States like Vermont, Maine, and Oregon have enacted restrictions on wake surfing. Hundreds of lakes in Wisconsin are operating under local ordinances. And Minnesota may be next. Yet even as rules go into effect, the public debate is stuck in a loop: Do we have enough information to justify these restrictions—or are we just legislating on vibes?
“I just don’t think there’s enough information out there to start just arbitrarily throwing out new laws and regulations to kick people off the lake or not let them use the boats that they’ve purchased or want to use with their families,” said Josh Fletcher of Minnesota Inboard Water Sports.
He’s right about one thing: without credible, lake-specific data, this debate will stay polarized, emotional, and unresolved. But that’s exactly the point—why aren’t we collecting that data?
What is wakesurfing?
Wakesurfing is when a person rides a small surfboard behind a boat, using the wave (or “wake”) the boat makes—without holding a rope the whole time. The boat goes slow, and the rider surfs just a few feet behind it, like catching a wave at the beach. If this sport is not on your lake yet, it may be coming soon.
This Debate Isn’t Just About Boats—It’s About Evidence
Wake boats aren’t the enemy—but they do generate large, high-energy waves that can damage shorelines, stir up sediment, disrupt ecosystems, and put non-motorized users at risk. How much damage? Where does it happen? When is it worst?
If you can’t answer those questions with high-resolution, spatiotemporal data, then you’re not regulating—you’re guessing.
At Lake Pulse, we see this across the country: communities locked in battles over wake surfing with no consistent, credible information to guide smart policy. It’s not just frustrating—it’s irresponsible.
If You’re Not Monitoring Your Lake, You’re Flying Blind
The tools exist to solve this. With modern lake monitoring systems, communities can:
- Use satellite imagery to track shoreline erosion, sediment plumes, and vegetation loss
- Employ drones and boat tracking data to understand real-time usage patterns
- Map sensitive habitat zones and shallow areas vulnerable to wave energy
- Combine wake patterns with climate stressors like drought or low lake levels
- Use historical records to compare past vs. present impact zones
If you want a reasonable policy discussion about wakesurfing—you need to know exactly what’s happening on your lake.
What’s the Endgame?
Until states and lake associations invest in high-resolution lake intelligence, wake surfing will remain a battle of anecdotes: frustrated residents vs. frustrated boaters, with lawmakers caught in the middle. That helps no one—and it won’t solve anything.
Wake-related restrictions will only be seen as fair when they’re based on hard evidence, not public opinion. And in the absence of that evidence, expect more lawsuits, more resentment, and more gridlock.
So let’s stop pretending that this is a matter of opinion. It’s not. It’s a matter of data—or the lack of it.
If your lake isn’t producing high-resolution data, you’re not managing it. You’re guessing. And in today’s climate, that’s not good enough.
Is the Lake Pulse Wakesurfing Bundle right for your lake? HERE