In the three main channels (South, Middle & North), there are two spots in the middle channel where 26+ have to slow down to no-wake. South Channel is open. North Channel is no-wake for all boats from the mouth of the lake until you get past the North Channel Yacht Club.

There is the 200-600 ft rule in areas where you do not need to slow to no-wake. Boats under 26 have to remain 200 feet from shore and 26+ must be 600 ft from shore when above no-week speed. This is to protect homeowners from sea wall and dock damage so stay towards the middle and/or closer to the marshy side and you will be good.

You'll see when you can open the chart...

We didn’t go out yesterday (took the family to the movies, did some house work and kids were swimming at home) but I did take a buddy and his daughter out on Saturday. We went for a cruise up the South Channel around to the Middle Channel down to Brown’s (a restaurant on Harsen's Island). The water was perfect for cruising.

It was before noon and we were sitting on the deck at Brown’s waiting for our food, watching the boats and enjoying the day when we saw a boat almost crashed into a pontoon. The pontoon was leaving Brown’s moving at no-wake speed and was near the entrance of Brown’s. A solo captain in ~25 year old Larson approximately 17’ in length came in while still on plane and came within a foot of the pontoon, rocking it pretty bad with his wake. This was right next to Brown’s docks so there is not a lot of space on either side. The Larson slowed down after clearing the pontoon, the pontoon captain rightfully had some words for the Larson captain but the Larson captain only raised his hand to acknowledge that it was his bad.

We proceeded to watch the Larson captain dock his boat in one of the shorter spots along the side of Brown’s. It took him a good 15 minutes to do so as he was clearly wasted and it is barely past 11 AM. I hear a splash and see he was now in the water. At least he is touching ground and his head is above water as I would hate to get wet trying to save a drunk from himself. He tried to lift himself up at the dock but it was a lost cause even with the higher water levels. The drunk then went around to the back of his boat where he would use the swim platform ladder. First try, he fell back in. The second time, it took him several minutes of very deliberate movement but he finally made it up on the boat.

I pointed the Captain Drunk to the waitress and she kind of shrugged and said “It’s Brown’s”. I have been to Brown’s many times and never seen anyone like that. But I only go during the day. I thought they would call the cops on him but they apparently did not as he came back to his boat about 30-45 minutes later with another 6-pack then left.

I wish I had called the cops on him. Next time, I certainly will.

Ugh. Next time call. People like this ruin others good times and also lives with their foolish antics. Trust me - it's much easier when they are close to land rather than out in the middle of the water to catch them.