Choctaw Lake

A Living Legacy

CLPOA Rule of the Week: Boating Safety Zone

Hello –  Please respect the safety zones every time you boat.  More importantly, please review with any guest or family member.  We plan to install buoys next week to help identify the safety zones.  Compliance with safety zones is required with or without buoys in the water.

  1. Safety Zone:

A one hundred (100) foot safety zone (“Safety Zone”) shall be maintained from all shorelines, jetties, docks or other projections into the lake. While in the Safety Zone, watercraft may travel in either direction.

  1. Speed Limits/Direction of Travel:

(1)           While in the Safety Zone or in any cove, motor craft shall be operated at speeds that produce “No Wake.” “No Wake means idle speed only. In all other areas, a watercraft shall proceed at a safe speed so that it can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and condition. The patrol shall be responsible for determining whether boats are exceeding safe conditions for the conditions present. Under good visibility conditions and light to moderate boat traffic, the maximum safe speed shall be set at 35 miles per hour. The maximum safe boating speed shall be reduced for poor visibility, i.e. fog rain etc. and very heavy traffic situations. However, from dusk until daylight, watercraft being operated on any part of the Lake shall only be operated at speeds that produce “No Wake”; while in operation during such times, all boats shall carry a distress signal (a light or lantern) capable of being visible a distance equal to the length of the Lake.

(2)           While outside of the Safety Zone, watercraft shall travel in a counterclockwise direction (for example, in a northward direction while on the east side of the Lake) (Effective July 16, 1997).

(3)           All watercraft shall maintain a clearance of not less than 200 feet from other watercraft, except when both crafts are operating at idle speed. The Patrol shall be responsible for determining whether watercraft is maintaining the proper clearance from another watercraft. The jumping of boat wakes by jet skis or other personal watercraft while within 200 feet of the watercraft that created the wake is prohibited (Effective Aug 18, 1994, amended September 22, 1994).

Traffic Pattern Change: Sunday 12/8: Tree Lighting

Both inbound and outbound lanes of Chickasaw from Old Columbus Rd Entrance to Custer will be closed between 5:30-6:45PM. Closure is due to the tree lighting event. Patrol will be assisting with traffic control.

We appreciate your patience during this time.

Please note that the normal exit lane will be converted to one lane for entrance and exit during this time period. Patrol will be assisting with traffic flow.

For everyone’s safety. A note from Chief Bell.

Safe boating rules to be strictly enforced.

  1. Maintain a COUNTER-CLOCKWISE flow around the lake. This includes wave runners.
  2. Maximum speed limit for all watercraft is 35mph.
  3. No wake means idle speed only per Ohio Boating Laws.
  4. From sundown to sunrise (red flashing beacon lights are near the Arrowhead and Dam)
    1. No skiing and no wave runners on the lake.
    2. Lights and No Wake applies to all boats.
  5. Life jackets must be available on all kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, paddleboards, etc. One for each rider.
  6. Only boats with the current year Choctaw stickers displayed are permitted on the lake.

Please click attached link to view all boating rules. We would appreciate if you print the rules out to share with family and friends.
https://choctawlake.com/governing-documents/boating-rules/

Thank you – Chief Bell

CLPOA Rule of the Week: Miscellaneous Vehicles

With warmer weather approaching, out of storage comes the golf carts, ATVs, and other miscellaneous vehicles. As a reminder, Lake Rule 15, c, 2 states “Persons operating a Miscellaneous Vehicle upon Choctaw Lake roads or right-of-ways or upon property owned by the CLPOA must possess a valid driver’s license”. Operators of these vehicles must be compliant. Children are not to be operating a miscellaneous vehicle from the lap of the licensed driver, nor as the licensed driver sit beside them. This is being non-compliant.

Speed limits do pertain to utility/all terrain vehicles also. Many of the these vehicles can travel well above 25 mph.

Also all passengers are to remain seated while a miscellaneous vehicle is in motion. Injuries have occurred when passengers are not properly seated. Please note that patrol will be monitoring miscellaneous vehicles as they do with automobiles. Let’s enjoy a safe summer with the miscellaneous vehicles. Zero accidents.

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