New Hampshire officials reject rafting ban in area of Lake Winnipesaukee dubbed the ‘toilet bowl’

Residents in Moultonborough sought to prohibit boat rafting on Braun Bay, complaining of noisy crowds during summer weekends and holidays.

New Hampshire’s safety commissioner has denied a petition to ban boat rafting on a popular area of Lake Winnipesaukee that locals have dubbed the “toilet bowl” and “Animal House” for its supposedly party-like atmosphere.

Residents in Moultonborough sought to prohibit rafting on Braun Bay, pointing to an alleged propensity toward loud music, safety risks, and obnoxious behavior from boaters who drop anchor and tie their boats together to form “rafts.”

Per the New Hampshire Union Leader, which first reported on the decision, property owners along Braun Bay have long complained that summer days can bring upwards of 300 boats and a thousand people to the area. Videos posted to YouTube show a festive atmosphere reminiscent of college students on spring break.

Attorney James Armillay submitted the petition back in February on behalf of Moultonborough residents and the town’s Board of Selectmen, according to a copy of last week’s New Hampshire Department of Safety decision and order. The petition asked state officials to revoke a 1993 order that rescinded a 1989 ban on rafting in Braun Bay.

“More specifically, the petition argued that the small, enclosed nature of the sandbar at Braun Bay make[s] it unique from other sandbars, which attracts large numbers of boaters, thus posing significant boating safety problems due to overcrowding,” the Department of Safety explained in its decision and order.

Residents who submitted written statements in support of the ban argued that the noisy crowds on summer weekends and holidays “have a negative impact on area properties,” according to the document. Others who testified in favor of the petition asserted Braun Bay has developed a reputation as a “toilet bowl,” or “animal house on the water.”

Those who opposed the petition, meanwhile, contradicted accounts of alcohol-fueled parties and argued that “the area is ideal for young boating families because of the shallow sandbar in front of state-owned property,” according to the Department of Safety.

Commissioner of Safety Robert L. Quinn ultimately rejected the petition, his office asserting that Moultonborough residents failed to provide sufficient evidence to support a ban. Quinn also pointed out that there are already 16 areas on Lake Winnipesaukee where rafting is restricted, six of which are in Moultonborough.

“To rescind the prior order will significantly impair the public’s right to use this public waterway,” the Department of Safety asserted. “Less restrictive alternatives exist and should be explored before modifying the rule.”

Safety officials suggested offering boaters additional education about state regulations, taking photographs to help identify violators after the fact, and using floating orange mooring balls to mark areas where rafting is and isn’t allowed.

The petitioners have 30 days to ask for a rehearing.