Let’s regulate wake boats with facts, not misinformation

Here in the Northwoods, we pride ourselves on common sense, fairness, and a deep respect for our natural resources. That’s why the growing push to ban or severely restrict wake surfing on Wisconsin’s lakes — including many right here in Oneida and Vilas Counties — deserves a closer look.

The proposed restrictions make Wisconsin the most regulated state in the country for wake boats. They would ban or limit wake surfing on 99 percent of our lakes, while states with longer boating seasons, more sensitive shorelines, and far more year-round use have chosen a more reasonable path. That alone should raise eyebrows.

Groups advocating for these extreme measures often point south and say, “Well, those states have reservoirs, and they’re different.” But what they claim — that reservoirs are more stable and less vulnerable than our lakes — is simply wrong.

In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that 25 percent of southern reservoirs suffer from disturbed shorelines, compared to only 11 percent of natural lakes. These man-made systems are more sensitive to wave action and shoreline erosion than Wisconsin’s glacial lakes, which have adapted over centuries to ice heaving, wind, and seasonal change. Southern states like Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee — all with sensitive reservoir systems — have chosen a scientifically supported 200-foot setback for wake surfing. If they’re not pushing for 700-foot limits, why should Wisconsin?

Closer to home, Minnesota and Michigan — our fellow Great Lakes states — maintain a 100-foot setback for all wake-producing boats. Yet in Wisconsin, some groups are pushing for 700 feet and 30-foot depth requirements. That’s not “better” environmental stewardship. That’s overreach — and it’s based on flawed comparisons and misinformation.

Much of the opposition to wake boats rests on cherry-picked data and exaggerated claims. For example, some argue that wake boats generate 16-inch waves 200 feet from shore. They don’t say that it is one data point from one study. Others show waves can be less than 8”. Six independent studies have found that average wave heights at 200 feet are just 10 inches — similar to the waves created by a fishing boat towing a tube at 10 mph or a 20 mph wind over a mile of open water. 

Critics also like to compare wake boats to ski boats operating at 30+ mph, which produce minimal wake. But slow that ski boat down to tubing speed and its wave jumps to 17 inches at 100 feet and 14 inches at 200 feet — larger than the average wake boat. These comparisons are deliberately skewed to paint wake boats as uniquely damaging. The science doesn’t support that view.

Then there’s sediment disturbance. According to the most comprehensive experimental study on this issue, published by the Indiana Academy of Science, no boats — including wake boats — disturb the lakebed beyond 10 feet of depth. Since wake surfing already occurs in deeper water, the impact on sediment and aquatic plants is negligible.

On the topic of invasive species, the facts again don’t match the rhetoric. Modern wake boats retain about 2 quarts of ballast water — less than many sterndrive boats that are more frequently trailered between lakes. The biggest factor contributing to the spread of AIS is the frequency with which boats traverse lakes. Wake boats typically remain on one lake while fishing boats often travel between lakes, yet no one proposes banning fishing tournaments.

What’s especially concerning is the patchwork of local bans and ordinances now springing up across the Northwoods. Town A might allow wake surfing; Town B might ban it entirely yet they have similar lakes. This isn’t environmental management — it’s regulatory chaos. And it’s being driven by a small number of vocal groups who, in many cases, haven’t consulted true wave experts.

Lakes are public resources, not private backyards. They belong to all of us, not just the loudest voices in the town hall. Wisconsin already has a sensible no-wake rule at 100 feet. Extending that to 200 feet, as southern states have done, is a fair compromise based on actual data — not fear, anecdotes, or misrepresentations.

Let’s be honest: if Georgia and Tennessee can manage their vulnerable reservoir systems with 200-foot setbacks, and Michigan and Minnesota are fine with 100 feet, why on earth would Wisconsin need to be more restrictive?

Wake boats aren’t the problem. Misleading claims and unscientific local bans are.

It’s time for Wisconsin to lead with facts, not fear — and protect both our lakes and the freedoms that make living in the Northwoods so special.

William Banholzer is a Professor of Practice in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a National Academy of Engineering member. He is an expert in fluid mechanics and statistical analysis. His family has deep roots in northern Wisconsin and uses their multi use-boats sparingly, with a commitment to environmental responsibility. He has no ties to boat manufacturers or commercial interests.