There's a new law that takes effect this October and it applies to every boater.
What is It? HB209, now Section 33-5-26.1 of the Code of Alabama is a proximity law that passed legislation and took effect October 1st, 2024. It applies to every motorized vessel. The new law prohibits ANY motorboat from operating above idle speed within 100 feet of any shoreline, dock, pier, boathouse or other structure. It also prohibits wakeboarding and wakesurfing within 200 feet of any any shoreline, dock, pier, boathouse or other structure and in areas less than 400′ wide. Additional provisions of the bill restrict water sport activities between sunset and sunrise and require a United States Coast Guard Approved Flotation Device.
How is the Proximity Law going to be enforced?
I reached out to a representative from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Marine Patrol Division to get an Answer.
The Marine Patrol plans to enforce the new wake surfing/wake boarding regulatory law and the 100-foot proximity restriction through a combination of education and directed patrol – and there will be times when both are done simultaneously. We ask people to keep in mind that this law does NOT go into effect until October 1, 2024 on Lake Martin. We will use the law to address specific complaints in specific locations, we will use geographical measurements taken from sources such as Google Earth and laser measuring devices to patrol specific locations for violators with an eye toward applying common sense and discretion. There will be an adjustment period for everyone involved – lake residents, lake users and the Marine Patrol Division. We want to use the law to get boaters in the practice of reducing their wake (and subsequently their speeds) when approaching shoreline, docks or piers, or other structures. We also ask people to keep in mind that we are required by law to write warnings for first offenses for one year. We will emphasize the law heavily in our Boat Alabama boating safety classes and we will utilize our social media platforms and all of our public information releases to increase awareness. We are working to place approved regulatory signs at public boat ramps and those signs will be made available to marinas as well. We also are working to develop a public-facing GIS application that will be interactive and highlight areas of the lake where these activities are prohibited. Boaters will be able to access this application using the internet and/or their smart phones. One question we’ve gotten already is how boaters can estimate distance. Boaters navigate using landmarks and become familiar with areas, which will help. Boaters also have the same applications and other devices available to them to help them judge distance that our troopers will utilize. Drivers are required by motor vehicle laws in Alabama to signal continuously for 100 feet before turning, so distance requirements in the law are nothing new – ultimately operators will learn to judge distances by either technological assistance, experience and awareness or a combination of all 3.
As boaters how can we judge 100', 200' and 400'
Distance over water is hard to judge so for a visual reference;
- 100′ is approximately the length of 4 large pontoon boats end to end
- 400′ is the length of the Bridge to Nowhere, you can find this on Google Earth
- 200′ to shore would be the distance to shore when passing under the center of the Bridge to Nowhere
Please note the bridge to nowhere is a NO WAKE area and is being referenced for a VISUAL REFERENCE ONLY to help gauge distance.
You can download Google Earth to your mobile device and measure any area in question so you have a plan before you head out to surf or wakeboard.
You can read the full text of the new law online https://legiscan.com/AL/text/HB209/2024
What about bridges?
Per the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, All Bridges on Lake Martin are now idle only.
Signs were installed on the Kowaliga Bridge and Hwy 280 Bridge on May 20th, 2025.
The following press release was issued before the 2025 Fishing tournaments.
If you are boating Lake Martin make sure to observe the proximity for your safety and those around you.
Disclaimer:
This article contains references to laws and regulations that may change over time. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the content at the time you read it. For the most current legal information and updates, please visit the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s official website at alea.gov.
We have a family place on Little Kowliga Creek next to Central Elmore Water Authority and have endured years of rude boaters! We will NOW be the landing place for ALL the rude and thoughtless wake board boats and seadoo users since water patrol makes MAYBE one pass our way around 4 p.m if at ALL over a weekend period!! This new law is great but until I see more of a law enforcement presence during the hours of heavy boat/water craft usage it’s just a feel good gesture from our perspective. It’s so bad between 9:30a.m. and 2 p.m. that it robs us of our ability to enjoy the water in front of our house because the swells are liken to the gulf swells before a storm. We see, on a REGULAR basis waves rolling over our seawall in excess of 2 feet and they even rack our pontoon boat which is on a lift. And heaven help you if you’re on a float!
I see a cluster with this new law. We have had a law on the books for years about boat wake. The law clearly states that you are RESPONSIBLE for your wake! This idling under bridges will increase waves. Coming off plane makes waves getting back on plane makes waves. inconsiderate people will just go farther down the lake and be inconsiderate. This will increase fuel consumption, engine ware, and accidents. This is a foolish law.
I absolutely agree with you where this concerns bridges. As for idle speed near docks and other structures this law is essential for safety of people, docks, and vessels. A boat running above plane speed produces far less wake than one above idle speed before getting on plane or as it is settling down while slowing to idle speed. Whoever wrote this law has no concept of fluid dynamics, displacement, or considered the weight of boats. They should have had as much concern for docking lights and bright lights shining out onto the water blinding boat operators.
This law is long overdue! As an owner with a dock and grandkids that swim in the area I am quite grateful!
I have a home on Lake Martin in a slough where some piers jet further out than others. How is a boat driver able to determine if he is within 100 ft of a pier? How will the water patrol prove to a judge the correct distance was being violated? 99 ft 10 in is short of 100 ft., how will the distance be measured? We have been skiing in this slough for 53 years and now we have a rich man with state legislation influence leading the charge for this new law because he claims the waves are damaging his $70,000 boat while having a lift attached to his pier!!! And you rarely see this man using his $70K boat! The boats that cause large waves are large sea faring vessels and boats people surf behind. Otherwise, boats make waves! I have lifts and bumper pads. Some people think the world bows to them, especially those with money! If anyone who reads and agrees with me, call and register a complaint with your state representative. Our lakes do not belong to a few unhappy people that complain about everything they dislike in this world. They probably have no friends and the only thing they are good at is complaining. What a miserable life. They get joy out of making others miserable! This response is not just from a lake loving man, but from my children and grandchildren children. A few years of hating lake life compared to over 50 years of loving lake life on Martin shouldn’t carry weight in the state legislature. I’m contacting my representative every day! You who agree, do the same!
I do not own a home on Lake Matin but I visited for a week which makes me an expert on wakesurfing impacts there 🙂 Everyone here that has a comment from the newbie rich owners to the folks that have been on the lake forever have a valid point, good luck making everyone happy. Wakesurfing is a toxic subject across the country, most likely the only way to minimize property damage and improve boater safety will be to put new laws in place. That’s a big fat bummer for many reasons.
This comes from a twenty year owner of a wakeboard boat that has now been modified to wakesurf. There is a huge difference between the two wakewise but from the first day I operated the boat for either purpose I always respected other boaters position and kept away from homes near the shore. Just a common sense thing, apparently in short supply.
Fortunately I live in a wild west area of California that for now isn’t impacted by this issue, hopefully that doesn’t change.