Why is it that some people think Indiana boating laws don’t apply to themselves?
Here on Lake Tippecanoe we have several. They seem to feel they are exempt from these laws. For the past upteen years, they have repeatedly started skiing 10, 15 and sometimes 20 minutes before sunrise. Especially now since sunrise is later in the morning.
I am not one without having skirted a boating law, but that was far in the past – 10 to 15 years ago. For a very long time, I’ve honored and continue to honor daytime skiing and the required observer because it’s the right thing to do. So should everyone else.
While skiing a handful of years ago in the morning, I was approached by an Indiana DNR conservation officer asking us if we were skiing before sunrise. After a few minutes of talking and him realizing that I had an outboard and the boat in question was an inboard, he knew I wasn’t the culprit. Seeing this officer a year later, he informed me that the culprit was cited and the disrespectful attitude she portrayed.
These people are giving us sunrise skiers a bad name and more seriously, jeopardizing the safety of boaters and fishermen. An accident, not if but when, will happen and will be very upsetting to everyone.
I realize DNR cannot camp out here and they have been out on Lake Tippecanoe early in the morning at times and they have been outstanding so, in order to help bring some light, shame and pressure straight to the culprits, I have written this letter for publishing. Maybe this will get them to stop.
