NH - Marine Patrol ready to enforce new speed limits on Lake with LIDAR

[StlouisX50]

Marine Patrol ready to enforce new speed limits on Lake Winnipesaukee

By HARRISON HAAS
hhaas@citizen.com

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Harrison Haas/Citizen photo The N.H. Marine Patrol will be in full force this summer enforcing the new speed limit law on Lake Winnipesaukee. Pictured is Officer James Callahan who is using one of the laser radar units to track the speed of a boat in the distance.

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GILFORD — On your mark, get set, SLOW DOWN!

As fast as some boaters would like to travel this summer in their high-performance powerboats or their 100-plus-horsepower twin-engine skiffs, they will need to keep in mind that the New Hampshire Marine Patrol will be enforcing the new speed limits on Lake Winnipesaukee which have been in effect since the beginning of the year.

The long-debated speed limit law has been a hot-button topic for years. Last summer the Marine Patrol implemented a pilot program in which it conducted research and analyzed data on boating speeds throughout the summer months. Based on the study, the state moved to implement the speed limit on Lake Winnipesaukee, with the provisions of the new speed restrictions spelled out in RSA 270-D: 2 X and XI.

Memorial Day in the Lakes Region is seen as a day of remembrance for many as well as the first official day for boating, but weather has been the deciding factor of when the season really kicks off. Last weekend's weather deterred boaters from enjoying the lake, with clouds and rain on both Saturday and Sunday and high winds on Monday.

"Traditionally in New Hampshire, the recreation boating season begins after Memorial Day," said Lt. Tim Dunleavy of the Marine Patrol. "This year the traffic was below-average, but so far we haven't really experienced many days with warm temperatures."

Dunleavy said there is a good number of fishermen who boat before the holiday weekend along with maintenance boats and the first cruise of the M/S Mount Washington. Although the boating season has had somewhat of a slow start and gas prices have been creeping up slightly, two numbers that boaters will need to acknowledge will be 45 and 25.

The speed limit on New Hampshire's largest lake will be 45 miles per hour during the daytime and 25 miles per hour at night. The 25-mile-per-hour speed limit will be in effect from one half-hour after sunset to one half-hour before sunrise. Boaters who exceed the speed limit will be stopped and issued a warning or citation at the discretion of the officer.

"Now boaters look at that number and thinks it's low, but it's not," said David Barrett, director of the Division of Safety Services.

Traveling on the water at speeds beyond 35 miles per hour may feel like one is traveling on a highway going 55 miles per hour or more.

While most boating violations do not affect a driver's motor vehicle record, aside from boating while intoxicated and criminal acts, a conviction under the provisions of the new speed limit law will be reported to the Division of Motor Vehicles and will appear on the convicted motorist's driving record.

Unlike traditional speeding citations handed out by police officers, the Marine Patrol speeding citations will not have a set amount designated for a certain speed limit violation. Instead the citation will state how fast the person was traveling and the fine will be at the discretion of the judge on a case-by-case basis when the matter goes to court.

The laser and radar units which the Marine Patrol will be using are similar to those units found in police cruisers. When an officer focuses the unit on a target, he will be able to clock the boat's speed regardless of the time of day or the size of the waves.

The types of units Marine Patrol have on hand include a Kustom Signals Falcon Marine doppler radar and a Lidar Laser unit. Doppler radar emits a wave signal that will go out and strike a target and the wave will return to the unit, and judging by the closing distance speed will show the rate of speed.

"The most accurate reading with these units is when a boat is coming at a direct angle," said Dunleavy. "If we're measuring a boat at an angle, the speed is always going to be lower that what the boat is traveling, which means that boat is really going faster than what we're reading on the radar."

Measuring the closing distance of an object is most accurate when approached from head on, similar to those baseball scouts who sit behind home plate with radar guns, since the baseball is coming in from a straight angle from the mound.

Laser radar is a more advanced technology that shoots a single beam to a target and will identify the speed of the vessel as well as how far away the target is from the Marine Patrol boat.

"With laser there is no question which boat is being targeted and it's easy to acquire that target," Dunleavy said.

Currently the Marine Patrol has six officers who are trained to use the units since many of the officers are hired seasonally and many start Memorial Day weekend. The goal is to have all the officers fully trained before Motorcycle Week.

"Those who have been trained received the training before last summer since the department wasn't sure if the law was going to pass," Dunleavy said.

The Marine Patrol has posted the new speed limit signs around Lake Winnipesaukee at various locations such as boating ramps, public docks and other high-traffic areas.

"What we're trying to do it to target the areas where people are launching their boats," said Dunleavy. "It will get people who are going to and from the lake familiar of the new law."

Plastic speed limit signs will be posted in areas where they can be mobilized if needed and aluminum signs will placed permanently in the most populated areas. Signs will consist of large, red lettering reading "SPEED LIMIT" with the name Lake Winnipesaukee directly underneath. It will explain the times when the speed limits are in effect and the law reference number.

In addition, paper handouts have been given to local business and restaurants to give to their customers which is another way of relaying the information on the speed limit.

"It's going to be interesting to see," said Dunleavy. "It really boils down to the people who are using to the boats and if they are going to comply."

Dunleavy said it is going to depend on the person and the type of boat whether they are capable of achieving high speeds. There are a significant number of boats that are capable of exceeding 45 miles per hour, but at the same time there are several boats that do not have the power or performance to do so.

"Achieving these levels of speed all depends on how the boats are equipped," Dunleavy said.

Most family, single-engine vessels do not go any faster than 40 or 45 miles per hour. An additional engine will certainly propel the boat to exceed the speed limit; however, most recreational boats do not go faster than 60 miles per hour.

"When you're talking about going over 60 miles per hour in a boat, there is a real small percentage overall that can do that," Barrett said.

Most, if not all personal watercraft, also known as jet skis, are able to exceed the posted speed limit along with most newer-model bass boats, waterskiing competition boats and family runabouts.

Barrett said that, from the experience from the pilot program Marine Patrol implemented last summer, there is not a large number of boats that exceeded the speed limit.

"I don't think that the fact that it's now in effect is going to make any monster change," said Barrett. "There is no question that some people will be effected."

Merrill Fay, owner of Fay's Boat Yard, said in a previous interview that he noticed last summer that people were slowing down and there was an increase of activity from people using the lake for other activities besides boating.

"I have always been in favor of the speed limit; this should have been enacted years ago," said Fay in the previous interview. "Overall it's a great thing for the Lakes Region because this will take away from a lot of the sound level on the lake, which is directly related to speed."



Harrison Haas/Citizen photo The N.H. Marine Patrol will be in full force this summer enforcing the new speed limit law on Lake Winnipesaukee. Pictured is Officer James Callahan holds up one of the laser radar units that will be used to track the speed of boats.

* Order a print of this photo





HARRISON HAAS/CITIZEN PHOTOThe N.H. Marine Patrol will be in full force this summer enforcing the new speed limit law on Lake Winnipesaukee. Pictured is Officer James Callahan who is using one of the laser radar units to track the speed of a boat in the distance.

* Order a print of this photo





HARRISON HAAS/CITIZEN PHOTO The N.H. Marine Patrol will be in full force this summer enforcing the new speed limit law on Lake Winnipesaukee. Officer James Callahan holds up one of the laser radar units that will be used to track the speed of boats.

* Order a print of this photo





HARRISON HAAS/CITIZEN PHOTOThe N.H. Marine Patrol will be in full force this summer enforcing the new speed limit law on Lake Winnipesaukee. Pictured is Officer James Callahan who is using one of the laser radar units to track the speed of a boat in the distance.

* Order a print of this photo

[Bane]

More revenue generation. Wonder if I can set up my V1 on the boat this summer.

[StlouisX50]

What good will the V1 Do? Time for a water proof jammer!

[Motor On]

Used to vacation there regularly as a kid. Been on boats on that lake at over 75MPH. Hope this doesn't last long, speed was never the problem there, more people drinking, getting caught in the weather, and hunters standing up in small boats then shooting their shotguns, falling into the water without a PFD not knowing how to swim, drunk and dehydrated.

Only way I'd be ok with this being a safety measure is they catch you going over 45, then the can stop and check that you've got accessible PFDs, and let you go, not being allowed to cite. (yeah I know it wouldn't hold up legally) This is just so they can make more $$$

[partsfreak]

They are overlookig the fact that nautical speedos are not very accurate. The pitot tube versions dont measure snot at low speeds and foul with debris making them read even worse. The paddlewheel types are better IMO but still not that accurate. GPS is nice but not every boater has one. Some boats dont have any speedos at all.
So if they are going to try to enforce these speed laws they had better add a fudge factor into their speed readings to maybe +/- 6 or 7 mph. Or in this case maybe knots?
It could be fun messing with the G.W.'s but I cant post how on here

[kpatz]

I wonder if that means the NH Dept of Safety re-allocated some of its PL IIIs to the marine patrol meaning less laser on the highways? Or, they spent more of our tax money on additional guns?

Why would they use laser on a boat anyway? Couldn't they just have grabbed some of the old abandoned K band guns out of the state police barracks? It's not like people regularly have RDs on boats anyway.

I guess that means, if I ever get a boat, I'll have to install a set of Blinders on it. What would I put the Veil on? That brings up a good point, what would a laser operator aim at on a boat? There's no front plate or headlights to aim at. Maybe the windshield?

Of course, a boater can use cosine effect to his advantage. Make sure you're always traveling at a sharp angle to any enforcers so they can't lock in a speed.

[v1user]

1. I was at the lake of the ozarks last weekend and I thought about this. I can't belive somebody is actually doing it. What about pontoon boats on laser? Couldn't the sunlight reflecting on the water mess with the laser gun? I think its completely about $$$$. They should try to catch me in my boat.

[lugnuts]

While most boating violations do not affect a driver's motor vehicle record, aside from boating while intoxicated and criminal acts, a conviction under the provisions of the new speed limit law will be reported to the Division of Motor Vehicles and will appear on the convicted motorist's driving record.

I don't understand this at all. you do not need a Lic to drive a boat and your Drivers Lic has nothing to do with boating yet they want to penalize your drivers lic for a boat infraction.


I wonder how slip effect will play a role in this? boats are not at all stable, how is the shooter going to keep steady when taking readings on target boats?

what about waves on the lake? that lake gets pretty choppy could the shooter accidentally pick up a wave or get a false reading due to movement of the target boat?

I have been on that lake and the noise and speeds are not a big problem, whats a problem are all the idiot drivers on the lake who have no clue about boating rules or how to operate a boat safely.

[kpatz]

I don't understand this at all. you do not need a Lic to drive a boat and your Drivers Lic has nothing to do with boating yet they want to penalize your drivers lic for a boat infraction.

Repeat after me: REHV-EN-OO. The points thing was probably added by some insurance company lobbyists, so that they can jack up people's auto insurance premiums for no reason other than they were caught "speeding" in a boat.

I have been on that lake and the noise and speeds are not a big problem, whats a problem are all the idiot drivers on the lake who have no clue about boating rules or how to operate a boat safely.

The same is true on the road, yet "speeding" is still the most-enforced traffic law. It's due to the money.

All the more reason to fight any ticket one receives due to this.

[v1user]

In missouri everybody born after Jan 1 1984 has to have a boating linscense to operate a boat. Eventully they will most likely relate the boating linscense with the drivers linscense to make sure the citations count across the board. I aggree too its not the speed of the boat but the idiots operating them. Its mostly those rental jetskies.