Kayaking on Lake of the Ozarks

It's funny that I've never put up a post about kayaking on the Lake of the Ozarks because it's become one of my favorite activities on the lake. Judging by the proliferation of kayaks just in my cove alone, it appears I'm not the only one.

Modern kayaks are amazingly simple watercraft. Typically vacuumed formed out of a single piece of poly-carbonate plastic, the same stuff used to make trashcans. They are relatively light, tough as hell, and require very little maintenance, and the best part is, the motor is (usually) very reliable! Usually I say, because failures have been known to happen!

15 year old ($285) Bending Branches paddle destined for the burn pile.

There are two basic styles of kayak the sit-top and the cockpit style. Sit-tops are more recreational and also tend to be the style of choice for fisherman. The cockpit style is one where you slip into the body cavity of the kayak itself. In this category there is a full spectrum of types ranging from the long slender "sea-kayaks" at one end of the scale, to the short white water style on the other.

I have a Perception Carolina, which is considered a touring kayak which are on the the sea-kayak range of style, typically anything over 11 feet long.

My wife in our Perception Carolina in Florida - "Are there sharks in these waters?"

I've had my kayak for more than 10 years now, a 14.2 foot Carolina, made by Perception. I've taken it to the ocean and on just about every river in Missouri, including the Osage. At the lake I've probably spent more hours in it than I have my 27ft Sea Ray in the past ten years. I can only guess how many miles I've paddled but I know it's in the hundreds.

Here's some more pics!

Florida - Getting past the breakers is easier than getting back in!

When the lake flooded July 4th, 2015 and the Governor called for a no-wake-lake, I was able to paddle out to the main channel. Not a boat in sight.

July 2, 2015, 8MM Main Channel

Paddling around in the winter time is some of the best kayaking, but be safe! I have a life jacket on at all times when paddling in the winter!

One of the cool things about a kayak is being able to sneak up on wildlife, which is not always a great idea. Startled deer do funny things.

I got a lot closer than this and the poor deer nearly jumped in the kayak when she finally spotted me.

One of my favorite things to do in the kayak is fish of course. The Carolina does fine fishing, but as I said there are kayaks made specifically for fishing, and if that's your thing, I would recommend you take a look at them over a touring kayak such as mine.

Some tips when it comes to paddling on the Lake of the Ozarks.

Don't stray too far from docks and shoreline, especially on weekends. There's far too much boat traffic to be safe in a kayak in open water. Try to be in a position to duck beside a dock in quick order if a boat doesn't seem to see you. You're too low to the water in a kayak to be easily seen. Of course, the back of a cove or in no-wake zone is relatively safe, but you should always keep an eye out for power boats and PWCs.

Let people know where you're going and how long you expect to be gone if you plan on being out of site of your home dock. People worry.

You are required to have a life jacket with you, on is optional, but it would be wise.

Buddy up if you can. I personally kayak alone quite a bit (me time), but it is more fun with a companion.

Teach your children how to kayak. I have never met a child that didn't enjoy being in a kayak. There's something empowering about it to them. I suppose it's the first serious mode of transportation that they are in charge of maybe, but kids in the cockpit with you will enjoy it as well. If they can fit. My granddaughter is about 60lbs and she's only now getting too big to sit in front of me and leave me room to paddle. But now she's old enough to paddle her own kayak! My four year old grandson fits just fine still. I've taught all of my nieces, nephews and friends to kayak and by far they are the most popular water toys we have.

Don't tease the people on paddle-boards by doing circles around them. A stand up paddle-board (SUP) is fine, but I like to make way on the water even if it's under my own power. SUP's are slow, difficult to maneuver and not very versatile, but to each their own.

I could go on and on bragging about how much joy that little boat has brought me over the years. The stories I could tell. I've truly had some amazing experiences. If you think it might be something for you, I would encourage looking for something used first. A lot of people buy them, use them briefly and decide it's not for them. You can usually pick up a very "low hour" kayak if you just keep an eye out or tell people you're looking.

2018 Shootout Meet and Greet Parade of Boats

Best. Ever.

A couple of things changed this year with the Shootout parade of boats on the Dam for 2018. Firstly, the boats were lined up on the sides of the strip allowing the crowds a center aisle to move about. This really made things much easier for everyone to get around and see all of the boats. I'm sure some of the bar owners felt it obstructed line of site of their establishment but from what I could tell it had little impact on the amount of business they were getting. Casablanca, High Noon, Lucky's and all the others were very busy last night.

The center lane was used for pedestrian traffic with boats on each side.

Which brings me to the second welcome change for the parade, open containers. No glass of course, but for the first time since I've been going to the event, you could walk around with a beer in a cup. I know that sounds like an unimportant thing but relaxing open container laws for an event such as this has a rather dramatic effect in general. First of all, people get out and see the boats, not being confined to have their drink in an establishment. Secondly, being able to take your drink away, leaves room for others to come purchase one for themselves, providing for a nice steady flow for business. Win, win. The police were out in full force, polite and professional, but certainly there to make sure things didn't get out of hand. I drove through the strip on the way to work this morning and saw a surprisingly small amount of litter, so everyone did their part to keep things clean. Thanks to the City of Lake Ozark for the welcome changes that made for a great night for all.

More pics!

Things started off a bit slow

On the deck of the recently opened High Noon

Now we got a crowd!

A lot of boat for two people!

People from one end to the other on the strip

Console boats are getting more popular

This boat was the Belle of the ball if you ask me

Power to spare

awesome lighting

Winding down for the night.

Lake TV has a nice two and half minute long video with some cool drone footage mixed in.

New Wake Restrictions Awaiting Governor's Signature

June 4th, 2018 Update: This bill was one of the 77 signed by the outgoing Governor on Friday June 1st. 

I've been holding off on a post about the new "Wake restrictions" bill that passed this year and is reportedly awaiting the Governor's signature.  I've been waiting because things are not exactly going to plan in Missouri politics of late. While the Missouri House and Senate have settled on legislation, there's the little problem of actually signing them into law.  Protocol follows that first, the Speaker of the House, and Senate Pro Tem must sign these bills before sending them to the Governor. As of yesterday they had not, but this is not completely unusual for this time of year. Typically the leaders of both houses sign bills at the end of May as a formality before going to the governor for final approval.  Is there anything going on in Missouri politics that might throw a wrench in the usual process? No matter the debacle going on with the Missouri leadership these days, or the Governor's ultimate fate, the likelihood that these bill will get signed means it's time to take a look at the HB2116, which could dramatically affect boating on the Lake of the Ozarks.

What started as House Bill 1591 had ended up passing as HB 2116 which was originally an attempt to change what type of vessels can be exempted from railing requirements for passengers riding on the gunwale (upper edge of the side of a boat).  Basically it exempts sailboats and jet driven vessels (read:PWC's) from railing requirements, which is good since PWC's have no railings. The language from HB1591 was added to HB2116 in order to improve the odds of passing.

Assuming it is signed into law, what does it really mean?

HB2116 replaces the language in Missouri Revised Statutes sections 306.100, 306.125 and 306.126 with new language regarding watercraft in Missouri. Note - A statute is a basically a law, or policy.

There are primarily three changes to the statutes. The first being the aforementioned railing change. Secondly, it changes the penalty for the lack of proper Personal Flotation Devices and creating a wake within 100 feet of a floating structure (dock).

Section 306.100:  I'll avoid the exact language of the first change because it's fairly straightforward. If you're caught without proper Coast Guard approved PFD's (life jackets) in your boat, you're going to get a $25 fine no matter the size of the boat. This seems like a very small penalty for a serious safety issue, but the current penalty of a misdemeanor has been considered too onerous to enforce.  The thinking here is that a small fine will make the rule more enforceable (and certainly won't hurt the coffers of the Water Patrol - wink wink), and you can rest assured, that there will be safety campaigns aplenty on the water this year. There will little mercy for non-compliance since Water Patrol has been looking for this type of change to the law for a long time. Check to be sure you have *all* the required safety equipment for your boat. Furthermore.

Section 306.125:  The bill would maintain the 100 foot distance no-wake restriction from all docks but the penalty would be a $25 fine. There was a proposed 300 foot restriction but that was revised back to 100 feet. Again, a relatively small fine, given the potential damage to property such wakes can make, but one that theoretically makes the rule more enforceable. What's more interesting is that the fine can go to the boat owner, and not just the operator.

"...if the operator cannot be identified, the owner of the watercraft shall be subject to such penalty."

Aside from the obvious, I think this implies that if I take a picture of your boat making a wake within 100 feet of my dock, and I can capture your boat number or port registered name in the image,  you, the boat owner, get the ticket. Of course, the homeowner would have to file a complaint with the Water Patrol, but that is easy enough, and one wonders if some sort of online complaint process might be created. We'll see if I'm right in the coming months as folks will invariably violate the law, and homeowners will invariably document it.

The fines for both PFDs and no-wake infractions are just that, citations that do not require court costs.  Pay the fine, and your done.

But now we get to the real meat and potatoes of HB2116 regarding boat wakes. Section 306.125 continues on to expand which coves can be designated as completely no-wake, and what class of vessel is subject to the rule.

The department of public safety shall promulgate all necessary rules and regulations for the  implementation and administration of a no wake cove for class 3 vessels in a cove with its main juncture less than 800 feet, measured from shore to shore, at the main channel.

A class III vessel is any boat 40 feet or larger in length, which means smaller boats would not be subject to this rule should the majority of homeowners in the cove choose to have it designated as no-wake. I actually think this is a fair rule and one both boat owners and homeowners can support. But let's take a look at just how many coves might be affected.

We've been here before when trying to restrict wakes, but the first attempt was to restrict all coves with a juncture to the main channel of less than 1250 feet, regardless of homeowner sentiment, and for vessels of any size. This would have effectively rendered the entire lake a no-wake zone with the exception of the main channel since there are very few coves with a mouth over 1250' on the lake.  Thankfully this idea went nowhere, but allowing coves of 800 feet or less the option to be no-wake is a game changer, at least for big boats. How many coves are 800 feet or smaller at juncture is a question I leave open(for now), but my estimation is that it's probably the majority of them. It will take time for 75% of the homeowners in any cove to band together to make theirs no-wake zones, but I think it is likely if large boat owners continue to kick up wakes in their coves like they have been for the past few years. It may take a few years, but ultimately, for 40+ foot boats, the main channel will become their only option to run at speed.

The end result of this process, could be less damage to docks and structure within coves, but the unintended consequence will be a main channel that is even rougher than it is today.  For those homeowners and condominiums with docks on the main channel, the challenge of keeping them is only going to get worse. It is also likely we'll see an increase in barrier protections along the main channel which will further constrict vessel operating areas. And what do we do with coves whose mouth is exposed to the main channel? One can easily see a time when breaker barriers will be in front of every cove.

The other possibility is the proliferation of boats 40 feet or longer will plummet. This scenario is something the Marine Dealers Association is keenly aware of and concerned about.

Will this work? Who knows, but it was inevitable that Missouri legislators would get involved and do something.  Time will tell.

Where Are All the Sailboats?

Why are there not more sailboats on the Lake of the Ozarks? Believe it or not, in the early days of the lake, up until about the 1980s, sailboats were fairly common, but nowadays it's very rare to see a sailboat actually under sail on the lake. Why?

PSA - Getting Serious About a "No-Wake Lake"

December 2015 update

Three members of the Missouri House of Representatives that often advocate for the lake area have been making stirrings lately about conditions on The Lake of the Ozarks regarding large wakes.  On November 4th, a public forum will be held at the Osage Beach City Hall at 9am to hear concerns regarding lake conditions along with dock and fire safety issues.

The Lake's rather undeserving reputation for being hazardous has been getting more attention over the past year. Despite efforts from Ameren to hold boat size down through dock regulation, this year's flooding along with the subsequent "no-wake" start to the 4th of July holiday weekend brought home the problem of large wakes and public pressure to do something about it.

A proposal being floated at this time by Rep. Wood is to restrict any area of the lake with less than 1250 feet from shoreline to shoreline as a no-wake zone, possibly only for larger boats.  This restriction would have a profound impact, given that nearly every cove on the lake would fall into this category. I urge anyone with an interest to either attend the meeting or write their representative as to their opinion, along with any ideas they may have to help improve situation.

Information on how to contact the three attending members of the State House of Representatives can be found at each link.

Rocky Miller (district includes Osage Beach and Lake Ozark area)

Diane Franklin (district includes Camdenton area)

David Wood  (district includes Gravois arm)

This will likely be worked out by those of us who own property on the lake, and could easily affect home values. Get involved if you can.

Shootout - Saturday Aug 29th 2015

Better get there early if you want a front row spot!

This was at 10am.

Two hours later...

Shootout Parade of Boats - 2015

This Cigarette offshore was huge and five 400 HP outboards is just ridiculous. Ridiculously awesome that is! Cigarette ruled the strip last night with many models at the Shootout parade of boats. Looking forward to seeing fast boats going fast this weekend.

A No-Wake Lake Annual Weekend?

The experience over this past 4th of July holiday with the governor ordering no-wake enforcement on the entire lake, has generated a lot of talk around boating circles over the idea of making such a restriction an annual event.

It has it's appeal.

7:00pm July 3rd, 2015 8mm

I've paddled out to the main channel before but only in the off-season.  Although weekdays are far less busy, it is still too dangerous to go any more than a few feet from shore in a kayak, but not this evening.  I saw people on flotillas of water toys just enjoying the water and well beyond shore. While some boats were out, mostly obeying the wake restriction, the lake was serene and almost ghostly quiet. The tension in the air was as palpable as the humidity, between the pent up energy from thousands of holiday visitors, and the anxiety of the home and business owners worrying the wake restriction would be lifted too soon. Forbearance at odds with exuberance on a regional scale.

So, what about this idea of setting aside a weekend or two out of the season as lake wide "wake-free" time?  As I said, it has its appeal.  Pontoon boats ruled that evening as getting around at a decent speed wake free is what they do.  The steady buzz of wetbikes, the punctuating roar of racing engines, and the steady thrum of hundreds of boats struggling down the channel was conspicuous by its absence.  It was tranquil and serene.  What was there not too like?

Did it hurt business? I think the jury is still out on that one.  Certainly some folks may have changed their plans, but the weekend seemed to be as popular as ever.  By Saturday evening of the 4th, the serenity was long gone.

Could it be done?  Sure!  But it would take a concerted effort by all authorities involved to do it, and enforcement would be difficult.  The only real way to know if it would be successful or not economically would be to try it.  I would think maybe the weekend before the Memorial holiday, or the weekend after Labor Day would be a good pilot run.  The lake is still inviting at those times, but not quite as busy.  "No-Wake-Lake" weekends might be a great way to open and close the season.

Ghost Ship

In early April, 2015, after some intense stormy weather, this boat appeared off the point at Lazy Gators.

Pictures from Towboat U.S.

It seems amazing that a surface storm can churn the water so much, and at such depth, that things like this suddenly surface. Actually, it really doesn't take that much energy when submerged artifacts are right on the edge of being buoyant.  They effectively loll around the bottom until forces are sufficient to bring them to the surface long enough to be blown to shore.  This is how treasure is often discovered in the ocean right after hurricanes. This boat looks circa 80's judging by the motif. I bet the old owner is going to be surprised when he's told his boat has been found.

Boat Towing - Help Is Just a Phone Call Away

There was a time when it was not too uncommon to see a boat being towed back to the dock or marina by some good samaritan, but you don't see much of that anymore, and for good reason. For vacationers, it may seem like Lake Ozark boaters are unwilling to help if they are in need of assistance.  What gives?

Towing A Boat - Leave It to the Professionals

Straightline Canvas

I'm going to give a shameless plug to one of our local businesses, Straightline Canvas.  They restored a head piece on my 1989 Sea Ray Pachanga which had completely rotted out from the inside and could not have been an easy repair to do.  The piece is made of shaped wood and built strong enough to accommodate supporting a man's weight while hopping into the driver's seat (yeah, I still think I'm 30).  Although the upholstery itself was in decent enough condition, the entire underlying support had to be rebuilt by hand.  It's now fixed and looks great.

They did an excellent job and I'll be looking to them for any future upholstery needs.  Thanks!

Location map link.

(573)-348-3300

How Big Does My Boat Need To Be For The Lake of the Ozarks?

It's a common question asked by folks who have never actually been to the Lake of the Ozarks and only know it by reputation for big boats and big waves. While there is technically no limit to the size of boats on the lake, typically they are less than sixty feet in length due to dock restrictions, but you don't need an open ocean capable boat to get around on the water.

Safety is really what we're talking about when asking the question of what is a properly sized boat for the lake. Being tossed about due to rough water isn't fun and certainly not safe. Over the years the solution has been a steady increase in the size of boats being purchased. Throughout its existence boat sizes on the Lake of the Ozarks has been an arms race of sorts with boats seemingly getting larger every year. In the 1960's my father's 18ft Mark Twain was considered a good size boat and got around just fine.  In the 70s he purchased a 22ft Sea Ray that provided a decent ride, but immediately regretted not buying the 24 footer. After the 80s (thanks "Miami Vice") a boat needed to be in the +30ft range if you wanted to go fast and smooth as the proliferation of very large (+40ft) and slow cruisers meant a dramatic increase in the size of waves. Larger boats mean larger waves, and larger waves means boat owners buy larger boats, with the vicious cycle continuing to this day. Still, you don't need a 38ft Cigarette or 35ft Donzi to enjoy the lake, but it helps. The question of how big of a boat is big enough to handle the Lake of the Ozarks has no simple answer but depends on many factors such as pilot experience and skill, time of year, type of boat, desired running speed, and number of passengers.

Pilot skills: The Lake of the Ozarks attracts different kinds of boaters, from rank novice to race experienced experts, and while any boat can be piloted safely even in the worst conditions, not all pilots have the skills to pull it off. Likewise, a large boat under the control of an inexperienced pilot is no guarantee of safety or comfort.  If you have a relatively small boat (<30ft), on a busy weekend, a novice pilot can easily get themselves into trouble and hurt someone, while an experienced one can make it safe and relatively comfortable.

Time of year:  From mid-September to early May boat size is mostly irrelevant as the lake remains calm with room to maneuver and roll through the occasional big wake.  In the summer however weekends can be relentlessly rough with congestion making it difficult to smooth wakes out over distance.  Holiday weekends even more so.  My definition of a properly sized boat is one that doesn't cause injury to passengers just because it is underway at cruising speed. The lake can be rough, but it needn't be dangerous if boat size matches desired boating style.

Style of Boat:
Fishing boats, less than 26ft in length, are often flat bottomed and at no time in the summer, except in the early hours or weekdays, is it comfortable to be making speed on the lake in one. Small fishing boats in calm coves are common enough but are well advised to stay away from the main channel.

Pontoon boats are popular for their ability to carry many passengers comfortably, but are relatively slow and struggle in rough water if not equipped with a middle pontoon ("tri-toon") and a properly sized motor. A 24ft pontoon with only a 60HP motor may be fine on Lake St.Louis, but at the Lake of the Ozarks it is a bit under powered, and will likely run into difficulty on busy weekends in the main channel.  For a period of time, "deck" boats were replacing pontoons as the barge of choice but developments in pontoon/tritoon design and open cockpit style runabouts have long since passed them over.

Large cruisers, 40 feet or more rarely have any concerns over rough water to worry about regardless of speed, which is usually under 30kts. Bigger is better, but it causes issues for others. Large boat owners need to be cognizant of the severe wakes their boats are capable of putting out and the damage they can do.

A runabout, which can range from 16ft to 40ft is where speed becomes a critical factor. Assuming a boat in this size range is capable of getting on plane (the very definition of a runabout), how well it can handle rough water is mostly dependent on pilot experience and speed.

Speed:  If you want to go fast (+50mph) on the weekends, you're going to need a bigger boat.  I have a 27ft Sea Ray Pachanga capable of +60mph but wouldn't dare to try and get that kind of speed out of it during the weekend except in short bursts, it is simply too small. While the boat itself may be able to take the beating (it is a Sea Ray after all!), my passengers cannot. I've been in a 31ft boat that did just fine at that speed but most mono-hull boats running +50mph on the weekend need to be at least 33ft long or above in order to make good speed in the rough waters of the main channel.

Passengers: Many boat owners don't stop to think about passenger comfort too much.  If the boat ride isn't too rough on the pilot, then passengers should be fine, right? Wrong. Pilots have the advantage of seeing wave impacts coming and control over how they are attacked, with one hand on the wheel, and another on the throttle(s) they have added support and leverage to resist heavy impacts or rapid directional changes. Passengers on the other hand are mostly left to holding on to anything they can grab onto (including each other) and usually unable to see or pay attention to oncoming waves and brace themselves properly.

Don't overload your boat! Cramming your boat with more people than its carrying capacity allows is illegal and usually a recipe for disaster. Even pushing the capacity can be unwise if your going out for and extended boating day. Coolers weigh a lot. More people in your boat means more cargo, and both mean more weight that can result in your boat struggling in rough conditions.  To be safe, make sure you know your boat's operating capacity for specific conditions. For instance, while I can legally carry 9 passengers in my 27' boat, on a summer weekend doing so would be hard on everyone, including the boat.

Don't forget, if someone is hurt on your boat, with little exception you are required to report it to the Water Patrol.

Location: The Lake of the Ozarks is one of the largest commercial lakes in the U.S. with over 1100 miles of shoreline and over 100 miles of main channel and where you play can have a dramatic impact on water conditions and the type of boat that's enjoyable to use.  Generally speaking, the first 31 miles of the main channel (starting at Bagnell Dam) are the most popular, and thereby the roughest. The state park area where Party Cove is located makes it just as busy as anywhere else on the weekends, especially the short run from the Grand Glaize Bridge to the mouth of PC.  In fact, this particular three mile stretch of the Grand Glaize branch can be some of the roughest water on the lake during the weekends. Elsewhere, boaters far upriver past Hurricane Deck (above 35MM) or the Niangua River arms usually have a little less traffic, but this is offset by the narrowing of the main channel and the overall effect is virtually the same, rough water. While the lake can be rough anywhere and at anytime these outer reaches are usually a little more subdued. On the weekdays, even in the peak of summer, the lake is rarely congested and boating is very casual just about anywhere.

The idea that bigger is better, ride-wise, is the main reason the lake is as rough as it is today.  If a smooth ride is what you are after, get a bigger boat, slow down, or play on a weekday.

As for that 27ft Pachanga of mine? While it is a bit of a slog on the summer weekends to make speed, it can still handle the water with only the occasional bump or bruise, but it is certainly all the boat needed during the week.  I think I'll keep it for awhile longer... or until the price comes down a bit on that 35ft Donzi I saw on eBay last week.  :)

Boating License Requirements

I often discuss safety on the Lake of the Ozarks but often fail to mention the requirement for boaters to have an operators license in Missouri.

The Missouri Boater Education Law went into effect January 1, 2005, stating anyone born after January 1st, 1984 must complete a NASBLA* approved boating education course and obtain an operator's certification in order to legally operate a vessel. This includes personal watercraft such as a "jet ski", or "waverunner".  This law applies only to Missouri public lakes excluding rivers, streams, and "private waters". For the purposes of this law, the Lake of the Ozarks is considered a public lake.

Out of state visitors may use their own state's boating license or certification if it came from a NASBLA approved course, but you must carry the proof of course completion and a photo ID on you while underway. The law applies whether you own or rent a vessel while visiting.

If you fall into the age group requiring a certificate, getting caught operating a boat without one is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by citation and a fine.  There is no stated exclusion for non-motor driven vessels such as sailboats, or even human powered vessels such as paddle boats, canoes, or kayaks (unless on a river or stream). Fortunately, most states within reach of the lake have similar laws so most visitors will either have one, or be excluded due to age.

*NASBLA - National Association of State Boating Law Administrators

First Official "Dam Challenge" Time is set.

Apparently there is an effort to establish a standing record for making a dam to dam run as fast as possible.  Here's a video of the "record" run made last September.  188 mi (94 up, and back) in 2 hours 29 minutes and 49 seconds.  There's more info in the video notes.

It looked like a blast to me.

Here's a video at 4x speed looking forward.  If you ever wanted to see the entire lake in five minutes...

There's also a full length video.

Reporting Boating Accidents on the Lake

As the 2015 Summer season is upon us, I thought it would be a good time to start our annual “Safety First!” post with a notice regarding accident reporting, and when it is needed.  As has been discussed before, the relative safety of boating on the Lake of the Ozarks is comparable to just about anywhere else in the U.S., but what is not typical are the incidences of minor personal injury.  Anecdotally, and in the media, the Lake has a reputation for being unsafe, as visitors and resident boaters often have a story or two to tell in regards to someone getting hurt.  The disconnect between the national data and the reputation of the lake lies in the number of unreported incidents.

The Missouri Water Patrol dutifully documents all fatalities and accidents they are involved with but incidents regarding minor injuries, or sometimes major ones often incorrectly go unreported. Most boaters, understanding the risks of riding in a boat under siege by large waves, take injuries in stride without reporting anything to Water Patrol.  It is quite understandable that if someone falls to the deck, or scrapes a prop, or some other mishap not requiring a visit to the emergency room, the first thought isn't to call the authorities to file a report.  While it's easy to think that minor injuries are not worth the trouble to report, federal requirements exist making it mandatory to report accidents to state authorities in the case where:

• A person dies; or
• A person disappears from the vessel under circumstances that indicate death or injury; or
• A person is injured and requires medical treatment beyond first aid (emphasis mine); or
• Damage to vessels or other property totals $2000 or more; or
• There is a complete loss of any vessel.

The Code of Federal Regulations (33 CFR 173; Subpart C) define the minimum reporting requirements but states are allowed more stringent requirements.  For Missouri:

• An injury occurs causing any person to lose consciousness, require medical treatment, or be disabled for more than 24 hours; or
• Damage to the vessel and other property exceeds $500.

The emphasis on the personal injury in the federal guideline means only the most superficial injuries can go unreported.  I’m sure many boaters can attest to accident experiences that often require treatment “beyond” first aid (I know I bear my share of scars, and watched others get theirs), but do not report them.  The reasons for not reporting accidents range from simply not knowing it is required, to avoiding the authorities for fear of liability, either way it is clearly a difficult requirement to enforce if the accident occurs without Water Patrol involvement.

The failure of relevant injury reporting is not only against the law, it limits statistical data available to only involving deaths and major injuries, which are thankfully as rare as anywhere else, but also means there can be no proper assessment for general safety on the Lake of the Ozarks.  Minor injuries are often not so minor in the long term, and what goes unreported is actually statistically important. In fact, this deficit in accountability may actually be favoring the statistical assessment that the Lake of the Ozarks is safer than it may actually be in comparison to other lakes where minor incidents are as infrequent as major ones. If we wish to try and address safety issues at the Lake and improve the overall boating experience for all, we must properly account for all accidents, in order to accurately assess safety over time, the effectiveness of regulations, and making informed decisions as to how to improve the situation.

If you hurt someone on your boat to the degree stated, please report it properly to the Missouri Water Patrol @
Emergency Phone
1-800-525-5555 or *55 (Cellular)

Bat Boat at Bike Week

Always a favorite with the kids, like me.

Update - Outer Limits Crash 2014 Shootout

There have been boat crashes at the Shootout before, but nothing as spectacular as this one of the catamaran "OuterLimits" driven by Joel Begin and Mike Fiore.  

Update:  Mike Fiore, the owner of Outerlimits died on Tuesday August 26th, 2014 due to complications after surgery for his injuries.  This is the first death from an accident at the Shootout since it began.

pictures at www.lakeexpo.com

There's also video:

These folks are lucky things didn't go very badly for them on the dock.

Navigating Party Cove

From a boat owners point of view, the "Party Cove" can be a bit intimidating, especially for first time visitors. Here's some help on getting out there and seeing what all the fun is about and bringing your boat back in one piece.

A Boating Guide to Party Cove

Not Saving the "Captain Larry Don"

The story is getting out that the “Captain Larry Don” partially sank this week, presumably a victim of the harsh winter, and although her condition is stable her fate is far from decided.  The rumor is that she will be scrapped rather than repaired and reconditioned as part of Beaver’s at the Dam.  Since foundering, there has been some local support from business owners such as Johnny Alles, and the Lake News Sun Leader, attempting to rally grass roots interest and, more importantly, money to repair her.  The effort isn't so much to save a specific boat as much as a piece of the Lake of the Ozarks history, but there seems to be little support for the idea at this time, and it is probably for the best.

The vessel was always something of a work in progress, hobbled together from pieces since its beginnings and modified throughout its life.  So exactly which “Captain Larry Don” are we trying to save here?

Her design was always function over form, an excursion boat designed to maximize viewing of the Lake by as many paying customers as possible.  With a current capacity for 240 souls, at only 65 feet iconic or not, she was purpose built to make money, not to be a landmark.  Although I agree the “Captain Larry Don” is a part of the Lake’s history, I believe saving her is a waste of resources.

What is it that we think this vessel represents exactly? An editorial comment made by the Lake Sun Leader staff in support of saving the "Captain Larry Don" touches on the answer, and the identity problem happening in the region.

“Too much of the lake’s heritage has slowly been dismantled over the years as history has given way to commerce and gigantic condo projects in the name of progress. The Casino Pier, the Larry Don and the Commander are truly icons and represent a simpler time when families came to the lake and The Strip to be families.”

Everyone is nostalgic, and no one more than me when it comes to the Lake, but you are not going to recapture anything by repairing that overgrown barge.  The Lake of the Ozarks, like any tourist area, must evolve to stay competitive with other attraction based destinations. Real estate has been the driving force of commerce in recent decades not tourism. We need to be honest with ourselves about this reality.  The real problem isn't the condominiums, or the presence of franchised corporate businesses, it is our lack of vision for the future and the solidarity of local leadership that is failing us.  The “Captain Larry Don” had her day, and made money for her owner who had the vision to create her.  Let us have new ideas, and new vision to focus our resources on rather than resurrecting meaningless icons.

Marine Technologies - Phantom Details

One of my favorite boats over the years. This thing is just beautiful. The "Phantom" was built out by Marine Technologies in Wentzville Missouri. More details available in this PDF.  Marine Technologies - Phantom Details