THE 2020 ANNUAL TIE-UP IS SATURDAY, August 15th, 2020!!! We’ve had a few questions about the tie-up, so let me address them here…Whether this is your first time at the event or your 20th, it’s important to always be prepared!

CAPTAINS: Please make sure you abide by all local and state boating regulations, as always. Lake Patrol doesn’t accept ignorance of the law as an excuse. So for everyone’s safety, PLAY BY THE RULES…

• Watercraft may not be operated within 100 feet of designated swimming areas, boathouses, docks, fishermen, shoreline or marked buoys at greater than headway speed. (Does not apply within the Party Cove. Only applies if your outside of Party Cove)

• No watercraft shall approach closer than 100 feet of any other watercraft at greater than headway speed. (Does not apply if your in the no wake zone of Party Cove)

• No watercraft may operate at a speed greater than is safe and prudent under the conditions of operations. Citations may be issued for excessive speed or reckless operation. That means don't speed within the now wake zones.

• No person controlling a watercraft shall leave the vessel without fastening it to an anchorage. TRWD probably will not let you tie it up behind the boats in the circle.

• Attaching a boat to any marker or buoy is prohibited. The buoy balls in Party Cove are ok to tie to but the police have their own buoy ball to tie to so be sure not to tie up to it. It is marked "Police".

• Occupants of motor driven boats must be seated while underway. No riding over the bow of prop driven boats.

• Children younger than age 13 in motorboats under 26 feet in length must wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket while underway.

• Failure to obey instructions or warnings on posted signs or from a Lake Patrol Officer is a misdemeanor and punishable as such.

BOATING SAFETY CHECK

• Boat Number – See that you have a registration number and validation sticker properly displayed.

• PFD – You must have an approved Personal Flotation Device for each person on board.

• Fire Extinguisher – A US Coast Guard-approved fire extinguisher must be on board and stowed properly.

• Vessels 16 feet and longer, excluding canoes and kayaks, are required to be equipped with one Type IV throwable PFD in addition to the Type I, II, III, or V PFD required for each person on board.

• Make sure your horn works!

FOR THE EVENT

• DO NOT DRIVE YOUR BOAT OR PWC THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE! It is for swimmers only.

• Please have 4 or more fenders-have them dropped over the side and ready and they are the correct size for your vessel.

• Park next to a boat that's approximately your same size. Meaning if your a small speed boat don't come up to a 40' + size cruiser expecting to tie up next to that boat. The reason is your small boat can damage the hull if a wave came through there.

• Have ample docking lines

• Anchor your boat even though you’re tied to the boat next to you. We've had a problem with the buoy balls not holding all the boats causing the boats to drift and endanger the swimmers. Especially on a windy day.

• Stock plenty of water to avoid dehydration for you and your passengers! It will be 100 + degrees out there. Rotate out beer and water. HEAT STROKE will get you if you don't hydrate, even if your in the water a lot. Pace your alcohol intake. I've seen too many lake peeps over the years hit the alcohol heavily in the 1st couple of hours and bam they pass out and hit the deck and the next thing you know you have to rush back to shore and take them to the hospital and your day is done already before you start.

• Have a trash can/trash bags on your boat for empty containers.

• Please help other boats as they tie up next to you. Acknowledge their presence, wave them in and be willing to catch a line to help secure them safely to your boat. It’s also a good idea to already have the fenders securely placed. Make sure the fenders are at the correct height to protect your boat and the one next to you.

Captains are responsible for every person on their boat. If you plan to party it up, please designate a responsible and SOBER person to operate your boat. I myself have a 2nd and 3rd mate aboard at all times that are trained to operate my boat at anytime. Also, I would suggest that you keep track of your passengers at all times. If they come out to EMLPC on your boat, it’s a good idea if they return to shore on your boat. Make sure your passengers have a flotation device when they are in the water and the person along with the flotation device make it back to your boat. Make sure they don’t drink more than they can handle. I've seen many times a person come out and they are lit up and on fire in 2 hours or passed out and done for the day. Like it or not, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS OF EVERY PERSON ON YOUR BOAT! PASSENGERS! Don't argue with your captain when he tells you to do something. He's got a lot invested in his or her boat and doesn't want to witness it being destroyed.

TIE-UP INFORMATION!!!

Other than the local and state regulations listed above, there are no rules for the tie-up. Eagle Mountain Lake is a public access lake. We simply have a few suggestions we’d like for you to follow.

• Keep ample space on the north-end of the cove for TRWD to access their facility deep within the cove.

• DO NOT impede a path in any direction for Lake Patrol. Many times they need to move quickly if an incident occurs. They prefer to have complete access inside and outside the circle.

• Boats 35' and larger should arrive well before noon. No DJ will be present this year that I know of as of this write up unless you want to volunteer.

• Other cabin-class boats are invited to come out and spend the night on the EMLPC. We would greatly appreciate if the larger boats would volunteer to anchor at strategic points to help better secure the circle. We need two large boats to anchor at the entrance of party cove. This will help secure the line as other boats tie-up. If you have a larger boat and would like to volunteer to anchor at a strategic point, please contact me at louisbull@charter.net.

• If you are planning to tie-up to a friend’s boat, PLEASE arrive together or wait for the other boat to arrive. Do not ask boats that are already tied together to split apart to fit you in. It’s dangerous and causes the circle to lose it’s integrity.

• DESIGNATE A SOBER PERSON TO OPERATE YOUR VESSEL!

• I would highly suggest treating Lake Patrol with courtesy and respect. They will be out in full-force on Saturday. They are there to keep you safe… and no, they don’t have to be nice about it if they don’t want to. Get over it and don’t give them a reason! Most people don’t realize the number of people they save each and every year on Eagle Mountain Lake. Believe it or not they don't want to arrest anybody because they will lose that officer for at least 8 hours and they don't like to be short handed.

• Please don’t fight on the lake! It’s dangerous. You can fall between the boats, get knocked out and drown in the lake, or hurt an innocent bystander. EMLPC is a very friendly place.

• DON’T LITTER!!! Put your beer cans and bottles in a trash bag and make sure it stays on your boat till your back at your Dock or ramp then unload it to the many dumpsters that are around. So put trash bags on your list next to beer.

• Please be courteous when people are boat-hopping. Offer to lend a hand to make sure nobody falls on your boat or in between boats. I've seen people fall in between boats and hurt themselves badly. Again, this will end your day very quickly and cause the members of your party a great inconvenience.

The annual tie-up is a great event most of us look forward to every year. Each year there are people coming for the first time. Please show kindness and a lending hand to everyone around you. PARTY RESPONSIBLY! We want to keep everyone safe around us and avoid any serious accidents. Eagle Mountain Lake is a privilege. If we abuse it the city may decide to enact stricter regulations that could put an end to the EMLPC. WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT THAT!