PORTLAND, OREGON - DOWNTOWN - In recent weeks, some rogue wake boarders have acted more like floating Hell's Angels than courteous fellow boaters in the waters of the Willamette River.
A story in the Willamette Week newspaper details the antics of wake boarders throwing their towering wakes without caution causing other vessels to capsize.
According to the story, on July 20, two dragon boats belonging to the Wasabi Paddling Club capsized with a third filled with water to the gunnels after waves from a wake boat swamped them.
All the people were rescued safely. But the incident prompted approximately 50 paddle boaters to attend the most recent meeting of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners to protest what they say is lax law enforcement of the wakeboard boats.
Their pleas for help received sympathy from commissioners and a tepid response from the county sheriff's office.
"The sheriff’s office says it is aware of the problem and is working to improve safety on the river," Willamette Week reported. "The 11-member River Patrol Unit patrols 110 miles of waterway in the county, Deputy John Plock, a sheriff’s spokesman, said. The patrol is working to set up training for dragon boaters on what to do if they capsize, and is working with the Oregon State Marine Board to educate wake-boaters on seasonal rules."
While education about rules may be needed, tickets and stiff fines for dangerous boating maneuvers seem more in order - before someone gets seriously injured or drowns.
The full story from Willamette Week can be reader here: Boaters Dumped in River by Wakeboarder Waves.
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