PALMYRA – It’s boating season, but not all boats are welcome on Wisconsin lakes.
So far this year, 20 local governments in Wisconsin have banned or limited the use of wake boats, according to The Cap Times.
“The (wake) boat owners can still use the boats, but the ballast can’t be used to increase or enhance the weight, Ryan Tobiasz told WTMJ’s Wis. Morning News on Monday. Tobiasz has property at Blue Spring Lake in Palmyra.
Wake Boats have been blamed for causing wavy conditions and shore erosion. The watercrafts can also inadvertently transfer invasive species from lake to lake, Tobiasz said.
There has been calls for the state legislature to come up with a measure to take care of the issue, but Tobiasz said “communities didn’t want to wait (for the state to act).”
What does the future hold for wake boats? For now, local ordinances will determine when/if boat lakes are usable.
Tobiasz empathized with wake boat owners but reiterated “they need to be in the correct body of water in order to prevent doing any damage.”
