Water belongs to all of us on the Chain

After reading Don Barringer's letter published Dec. 5 in favor of a speed limit on the Chain, I feel compelled to clarify some simple facts.

I'm a fifth-generation boater in my family with over 20 years of boat driving experience, and continue to see repeated misinformation from the general public regarding wakes and speed.

Mr. Barringer writes, "I have a large pontoon and the big boats rock the heck out of my boat." A speed limit as he suggests would do nothing to solve this problem, and will likely make it worse. Fact: Once a planing-type hull is on plane, the wake actually becomes smaller the faster the boat goes.

Mr. Barringer continues with, "Their props go so deep that they stir up the mud on the bottom and contribute to the dirty look of the lakes and inhibit the fish population." Fact: A planing hull draws far less water when running fast than when it is slogging along at a slower speed or even idling for that matter.

I'd like to add that those who think Lake Geneva is paradise because of the speed limit are sadly mistaken. Go there on a weekend and try to enjoy yourself; your nerves and back won't forget it.

Not everyone is going to agree all the time, but the water belongs to all of us. I've been to a lot of places, and things are pretty darn good considering the number of boaters using the Chain. The performance boaters would love to have the water to ourselves too, but it's funny that none of us have gone crying to the FWA and asked them to get rid of all the pontoons and family boats.

Ron Vaughan, Jr.

Wauconda