Driving on the WRONG Side of the lake??

[JimDicken]

Has any one ever been stopped for driving on the wrong side of the lake? IS there such a thing when entering a cove as driving on the wrong side of a lake or cove?
I am hearing some strange stories and I am curious.. and wondering if I am totally lost when on a lake.
Jim Dicken:+

[artcarney_agr]

It is true that you must stay to the right side of the channel markers, just as if you were on a road. Now if you're navigating somewhere with no markers, I guess it's open game (unless meeting another boat head on - again stay to the right).

Lakes, rivers, and streams are just like highways and it's the "Rules of the Road" that help you stay safe out there. You'd be amazed at how many don't know that the "Rules of the Road" apply on water just like a highway - especially those dang rental boaters!!!!!
:)

[JimDicken]

WEll I did not know. I am careful, but does this mean you can not troll on the left side of the lake?
Jim

[Grumpy]

Jim, instead of asking us, why don't you ask the people at Fish & Wildlife. From things you have said before, you must have a bunch of contacts in official places and that way you can get it straight from official sources, then let us know what you find out.

[DJD]

Jim,
Unless i'm sadly misinformed there are no right and wrong sides when entering coves or driving on lakes. Channel markers are located for our information and safety. Boating outside of those markers is taking your safety into your own hands. There are certain waterways that have restrictions on staying in the channels but i have only experienced that in Florida on the Indian and Banana rivers and the Mosquito Lagoon as well due to Manatees and motors destroying important grasses. If anyone knows different give us some regulations to read.
Don

[CRANKINandYANKIN]

Got stopped on greenriver lake a couple yrs. ago idleing away from holmes bend dock. Patrol boat was coming in and againest the bank,when I went around on the outside of him got stopped for passing on wrong side of lake. This was with both boats at idle. Did at least get off with a warning.

[mfishyboy]

IT IS FUNNY THAT YOU SAY YOU ARE TAKING YOUR OWN RISK IF YOU GO OUTSIDE THE BOUYS WHEN I HAVE SEEN MANY BOUYS SET OUT WHERE IF I RAN BETWEEN THEM I WOOD TEAR MY BOAT UP YOU ARE AT YOUR OWN RISK ANYWAY

[Viking]

Yeah, I got pulled over on T-ville for driving on the wrong side of the lake. Dumb as it sounds, I was in the wrong. I was cutting a corner to the left too tight. I could have caused an accident. Got away with a warning.

[fishalltime]

for just what crankinandyankin said in his post is the very reason i won't go to green river .i've never been there that i did'nt get checked by water patrol or game warden for no reason,must have been cause i did'nt get any tickets!just nosy i think!in fact i have been checked more than once in a day.just useing the power because they know they have it!

[SuperSprint007]

I was fishing a small club tournament on Green River and when we took off we came around a corner and the game warden(Barney Fife wannabe) comes flying out of the marina and stops all of the boats and tells us "bass fisherman" we need to learn the rules of water and that he was going to write us all a ticket. As he is lecturing us there are two boats pulling tubes on the "wrong" side of the lake. Seems like he only wanted to get on people who are tournament fishing.

[DJD]

I found this on the kdfr site it's from the 2006 Boating Guide. The problem i see is that the last sentence reads as should stay to the right of mid channel and not shall which has a different meaning. I deal with Kentucky Building Codes and Regulations everyday and i know codes are subject to interpretation by the Authority Having Jurisdiction and the little words like shall and should can seperate recommendations from regulations. I can see the common sense of not cutting corners. Any more info out there i would like to hear from an enforcement official.


RULES OF THE ROAD

On the water there are no painted lines to mark where boats must go. In order to provide an orderly flow of traffic, there are "rules of the road" that boaters should learn and practice.

Boaters on the water encounter three situations: meeting, crossing and overtaking. The following diagrams should give a clear explanation of who has the right of way (stand-on vessel) and who must give way (give-way vessel). However, in an emergency, all vessels must give way to avoid a collision. At night, a boat's navigation lights give an indication of right of way (see section titled "Navigation Lights" in this guide).

The above rules cover most traffic situations, but a few other situations exist. Sailboats under sail have the right of way except when they are the overtaking vessel. Rowboats and paddle powered boats have the right of way over motorboats. All recreational craft should yield the right of way to large commercial craft (towboats, barges). Such vessels have large blind spots and will be unable to see smaller crafts in front of them.

On small or narrow bodies of water, all traffic should stay to the right of mid-channel and not "cut corners".

[maximus21]

I was up South Fork on Rough River last year, no other boats to be seen. Came around the curve by the island and meet a boat. I was running the channel and continued to do so when I met a boat. It was the water patrol. He pulled us over and started screaming and cussing about me passing him on the wrong side. I told him about the flat there, and he said it didn't matter because he was not forcing me to run aground. I had fished there on my way up and had bottomed out. What a jerk! Seem like the water patrol has a big one on for the bass fihermen on that lake all the time.