A request by the Chestertown Yacht & Country Club and Washington College to put a boating speed limit on the Chester River in front of the club docks was turned down Thursday by the state Department of Natural Resources Boat Act Advisory Committee. Club officials said that wake from speeding power boats causes a safety hazard to children in their youth sailing program and to boats docked at their marina.
The committee voted to make no changes, stating that the club and the college had failed to make their case for the need to put a six-knot speed limit on a section of the river just below Chestertown.
Washington College’s Rowing Team uses that stretch of the river to start their collegiate races. Panel members pointed out that the shells could be banned from the area if the speed limit were imposed because they often reach speeds of more than 10 knots.
Stu Cawley says
I’d recommend that the DNRBAAC members be given a tour of that busy section of the Chester in a rowing shell or small sailboat to better ascertain whether or not a speed limit would make sense there. They might rethink their position after wallowing dangerously in the wake of the occasional oblivious powerboater. Is it really too much to ask to institute a sensible speed limit in a tiny section of the river to better accommodate sail- & oar-powered boats? And could not the speed limit be made to apply to power boats only, i.e. those watercraft that actually produce a sizable wake?
Joe Diamond says
When I cross the Potomac at sunup on the Key Bridge going out of Georgetown and Washington D.C. into Virginia I see the Georgetown University crew stroking away. Washington and Lee HS is also often there. There is mist on the river, no wake because the shells are the only craft out at sunup. Later in the day all kind of boomers rip the place up.
When I cross the Chester River at sunup on the Chester River Bridge going out of Kingstown into Chestertown I see……nothing. Later in the day all kind of boomers rip the place up.
The sailing program needs wind but has right of way over the power boat boomers.
Joe
Jared Ingersoll says
I agree with Stu. However, if you made an exception only for nonmotorized craft, then the pace boats would be in violation. So, you could set the speed limit right at the top speed for shells, thus allowing pace boats.
Lynda Willard says
The committee voted to recommend “no action” on the requests for Chester River speed limit and the other issues on the table that morning. These are recommendations that go to the Secretary, John Griffin. He has the final decision. After the final meeting on Nov. 3rd, the staff will compile ALL the recommendations and submit them. No decision will be made until he reviews all. Mike Grant of the DNR advised we won’t hear anything until after the first of the year.
Lynda Willard says
…….maybe the “crew” should be out on the Chester @sunup and avoid all kinds of boomers. i like that idea! then everyone is happy. well, maybe except for the rowers.
Ed Plaisance says
This really sounds absolutely ludicrous…I can’t imagine the racing shells being covered by the speed regulations. They are not “powered” which all of the regs apply to. And more to the point, they create no wake to speak of at any speed
S Pennington says
If a speed limit makes sense in the river in the area of Rolph’s Wharf, it’s hardly a stretch that it also makes sense at the yacht club, the condo marina, and the college boat house.
As for speed limits applying to rowboats, I’m sure they do. Bicycles must obey traffic signs and regulations, even though they are not powered. That said, how often does a bicyclist get a ticket? I think the rowers have little to fear.
Joe Diamond says
Actually, my brother did get a ticket for riding his bike on the bridge during a Tea Party weekend. Having ignored two warning to walk across the bridge…….the cop wrote him up instead of issuing a third warning one point!
Any how…..what is wanted here? Control wake? Control speed? Control noise?
Boats come in many different flavors. Some are pretty fast but create little wake. Some are noisy but go slow. It goes like that.
I think the rules of the road examine safety and rely on the judgment of captains to decide what risks to take. Captains are also held responsible for damages to others. Noise, wake and speed don’t seem to be primary issues.
Joe