ATTN: PA State Park Lake Users...

[Brian Feist]

Late last summer, PA DCNR/PARKS was taking Public Comment on horsepower restrictions on several 10HP maximum state park lakes. I, as well as several of my friends, sent in our comments requesting the limit be raised to either 25HP or possibly 40HP on some if not all of these lakes. In any event, with the boat use season approaching, there has been no word from DCNR.



I e-mailed the DCNR people and their press secretary told me to watch for an announcement in the next 2-3 weeks. It is my hope that they will raise the HP limits so that people like me will be able to get a motor that will actually let us see if our speedometers work. It will also make it legal for all of the people that have 9.9 stickers covering their 15, 18. or the bravest people using 25's to use their motors legally.



I don't think that most people want to invite water or jet skiers to these lakes, as most of them are not large enough to handle the pressure. However, if the state will authorize the boat rental vendors on the lake to use 25's and 40's and they can use 75HP on their patrol boats, the least that they can do is give us a little more speed. Raising the HP limits will also give many of us with larger boats (I have a PT175) the ability to use our boats on larger lakes and rivers.



So, keep an eye on the DCNR home page in the weeks to come...

 

[JEFF WHITE]

brian,it should be on a lake by lake basis,not all lakes should be raised,just some with the 10 hp min.ive seen a few of those jonboats with 9.9 on them coming across the lake making a wake like a houseboat,and the speed at which they are going isnt the safest either.

 

[Rich D]

I have wanted see an increase for a long time. I agree with Magna and a lake by lake basis, and would like to see the state impose speed limits with an increased horsepower.



Rich D

 

[Adam Murray]

Many small lakes in Missouri dropped the HP limit several years ago and just made the whole lake a giant no-wake zone. I was a big fan of this when I lived there...could use my big boat to fish some great lakes and not have to use my duck-hunting boat.



There were some violators at first, but they strongly enforced the rules and took in some good revenue for the DNR.

 

[Spanky P]

Brian, I'm from S.E. Penna. and would like to see them make them no-wake. I fish on some of them but I'm limited to just my trolling motor. Sucks to have some guy zip on past with his 9.9 and if I could only troll to another area with my outboard. I think alot of these restrictions were set up for sailboaters.