WAKE BOAT REGULATIONS

On April 15, 2024 new Wake Boat Regulations came into effect for all Vermont inland lakes and ponds.

DEFINITION

A wake boat is a motorboat that has one or more ballast tanks, bags, or other features that are used to increase the size of the boat’s wake.  The regulations regarding wake boats only apply when the boats are utilized in this capacity.  If an individual owns a wake boat and does not fill it’s ballast, it may operate as any other motorboat on the lake.

HOW IT IMPACTS PEACHAM POND

Peacham Pond has a wake sport zone of approximately 95 acres.  Wake boats with filled ballast tanks must operate within this zone. The map shows our wake sports zone within the red boundaries.

 2025 UPDATE

The state is revising it’s original plan and, if approved, would result in fewer lakes and ponds being eligible for wake sports.

The proposed changes to the definition of a Wakesports Zone include:

• Wakesports zones are at least 3,000 feet in length

• Wakesports zone contain 100 contiguous acres of lake that is at least 500 feet from shore and 20 feet deep (as opposed to 50 contiguous acres)

• Allowance for “shape normalization” of the wakesports zone to remove odd-shaped sections

If these rules are approved Peacham Pond would no longer have a Wakesports Zone.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about the new Wake Boat Regulations visit the Vermont DEC website