House passes boat speed limits at 45-30

The House easily passed a bill yesterday to place permanent speed limits on Lake Winnipesaukee, clearing what may be the final legislative hurdle before it reaches the governor's desk.

In a 268-79 vote, House members approved restricting boat speed on the lake to 45 mph during the day and 30 mph at night. Currently, boat speed is limited to 45 mph during the day and 25 mph at night, but those limits are set to expire at the end of this year following a two-year trial period.

The House bill differs slightly from the Senate version, which passed with a 50 mph daytime speed limit. But Belmont Republican Rep. James Pilliod, a longtime supporter of speed limits on the lake, said he has "assurances" from Senate leadership that they will agree with the terms of the House version.

"If people do what they said they will do," the permanent speed limits will soon become law, Pilliod said.

Sandy Helve, a Meredith resident who heads the Winnipesaukee Family Alliance for Boating Safety, has said speed limits ensure safety and quiet — "the whole tenor of the lake is vastly different," she said.

"It's not finally settled until it's signed by the governor, but we're very much encouraged by the support that the House gave this bill," Helve said yesterday.

Rep. Brian Rhodes, a Nashua Democrat, said he received a crush of e-mails in favor of the legislation, and testimony he heard before the House Transportation Committee convinced him to support the bill.

"Business owners who are key to the economy in the Lakes Region have said 'We need this bill,' " Rhodes said.

Rep. John Hikel, a Goffstown Republican, spoke out against the speed limits when they were being considered by the committee. Yesterday, he reiterated that making the speed limits permanent after one, rainy summer renders pointless the trial run that was approved two years ago.

"One more year of study won't hurt anything," Hikel said. "It will allow us to gather more information to see if the speed limit is really something that we need."

Rep. Al Baldasaro, a Londonderry Republican, called it "feel-good legislation." He said he boycotted Lake Winnipesaukee last year because of the speed limits and making them permanent would hurt lake tourism from other high-speed boaters.

"Many of us boaters will not go there and spend our money," he said.

Scott Verdonck, president of Safe Boaters of New Hampshire, a group that opposed the bill, echoed Baldasaro's point, saying "the economy is going to end up feeling it."

But marina owner Merrill Fay of Fay's Boat Yard in Gilford has said the speed limits were good for business last year because people came back to the lake after being "petrified" by fast boats.

"This is a family lake, this is family recreational boating that I promote," Fay said.

All 18 representatives from Belknap County voted, 16 with the majority, leaving only Republicans Laurie Boyce of Alton and Fran Wendelboe of New Hampton voting in opposition to the bill.