Wake surfing bill dead in the water in New Hampshire

Of the wake surfing legislation, Sen. David Watters (center) said, "This will be back." (Claire Sullivan | New Hampshire Bulletin)

After lawmakers killed a bill Thursday, wake surfers in New Hampshire will continue to face fewer restrictions than in neighboring states and as recommended by the water sports and boating industries.

Senate Bill 431 would have limited wake surfing – a water sport where surfers ride the wake created by a motorboat – to water bodies of at least 50 acres. It would have also pushed wake surfers farther offshore, but disagreements over the distance – 200 or 300 feet – killed the bill entirely.

Lawmakers sought the restrictions because of environmental and safety risks posed by wake surfing. The strong, ocean-like waves created by the boats can disturb lake sediment, spurring the growth of harmful bacteria and algae, and threaten the safety of others in the water.

Will NH finally pass new wake surfing restrictions? Lawmakers must first bridge a 100-foot divide.

New Hampshire wake surfers must be at least 150 feet offshore. That’s closer than the 200-foot restriction supported by the Water Sports Industry Association and the National Marine Manufacturers Association, a trade group representing boat manufacturers.

It’s also closer than neighboring New England states. Vermont adopted a rule in April that requires wake surfers to be 500 feet offshore and in water at least 20 feet deep. Maine recently approved restrictions for 300 feet offshore and 15 feet in water depth.

The Senate favored the industry-backed 200-foot restriction, while the House approved a 300-foot barrier. The two sides couldn’t reconcile their differences this session, but lawmakers are likely to see the bill again.

“This will be back,” said Sen. David Watters, a Dover Democrat, who added that he wished the chambers could’ve gone to a committee of conference to negotiate their differences. “I think we learned a lot this year.”

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