Beach and on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 300 feet south of said bridge, as depicted in drawing B.

4. Atlantic Boulevard Bridge – An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the waterway 1,350 feet north of the Atlantic Boulevard Bridge and bounded on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 500 feet south of said bridge, as depicted in drawing C.

5. East Commercial Boulevard Bridge – An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 750 feet north of the East Commercial Boulevard Bridge and bounded on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 700 feet south of said bridge, as depicted in drawing D.

6. Oakland Park Boulevard Bridge – An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, and extending 1,500 feet north and south of the Oakland Park Boulevard Bridge, as depicted in drawing E.

7. Sunrise Boulevard Bridge – a. An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, from a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 2,250 feet north of the Sunrise Boulevard Bridge to a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,500 feet south of said bridge, as depicted in drawing F. b. A Slow Speed Minimum Wake zone to be in effect year-round on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays as defined in Rule 68D-24.002, F.A.C., from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, from a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,500 feet south of the Sunrise Boulevard Bridge to a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,500 feet north of the East Las Olas Bridge, as depicted in drawing F.

8. East Las Olas Bridge – An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, from a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,500 feet north of the East Las Olas Bridge to a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 3,300 feet south of said bridge, as depicted in drawing F.

9. Stranahan River – A Slow Speed Minimum Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, from a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 3,300 feet south of the East Las Olas Bridge to a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,500 feet north of the 17th Street Causeway Bridge, as depicted in drawing G.

10. 17th Street Causeway Bridge – An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, from a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,500 feet north of the 17th Street Causeway Bridge to a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 800 feet south of said bridge, as depicted in drawing G.

11. Dania Beach Boulevard Bridge – An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 850 feet north of the Dania Beach Boulevard Bridge and bounded on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,940 feet south of said bridge, as depicted in drawing H.

12. Sheridan Street Bridge – A Slow Speed Minimum Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, 850 feet north of the Sheridan Street Bridge and bounded on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 750 feet south of said bridge, as depicted in drawing I.

13. Hollywood Boulevard Bridge – An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 2,570 feet south of the Sheridan Street Bridge and bounded on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 740 feet south of the Hollywood Boulevard Bridge, as depicted in drawing J.

14. Hallandale Beach Boulevard Zones – a. An Idle Speed No Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 2,800 feet north of the Hallandale Beach Boulevard Bridge and bounded on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 1,325 feet north of said bridge, as depicted in drawing K. b. A Slow Speed Minimum Wake zone from shoreline to shoreline, in and adjacent to the Florida Intracoastal Waterway, bounded on the north by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 300 feet north of the Hallandale Beach Boulevard Bridge and bounded on the south by a line drawn perpendicular to the centerline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway 400 feet south of said bridge, as depicted in drawing K. (b) Thirty (30) miles per hour/fifteen inch (15") wake zone –

Part 2

1. This paragraph applies to all waters of the New River Canal and the Florida Intracoastal Waterway within Broward County.

2. Except where other speed limits or operation restrictions have been lawfully established, the maximum speed on these waters is thirty (30) miles per hour. a. Any person who operates a vessel in excess of the thirty (30) miles per hour maximum speed limit is guilty of a noncriminal infraction, punishable by a civil penalty. The amount of the civil penalty shall be computed in accordance with the provisions pertaining to penalties for unlawful speed under Section 318.18(3), F.S. b. For the purposes of enforcement of this subparagraph, law enforcement officers may use aircraft, vessels, manual or electronic timing devices, or radar. If radar is used, the provisions of Section 316.1906, F.S., shall be complied with. c. This subparagraph shall not be interpreted to mean that thirty (30) miles per hour is a safe speed for all vessels under all circumstances. Inland Navigation Rule 6, as adopted pursuant to Section 327.33(3), F.S., requires that every vessel shall at all times be operated at a safe speed. Compliance with Inland Navigation Rule 6 may require speeds well under thirty (30) miles per hour.

3. The maximum allowable wake created by any vessel on these waters, regardless of the speed or size of the vessel, is fifteen inches (15") in vertical height, measured from the ambient tide level to the crest of the vessel’s wake at a distance of not less than twenty-five feet (25') from the vessel. Violation of this subparagraph is a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in Section 775.082 or 775.083, F.S. For purposes of enforcement of this subparagraph, law enforcement officers may use mechanical, electronic, or photographic measuring devices.

4. No person may operate any vessel on these waters in such a manner as to exceed a maximum sound level of eighty (80) dBA, measured at a distance of not less than fifty feet (50') from the vessel. Violation of this subparagraph, or refusal to submit to a sound level test when requested to do so by a law enforcement officer is a misdemeanor of the second degree as provided in Chapter 89- 428, Laws of Florida, punishable as provided in Section 775.082 or 775.083,

Note the wake rule is 25' from the vessel and the decibel rule is 50'.