It is interesting the bias and misinformation that attempts to sway public opinion. For one, the advocates of a sensible approach to allowing motor use on Waldo Lake are not looking to “zoom around in power boats.” As a sailor who has made weeklong summer visits to Waldo Lake for the past 25 years (until 2010) the “motorized recreation advocates” are not looking to turn Waldo Lake into a powerboat Mecca. The request is to allow the use of clean, quiet, four-stroke, 10-horsepower, or less, motors, which provides a fair compromise for both sides of this issue. I would offer the following counterpoints to your editorial bias:
1) A modern four-stroke outboard engine is no more “pollution spewing” or noisy than the average car that pulls up to the boat ramp to unload a canoe, kayak, etc. There is no proof in any Forest Service study of hydrocarbon contamination in the lake.
2) Contrary to your opinion, a 5000-pound sailboat cannot be safely maneuvered in and out of a Waldo Lake launch ramp with any affordable electric motor technology available today.
Anyone who returns to Waldo Lake does so for one reason: their love of the natural beauty and tranquility that surrounds them. We all care about the lake, want to protect it, and respect everyone’s right to enjoy it.
This is not an environmental issue, but a social one. To that I would offer that anyone who truly wants to protect Waldo Lake would advocate the removal of both the paved road from Highway 58 and the elimination of Charleton Butte road to the east. The best way to truly protect the lake is to allow foot access only. Are you willing to do that? Why? Because every car, van and motor home that makes its way to a Waldo Lake parking lot and loses a little bit of oil from the undercarriage, is no less guilty than the owner of modern outboard that propels his sailboat out for a beautiful day of sailing on Waldo Lake.
This is an opportunity that offers an acceptable compromise to all, while respecting each other’s right to enjoy the beauty that is Waldo Lake.
This article appears in Feb 16-22, 2012.
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you have written a good article accept for this part. it does actually spew more pollution then a car, the car is only ran for a few minutes at the boat ramp and the exhaust is not in the water, the outboard motor if used on the lake is used for trolling and going from place to place, with most motors releasing the exhaust into the water, so it really does pollute more.
1) A modern four-stroke outboard engine is no more “pollution spewing” or noisy than the average car that pulls up to the boat ramp to unload a canoe, kayak, etc. There is no proof in any Forest Service study of hydrocarbon contamination in the lake.
Pecking away at our remaining pockets of tranquility with arguments like powerboats “are no more…noisy than than average car” is specious at best. Allowing powerboats on Waldo Lake would increase the amount of noise, period.
I love the specious linking of motorized engines to “powerboats”. I have a small fishing boat with a 8hp engine and an electric trolling motor. According to my interpretation of the rule in the 2011 Fishing Regs, I can’t access the lake even if I only want to use the electric trolling motor because I have a motor attached to the boat. it doesn’t make much sense to me but, hey, I don’t own a dog, a kayak, or a Subara with a Make Local Habit sticker on it, so my opinion doesn’t count in certain narrow minded circles anyways.