The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), one of the principle marine industry associations, has released their position on wakesurfing. It should be of no surprise that they are pro-wakesurfing as their members include, among others, the surf boat manufacturers.
NMMA is pushing this position across the U.S., Minnesota included. On December 26, Outdoor News, a Minnesota-based media outlet published a letter to the editor from NMMA detailing the NMMA wakesurfing position.
NMMA states they support statewide regulations which are fair for all and science based. Unfortunately, they chose the research that their boating industry organizations have funded, which does not match the groundbreaking research from the University of Minnesota’s Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory.
NMMA believes a statewide standard that requires wakesurfing 200 feet from shore in depths of 10 feet or greater minimizes environmental impacts
The U of MN research on wave energy from wakesurfing suggest that the distances from shore need to be much greater to achieve a less destructive wave hitting the shore. And their research on lakebed impacts from wakesurfing suggest that the depth of water need to be much greater to minimize the environmental impacts.