Pat Griffin, Rusty McLear

Tourism is New Hampshire’s second largest industry and we rely on our State’s image as a family-friendly vacation destination. This reputation is being threatened as boating traffic on our lakes increases without any speed limit regulation in place. There are boats operating on our lakes today that can, and regularly do, travel at dangerously high rates of speed. This directly jeopardizes New Hampshire’s tourism brand while compromising the safety of all lake enthusiasts.

The New Hampshire House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee recently voted in favor of House Bill 162. If passed into law, HB 162 would establish commonsense 45 mph daytime and 25 mph nighttime boating speed limits for all State water bodies. The full House of Representatives will be voting on this bill soon.

Here in New Hampshire, approximately 200 businesses and organizations as well as 9 marinas are publicly supporting the 45/25 mph speed limits proposed in HB 162. They are joined by thousands of families and individuals statewide. In fact, a recent survey conducted by the American Research Group found that 66% of NH voters are in favor of boating speed limits for New Hampshire, compared with 22% who are opposed.

Responsible speed limits and safety go hand-in-hand with the family-friendly tourism reputation New Hampshire has successfully created. Our tourism industry is essential to the economic growth and stability of New Hampshire. Tourism in our State generates over $10 billion annually, supports over 65,000 jobs and yields over $121 million in rooms and meals tax revenues while preserving our cultural and natural resources. We must protect our image or risk losing vital tourism dollars to neighboring states.

Visitor dollars not only benefit New Hampshire’s businesses, but ultimately benefit all of our citizens. If our lakes are known as safe and enjoyable places to visit with family and friends, more vacationers will come, they will come more often, and they will spend more recreational dollars on boating, fishing, shopping, dining and lodging, local attractions, and other activities.

New Hampshire has radar-enforced speed limits on its roads and its 7,000 miles of State-owned backwoods trails. Placing the reasonable, commonsense 45/25 mph speed limits on its water bodies is consistent with these other statewide regulations. Unlike our highways, lakes do not have lane markings, traffic signs or traffic lights. Instead, lakes do have constantly changing conditions, highly inconsistent surfaces, wind, and often compromised visibility. Traffic goes in all directions. There are many varied lake users, frequently children, teens and families in small craft. Boats have nobrakes, brake lights, headlights or side mirrors. Extending radar-enforced speed limits to our public waterways would provide everyone an equal and potentially lifesaving margin of safety.

The U.S. Coast Guard cites speed as one of the major causes of boating accidents on U.S. lakes and rivers. A collision between a boat traveling too fast with a slow moving sailboat or canoe is no accident. It is a foreseeable consequence of our increasingly crowded lakes and technology that produces marine engines with ever-increasing power and speed. The simple fairness and safety approach of the 45/25 mph boating speed limits is a prescription for calming our lakes and allowing all lake enthusiasts an opportunity to enjoy our public water resources in greater safety and without undue fear.

Speed limits on lakes across the United States are largely self-enforced since most boaters abide by them. On those lakes law enforcement is easily and successfully using radar guns to measure boat speeds accurately and effectively. Tickets are rarely contested in court, and when they are, they typically are upheld. These specific 45 and 25 mph speed limits are definitive, easily understood by the public and enforceable. They make sense.

Our statewide grassroots organization, The Winnipesaukee Family Alliance for Boating Safety (WinnFABS), is comprised of thousands of New Hampshire residents, businesses and marinas, as well as, sailors, family boaters, and other lake enthusiasts who support the specific 45/25 mph boating speed limits proposed in HB 162. High speeds are dangerous on our lakes and setting these commonsense speed limits will allow more reasonable reaction and stopping time and enhance the public safety of all lake enthusiasts.

Please join this effort by contacting your New Hampshire legislators now and urge them to support the committee majority amendment on House Bill 162 as it would establish 45 mph daytime and 25 mph nighttime speed limits. These limits protect everyone’s safety and preserve the balanced use of our lakes. Let’s protect our valuable State legacy and premium New Hampshire brand as a cherished family-friendly tourism destination!

Pat Griffin is the President and Founding Partner of Griffin Bodi & Krause and is a summer resident of Meredith. Rusty McLear is president and Chief Executive Officer of Hampshire Hospitality Holdings in Meredith.