Chances are - if the weather cooperates - Lake Lanier will see some record-breaking crowds next week for the Fourth of July holiday. With that in mind, the Lake Lanier Association (LLA) is reminding boaters about boating safety, specifically the so-called 100-Foot Rule.
The rule basically states any time a boat is within 100 feet of any stationary object - another stationary boat, a swimmer in the water, the shoreline, a dock - the boat must be at idle speed or less.
LLA officials began working on a safety campaign last fall and launched the initiative in January at the Atlanta Boat Show.
The campaign has included the distribution of 30,000 post cards with graphics designed to give boaters a visual on what a 100-foot distance looks like.
"We came up with some common descriptors," said LLA President John Barker. "We've got [two-and-a-half] school buses, we've got 30 yards of a football field - which is almost 100 feet - and then a couple of houseboats."
In addition to the post cards, LLA has been able to place on-lake signage at Aqualand Marina and Gainesville Marina. Barker said the 8'x4' signs are placed 100 feet apart on the approaches to the gas docks so boaters can see what 100 feet looks like on the water.
Barker said the campaign is vital to keeping Lake Lanier safe, especially during those times - such as the Fourth of July - when the lake is crowded. Not obeying the 100-Foot Rule can be "catastrophic," Baker said.
"It can be fatal. There's instances on the lake where people aren't maintaining that distance and they come around a corner too tight and there's no place to go but over the top of a boat that's parked or anchored for fishing," Barker said.
He said the goal of the safety campaign is not to put a damper on fun, but the idea is to make sure everyone who uses the lake goes home safe at the end of the day.
"The lake's in great shape right now - it's full, it's clean, it should be a great Fourth of July weekend," Barker said. "If you're going to recreate on the lake, though, it comes with responsibilities, you know, so be mindful, know the rules, pay attention. The lake is big enough to accommodate the traffic, but you have to have your antenna up and be paying attention."
The Lake Lanier Association said the education program is supported by the Army Corps of Engineers, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the sheriffs' departments surrounding Lake Lanier, the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Atlanta Chapter of America’s Boating Club.
For more information on the Lake Lanier Association, follow this link.
