If you have ever found yourself boating or doing a marine sport around on any major waterway, you have no doubt seen the wake signs standing out of the water that almost looks like the speed signs on our roadways. As a boater, it’s important to understand and be conscious of the “wake” that your boat leaves behind as it cuts through the water at different speeds. At speed, the larger and heavier the boat, the larger the wake, but at a very slow speed, most boats create almost no wake.

What is a Wake?

A wake is a disturbance of the water resulting from a boat or jet ski moving through the water at high speeds. A wake is basically the V-shaped wave created by the displacement of the boat as it passes through the water. Your vessel’s wake makes turbulence in the water that could impact other vessels, people, or nearby sea life. If you have ever stood on the beach and looked out at a fast-moving boat, the waves that it displaces are its wake.

Why Are Wakes Regulated?

When a watercraft creates a wake, it disrupts the water in such a way that it can create large waves that can be harmful to nearby animals and people. If multiple boats are creating large waves in the same small area, it can result in a cacophony of waves that could make other vessels unstable or create large, amplified waves that can disrupt local marine life or wash up on shores or against waterfront properties. This is why there are “No Wake” and “Slow Speed” zones.

Here are some more reasons why No Wake Zones are enforced:

A no-wake zone may be in place to protect a marina, where large wakes could cause boats to strain at moorings or make it difficult for other boat owners to navigate in a confined space.

A no-wake zone is sometimes in place because the waterway is congested. In this situation, the function of a no-wake zone is similar to that of a speed limit on a city street. If the waterway is narrow, and perhaps especially congested, having every boat slow down simply makes for safer navigation. This is why some no-wake zones are only enforced on weekends when boat traffic is heavy.

A no-wake zone may also be in a place where sightlines are limited, such as a channel that passes under a bridge that blocks the view of approaching boats, or on a sharp bend in a channel or river where boats are likely to meet oncoming traffic.

A “No Wake” zone means that boats must reduce to the slowest speed they can travel at while still maintaining the ability to steer and make forward progress. When vessels move at these speeds, they produce a minimum wake. These are common in crowded, narrow areas like channels or confined harbours.

How to Identify a No Wake Zone

The beginning and end of a no-wake zone are usually indicated by a white and orange floating marker, or a row of markers. Sometimes the zone will be marked by large signs on shore. The speed limit in the zone is enforced as soon as a boat moves past the marker, so a captain needs to stop a boat from planing before reaching the marker of the no wake zone. No wake markers will often read “IDLE SPEED NO WAKE”, “SLOW NO WAKE”, or simply “NO WAKE ZONE”.

Handling Your Boat in a No-Wake Zone

In any no-wake zone, you may advance the throttle of your boat engine just enough to maintain safe boat control especially if there is a strong wind or current or to avoid a hazard. If your boat has outboard or sterndrive power, such as a Mercury or Honda outboard, trimming the motor or driving all the way down will settle the bow in the water and help the boat track and handle better at low speed.

Violating a no-wake zone can earn you a ticket, and a long boat inspection by law enforcement, not to mention the annoyance of those on shore receiving your wake. Making a wake in a no-wake zone is simply bad form. Don’t be that boater.