**Active Water Sports need's your help to keep all of our waterways open to wakesurfing and wakeboarding**
The Oregon State Marine Board is currently taking public testimony regarding a proposed rule change on wake sport operations. This rule change would create a no-wakesurfing and no-wakeboarding zone within 200 feet of a dock, float, floating home, boathouse, designated boat moorage, floating restroom, or person in the water and within 100 feet of a non-motorized boat.
We support this rule and believe that a no-wake zone around docks and homes is an important step to protect both property and our access to the water. We need to make steps to mitigate both safety and environmental concerns that have risen against wake and surf boats on our waterways, specifically the Willamette River.
While we consider 200’ to be a good distance, there are some river users who feel 200’ is not enough and would like to see distances much larger, effectively shutting large areas of the river down to wakeboarding and wakesurfing. We urge you to send your comments in to the Marine Board. Let them know that 200’ should be the maximum for any buffer zone. Without your input, restrictive regulations could be put into effect.
· Restricted zone of 200’ maximum – any larger would be overly restrictive
· For safety reasons this new rule should replace the WED ban on the upper Willamette not be an additional restriction
Please take a few minutes to write up your comments to the Marine Board. Collectively our voice is loud and strong, but we all need to make the effort to protect our access to the water.
Email your testimony to: osmb.rulemaking@oregon.gov
They are only taking written input until August 31st at 5pm, so get yours in now.