Lower river no wake zone violation ticket

[DesertFam]

I was lucky enough to get a "violation of no wake zone" ticket from Riverside Sheriff Department this weekend in Blythe. I am not here to bitch or complain, I was treated respectfully, and they were actually very friendly to me and my family, but it is just a shitty deal and they said it was zero tolerance weekend, so they had to cite me.

So, this just raises concerns going forward and I did not really get clarifications on without it seeming like I was arguing, and I just did not want to go down that road. The citation was basically for creating a wake within 200' of a dock on a section of river that is not much wider then 200'. From what I can find the law states- "Operate at slow-no-wake speed, maximum 5 mph limit when: Within 200ft of a surfer, diving flag, bank or wading angler, dock, swim float, boat launch, ramp, pier, marina, floating home, moorage area, or boathouse Within 100ft of a swimmer" The area I was cited has a no wake Bouey about 100' from shore line so most boats stay to the left at normal speed but the deputy told me the Bouey was irrelevant based on the law.

I have also been told this could include shoreline's because I had a friend stopped by Blythe PD last year for that reason basically to check and see if he had been drinking and was let go without a citation. If this law does include shoreline's that makes 75% of the river a no-wake zone and makes me feel this entire ticket is BS for this section of river and I was just unlucky that day. I am not saying it is ok, but I think even at parker boats are closer then 200' to docks constantly and wondering if others have been cited for this?

At the end of the day, I know what I need to do in this area if I do not want another cite but the biggest issue is the river is not much wider then 200' in so many areas and just seems like an easy way for them to stop us if they want and we should be prepared that it is a possibility going forward.

 

[rivrrts429]

Was it the boat in your Avatar? Curious if they’re cracking down on wakeboater’s using an obscure law?

 

[Rayson1971]

That's not even a wake boat. It's a jet .

 

[ChrisV]

Lower river outboard run is going to be interesting.

 

[lbhsbz]

That’s stupid. With the current on the river (outside of the Parker strip)…you’ll make a bigger wake going up river a (and actually making headway against the current) than you will on plane. On my stretch, the current is between 3.5 and 4.5mph depending on how much water they’re letting out. 8-10mph in most river boats is plowing water.

So many of the standard “rules of the road” cannot be applied to the lower river due to the depth and the width…it makes no sense that Leo is citing people for this.

 

[brianwhiteboy]

Where exactly was the citation given? Up near Hidden Beaches by chance?

 

[Outdrive1]

What a crock of shit

 

[brgrcru]

Leo was out in full force down in Blythe .
Memorial weekend

 

[BingerFang]

Something doesn’t seem right. If the buoy is irrelevant then why is it there?

 

[Racey]

Something doesn’t seem right. If the buoy is irrelevant then why is it there?

Because the rules don't matter, they make it up as they go and selectively enforce it at their own leisure.

 

[BingerFang]

Because the rules don't matter, they make it up as they go and selectively enforce it at their own leisure.

Now that is gay!

 

[Echo Lodge]

What section did they cite you for? @BoatCop will probably clarify the issue!

 

[RiverDave]

The riverside cops seem
To be the ones always finding these laws to randomly enforce..

In Parker they would pull someone over and then when a boat went by write that guy for making a wake within x amount of distance between the first guy..

@BoatCop has previously said all of those tickets were invalid because you can’t enforce a law that isn’t on both sides of the river because of the interstate compacts.. and as does not have this rule.

I’d wager it’s similar on this law. I’d wait to see if this is on both sides of the river and then possibly fight it..

I am hoping someone fights those ones in Parker and gets them all tossed..

RD

 

[DesertFam]

Was it the boat in your Avatar? Curious if they’re cracking down on wakeboater’s using an obscure law

Where exactly was the citation given? Up near Hidden Beaches by chance?

Yes just upriver past hidden beaches where you cut between the islands.

 

[DesertFam]

What section did they cite you for? @BoatCop will probably clarify the issue!

It looks like it says 655.2 (A)(2)(C) harbor and navigation code

 

[HBCraig]

If you really wanted to enforce the "No wake" deal, go sit in Thompson Bay on a Saturday. Besides the folks plowing, get the PWC that are damn near on plane. It's crazy

 

[TexasJet]

Here is my adventure this weekend north of Blythe and north of what they call "jungle beach". There are two no wake bouys where the river gets narrow and there are houses and docks on the Cali side but not the Az side. Sunday afternoon there was a police boat ideling in that area. So I slow down and and approach the boat to ask about the bouys. They told me it's a no wake zone on the Cali side of the bouys but not the Az side. So help me, that's what the cop said.

 

[DesertFam]

Was it the boat in your Avatar? Curious if they’re cracking down on wakeboater’s using an obscure law?

Yes 21 jet.

 

[DesertFam]

Here is my adventure this weekend north of Blythe and north of what they call "jungle beach". There are two no wake bouys where the river gets narrow and there are houses and docks on the Cali side but not the Az side. Sunday afternoon there was a police boat ideling in that area. So I slow down and and approach the boat to ask about the bouys. They told me it's a no wake zone on the Cali side of the bouys but not the Az side. So help me, that's what the cop said.

Good to know. It was Sunday too and around that area. While talking to the deputy I learned he lives on the water just up from that area And says he responds to take reports on damaged boats on docks on these busy weekends. From now on I will stay as far to az side as possible but still screwed if the shoreline counts as well.

 

[LHC Kirby]

Here is my adventure this weekend north of Blythe and north of what they call "jungle beach". There are two no wake bouys where the river gets narrow and there are houses and docks on the Cali side but not the Az side. Sunday afternoon there was a police boat ideling in that area. So I slow down and and approach the boat to ask about the bouys. They told me it's a no wake zone on the Cali side of the bouys but not the Az side. So help me, that's what the cop said.

Don’t wake’s stop at the state line ?

 

[CoolCruzin]

This is why I don’t go out on the holiday weekends

 

[King295]

This is why I don’t go out on the holiday weekends

Exactly. The amount of CHP on the freeways in So Cal this past weekend was staggering but at least they weren't randomly pulling people over, there were plenty of people driving 20+ over the speed limit deserving the tickets they got (watched 3 get pulled over). Drove the speed limit and hit the golf course and the MX track and no issues. On the water on holiday weekends, it is a hunt to find people drinking or otherwise issue a ticket for some reason.... I'll pass every time.

To the OP, I'd fight the ticket.

 

[Joker]

Who woulda thought Blythe had a no wake zone. That’s pretty retarded

 

[Racey]

Don’t wake’s stop at the state line ?

Only if thy go through the agriculture inspection station

 

[Riverbottom]

The no wake buoys along Colorado River Road between Hidden Beaches and Mayflower Park were actually put in by the U.S, Coast Guard. Each buoy has a name and is marked on a navigational charts.

 

[Boatymcboatface]

Who woulda thought Blythe had a no wake zone. That’s pretty retarded

Lower river up from lake Martinez by the main sandbar has a couple no tow/no wake zones. Only reason I know is because I was following a boat cop up river when he slowed to no wake speed so I followed suit. Asked him later and he said that’s what the buoy was for. He also mentioned that there is a couple more up river.

 

[BoatCop]

The no wake buoys along Colorado River Road between Hidden Beaches and Mayflower Park were actually put in by the U.S, Coast Guard. Each buoy has a name and is marked on a navigational charts.

The Coast Guard doesn't set, nor do they maintain buoys on the Colorado River. There are also NO official (NOAA) navigational charts of the Colorado River, with the exception of Lake Mead. And even the Lake Mead charts are 20+ years out of date. The reason for no official charts is because of the constant, non-uniform fluctuation of water levels.

 

[Riverbottom]

The Coast Guard doesn't set, nor do they maintain buoys on the Colorado River. There are also NO official (NOAA) navigational charts of the Colorado River, with the exception of Lake Mead. And even the Lake Mead charts are 20+ years out of date. The reason for no official charts is because of the constant, non-uniform fluctuation of water levels.

It was the coast guard that O.K. ed the buoys and marked and set them. I was there, met the coast guard rep. and helped them with a pontoon boat several years ago. One is directly in front of my inlaws house. The coast guard provided the anchors and buoys.

 

[NicPaus]

Friend got pulled over 2 years ago on a holiday weekend in Parker for same thing. We were in the middle of the River. He claimed within 100' of the dock. I explained its not even 100' wide here. A quick check of her eyes and he didn't even bother finishing the safety check and we were on our way.

I would fight it. Probably get dismissed.

 

[gqchris]

I honestly feel alot of these holiday tickets are just them trying to get a DUI ultimately.

The best story was my buddy that got stopped at Cottonwood with his 80 year old parents. They do a safety inspection, and proceed to give him a ticket for expired fire extinguisher. He pulls the pin and discharges it all in the water and looks at the cops and says "Well, looks like it works to me!"