BOAT OPERATING TRAINING – State Law Mandate
Beginning January 1, 2024, a person born on or after January 1, 1999, may not operate a motorboat greater than twenty-five (25) horsepower for recreational boating purposes on inland waters of this State or territorial waters, unless that person is 12 years of age or older and has completed a boater safety and education course. These persons must possess and present a boater safety and education course certificate for inspection upon request to a law enforcement officer.
LIFE PRESERVERS (PERSONAL FLOATING DEVICES - PFD) - State Law Mandate
All watercraft must carry at least one Coast Guard approved PFD (a type I, II, or III) for each person aboard.
BOATING LAWS
Boating laws differ from state to state. Whether you are bringing your own boat, or renting one here, you should familiarize yourself with the Maine laws before you set out on the water. These laws are established for everyone's safety, and we urge you to be a courteous and legal boater:
BOAT LAUNCHES
Unless you are staying at a property that has a private boat ramp, access to Panther Pond is via the boat ramp on Crescent Lake and the Tenney (or Tenny) River. (You may see or hear about a boat ramp on Panther Run, but that is not legally open to the public, so please use the Crescent Lake ramp.) The Tenney River is passable by power boat, but if you have an outboard or I/O drive, you may want to raise the lower unit a bit to avoid hitting rocks or collecting weeds at times of low water. Go slowly, stay in the main channel and watch for rocks or other hazards. Please check the detail section of the boating hazard map below.
BOAT RENTALS
For boat rentals, currently, most rentals are from marinas in Naples. Panther is a small lake, so you won't need a large boat.
If you are bringing your own boat, there are a couple of things you should know:
WATER SAFETY ZONE
In the spring of 2022 the PPA placed hazard markers on the few dangerous rocks which lurk outside the Water Safety Zone. (There may be unmarked rocks within the Water Safety Zone, but when you're boating within the Zone, be careful to keep a close watch.) The approximate positions of hazard markers and shoal waters can be seen on this map. You should also understand that some hazards (like floating logs) may shift position without warning, and there may be swimmers in the Water Safety Zone, so it's your responsibility as a boat driver to keep a careful watch at all times. The hazard marker buoys will help, but they're no excuse for reckless driving.
If you are out enjoying the lake on a summer afternoon, keep an eye out to the northwest (the upper left on our maps.) This is where most of our summer thunderstorms come from, and you wouldn't want to be caught out on the open water when one of them blows through.
HEADWAY SPEED and REVISED DISTANCES for WAKEBOATS
Maine law requires you to operate at "headway speed" within 200 feet (300 feet for wake / surf boats) of any shoreline on inland waters. "Headway speed" means the slowest speed at which it is still possible to maintain steering and control of the watercraft. The only time headway speed can be exceeded closer to shore than these distances is when picking up or dropping off water skiers / boarders. The new, LD2284 state law passed in 2024 also states that a person may not operate a motorboat engaged in a wake surfing activity in less than 15 feet of water. The goal is shoreline protection which can be damaged by waves. See the attached depth map to understand where depths in the lake are in the 15 foot or deeper range. There are depths of less than 15’ out in the lake at the sunken islands among other places.
COMMON COURTESY
We are so fortunate to share in this wonderful resource. So many utilize the lake for different reasons, and each might have particular needs or desires to accomplish that safely. A few thoughts are:
WATER-SPORT SAFETY
WAKE BOARDING
Wake-boarding boats produce abnormally large waves, which can cause erosion of the shoreline and damage private property and equipment. The best way to prevent damage (apart from not doing it) is to keep wake boarding activity in the middle of the lake, so that the waves have a chance to attenuate before reaching shore. Remember, you ARE responsible for damage caused by your wake; it's better to be safe and courteous, and not risk creating problems that could spoil your vacation.
Beginning January 1, 2024, a person born on or after January 1, 1999, may not operate a motorboat greater than twenty-five (25) horsepower for recreational boating purposes on inland waters of this State or territorial waters, unless that person is 12 years of age or older and has completed a boater safety and education course. These persons must possess and present a boater safety and education course certificate for inspection upon request to a law enforcement officer.
LIFE PRESERVERS (PERSONAL FLOATING DEVICES - PFD) - State Law Mandate
All watercraft must carry at least one Coast Guard approved PFD (a type I, II, or III) for each person aboard.
- Children 10 years of age or younger must wear a Type I, II, or III Personal Flotation Device at all times.
- Jet Ski’s, kayaks, canoes, canoes and rowed boats / sculls are watercraft under Maine law. To clarify, stand up paddleboards are also considered watercraft. A person utilizing any watercraft:
- Must carry a Type I, II, or III Personal Flotation Device at all times
- Must have a sound-producing device such as a whistle.
- Children 10 years of age or younger must wear a Type I, II, or III Personal Flotation Device at all times.
BOATING LAWS
Boating laws differ from state to state. Whether you are bringing your own boat, or renting one here, you should familiarize yourself with the Maine laws before you set out on the water. These laws are established for everyone's safety, and we urge you to be a courteous and legal boater:
- OBSERVE THE WATER SAFETY ZONE - minimum speed required within 200' of shore.
- There are minimum age and training requirements for operating certain types of boats, including PWC's (jetskis.)
- All boats must carry Coast Guard approved PFD's (life jackets) for everyone aboard. Children 10 and under, and anyone on a PWC, MUST WEAR their PFD's while in/on the boat. Additional life jackets, as well as other types of safety equipment, may be required, depending on the size and type of boat.
- When you are engaged in a towing sport like water-skiing, you MUST HAVE a spotter in the boat in addition to the driver.
- PWC's (jetskis) and other powerboats must NOT engage in repeated circling, wake jumping, and other annoying maneuvers.
- Reckless driving and drunk driving are just as much against the law on the water as they are on the roads. Don't become a victim of GAT Syndrome.*
- Watch your wake - you are responsible for damage done by your wake. And large wakes cause shore erosion (read more about it under "phosphorus" in the "Threats to the Lake" section.)
BOAT LAUNCHES
Unless you are staying at a property that has a private boat ramp, access to Panther Pond is via the boat ramp on Crescent Lake and the Tenney (or Tenny) River. (You may see or hear about a boat ramp on Panther Run, but that is not legally open to the public, so please use the Crescent Lake ramp.) The Tenney River is passable by power boat, but if you have an outboard or I/O drive, you may want to raise the lower unit a bit to avoid hitting rocks or collecting weeds at times of low water. Go slowly, stay in the main channel and watch for rocks or other hazards. Please check the detail section of the boating hazard map below.
BOAT RENTALS
For boat rentals, currently, most rentals are from marinas in Naples. Panther is a small lake, so you won't need a large boat.
If you are bringing your own boat, there are a couple of things you should know:
- Invasive plants can be accidentally transported on boats and trailers, so you should inspect your equipment carefully for plant fragments before launching. If you meet a courtesy boat inspector at the boat ramp, please cooperate with them. These people are trained to help you inspect your gear to protect our lakes from dangerous plants and animals.
- All out-of-state power boats are required to carry an invasive-plant sticker, obtainable from the Raymond town hall, wherever you get your non-resident fishing license, or you can order it online.
WATER SAFETY ZONE
In the spring of 2022 the PPA placed hazard markers on the few dangerous rocks which lurk outside the Water Safety Zone. (There may be unmarked rocks within the Water Safety Zone, but when you're boating within the Zone, be careful to keep a close watch.) The approximate positions of hazard markers and shoal waters can be seen on this map. You should also understand that some hazards (like floating logs) may shift position without warning, and there may be swimmers in the Water Safety Zone, so it's your responsibility as a boat driver to keep a careful watch at all times. The hazard marker buoys will help, but they're no excuse for reckless driving.
If you are out enjoying the lake on a summer afternoon, keep an eye out to the northwest (the upper left on our maps.) This is where most of our summer thunderstorms come from, and you wouldn't want to be caught out on the open water when one of them blows through.
HEADWAY SPEED and REVISED DISTANCES for WAKEBOATS
Maine law requires you to operate at "headway speed" within 200 feet (300 feet for wake / surf boats) of any shoreline on inland waters. "Headway speed" means the slowest speed at which it is still possible to maintain steering and control of the watercraft. The only time headway speed can be exceeded closer to shore than these distances is when picking up or dropping off water skiers / boarders. The new, LD2284 state law passed in 2024 also states that a person may not operate a motorboat engaged in a wake surfing activity in less than 15 feet of water. The goal is shoreline protection which can be damaged by waves. See the attached depth map to understand where depths in the lake are in the 15 foot or deeper range. There are depths of less than 15’ out in the lake at the sunken islands among other places.
COMMON COURTESY
We are so fortunate to share in this wonderful resource. So many utilize the lake for different reasons, and each might have particular needs or desires to accomplish that safely. A few thoughts are:
- If you’re operating a powerboat or jet ski, consider that those in kayaks, canoes, rowing shells and on paddle boards have challenges with wakes so give them as wide a berth / distance as possible. Distance softens wakes.
- Please keep your eyes peeled and stay alert for swimmers that venture out across the lake. We have residents who swam competitively at the highest levels.
- If you rent or allow others to utilize your lakefront, please encourage them to use safe practices and not to litter. We all have a role in keeping Panther Pond clean and safe.
- We are so fortunate to have the (4) children’s camps here on the pond preserving so much of our shoreline. Please be courteous, allowing them plenty of space as managing youngsters on the waterfronts is not an easy task and at times, some could venture out further than they are supposed to.
WATER-SPORT SAFETY
- Always stay aware of your surroundings while pulling for any water sport
- Know and use the basic hand signals
- Always have a spotter in the boat
- If your boat creates a large wake, always stay in the center/deepest parts of the lake.
- If a rider is down, unless there is any reason to believe they are injured or unsafe, slow the boat down to headway speed before turning around. Making an aggressive turnaround at high-speed is not only unsafe but will send unnecessary waves into the shoreline and other watercraft. Doing this will also save you fuel.
- Do not drive anywhere near or follow any passenger in tow.
- If you are driving a Jet Ski, do not jump the waves of a boat with a passenger in tow.
WAKE BOARDING
Wake-boarding boats produce abnormally large waves, which can cause erosion of the shoreline and damage private property and equipment. The best way to prevent damage (apart from not doing it) is to keep wake boarding activity in the middle of the lake, so that the waves have a chance to attenuate before reaching shore. Remember, you ARE responsible for damage caused by your wake; it's better to be safe and courteous, and not risk creating problems that could spoil your vacation.
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