The recent storms, flooding, and high winds have been a problem for lakeside home owners and area boaters. The potential for damage to boats and lakeside equipment is greatly increased after the kind of weather we’ve been having. That damage isn’t always readily apparent. If you haven’t already, we recommend giving your boat, lift, and dock a thorough once-over to make sure that everything is still in top condition.

Most damage should be visible on close inspection. The two areas that may not be easy to see are water in your fuel tank and water in the hydraulic reservoir of either your power steering or boat lift.  If you suspect (or know) that you have water in your hydraulic reservoir, don’t use the equipment except for emergencies.   Water in the hydraulic fluid can cause severe damage to the unit.

As of this morning, we have word that the 4 Madison lakes (Monona, Mendota, Waubesa, & Kegonsa) have all been posted as “slow no wake”.

The Columbia County Sheriff reports that Swan Lake, the Fox River, and the Wisconsin river from the Hwy 33 bridge in Portage down to Lake Wisconsin are all posted as “slow no wake”, also. Lake Wisconsin and the river below the Prairie du Sac dam are not restricted.

Just because a lake isn’t posted does not mean that there isn’t reason to play it safe. The lakes are high and clouded/muddy. This can hide a number of hazards including stumps, sandbars (submerged islands), and floating debris. While conditions are out of the ordinary, take extra care out on the water.

Part of being on the water all the time is getting to know what’s out there. We’re sorting through the data from our GPS and are sharing it with everyone.

Using some of the tools available through Google, we’ve converted the data into maps that can be viewed online, and into map overlays that you can view in Google Earth. If you have Google Earth Plus, you can even transfer our maps directly to your GPS unit. Take our knowledge with you when you go out on the lake!

The first two of our maps are already posted–both online and for download. As we have more time and more data, we’ll create more maps to share.

Put in your 2¢ worth

Boaters are a community, and that means communication goes both ways. So we’re anxious to hear from you. If you have more information to share, found some mistakes in the maps, or have things to add, let us know. We’ll make the appropriate changes to the maps and they’ll be included in the next updates.

One of the great features of the Google map tools is the ability to add comments. If you know something about one of the points on a map and you think everyone should know about it, tell us. We’ll include it in the next update.

Or… if you’re a Google Earth user and you want to create an overlay of your own, send it to us. If we think it’s appropriate to share, we’ll add it to our list. Do you have some good fishing spots to share? Do you know where there are some fun places for SCUBA diving on the area lakes? Are there some hazards that people should know about? Have you found the perfect spots for eagle watching on the Wisconsin River? Send us the maps!

E-mail your comments, corrections, or new maps to admin@manke.com