Page 25 - Experience Oregon Boating Handbook

• Property owners may lose shoreline due to erosion. Operators may be liable for damage caused by wake.
• Sediment from shoreline erosion can silt in fish spawning This rule does not apply to commercial vessels or river
navigation where more speed is needed to ensure safe
habitat and smother aquatic vegetation. passage.
• Large wakes may disturb nesting birds.
Remember, 5 mph is a maximum speed, so if you
Hydrologists estimate that a wake 5 inches high produces have to go slower than this to eliminate your wake, you
limited damage to the shoreline, but a 10-inch wake is 5 times must do so. Violation of the slow–no wake rule is a
more destructive, a 25-inch wake is 30 times more destructive, Class B violation, and can result in fines.
and so on. When a runabout or larger fishing boat is“on
plane,”they may create a 10-inch wake, while cruisers or Refer to the regulations section of this publication
wakeboard boats can create wakes of 20 inches or more. for local restrictions.

What Boaters Can Do Limiting Your Wake

Watching your speed Along with the basic rule, here’s some other simple
ways you can help to limit your wake:
As the boat operator, it can be easy to control your wake. • Always be aware of your wake, especially when
Understanding the speeds under which your boat operates is
the first step. changing speeds or navigating in shallow waters
(which can make a larger wake).
Displacement • A little extra speed can create a lot of extra wake, so
speed - This is the slow down enough to eliminate your wake when
required.
slowest speed for • Trim tabs will help keep your boat level and will
most motorboats. limit your time in transition speed.
It also creates the • Boat in deeper waters, and avoid getting too close
least wake. The boat to other boats or the shore.
operates with the bow down in the water. • Position passengers throughout the boat. A heavy
stern will increased wake size.
Transition speed • Your wake moves out at right angles from your
boat, so slow down well before you are abeam of
- As you increase another boat or other structure to avoid a
power while following wake.
attempting to get on
plane, the bow rises, Protecting Against Another Boat’s Wake
causing the stern to
plow through the water. This speed creates the largest wake. Chances are, you will have to face a large wakes
created by someone else during your time on the water.
Planing speed - Here are several things you can do to safely navigate
through a wake:
This speed creates • Warn your passengers! Passengers below deck are
less wake than in
the transition speed, especially at risk of hitting their heads when falling,
but more than so be sure they can hear you.
displacement speed.
Many larger craft are 41
not designed to reach this speed.

Often the boat operator can cause a large wake
unintentionally. He or she may drop to the transition
speed instead of down to displacement speed, and
actually increase wake size. It’s easy to avoid this pitfall,
though. Just make a habit of checking your wake (or have
a passenger check it), especially as it hits the shore. Slow
down far enough in advance of sensitive areas to give
yourself time to drop to displacement speed. This will
minimize your wake’s impact.

The Slow–No Wake Rules

Oregon has a slow–no wake rule designed to protect our
waterways and the people who use them. The proximaty
“basic rule“ (OAR 250-10-0025) reads:

“Operators of boats must observe slow–no wake,
maximum 5 mph speed limit within 200 feet of boat ramps,
marinas, or moorage with a capacity for six or more vessels; a
floating home moorage with six or more structures; or people
working at water level.”