Michigan’s 100 Foot Rule and Another Law You’re Probably Ignoring

If you've ever watched a Michigan lake turn into a floating free-for-all by noon, congratulations... you've witnessed people who definitely never took a boater's safety course or bothered to read a manual.

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Let's fix that before your pontoon becomes a cautionary tale and take a look at two crucial rules to live (and stay afloat) by, according to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.

The 100-Foot Rule (Yes, It's a Real Thing)

Michigan law says you must stay at least 100 feet away from:

• Docks
• Rafts
• Buoys
• Marked or occupied swim areas
• Boats that are anchored or tied up

And that goes for you and anyone you're towing behind you. The only exception? When you're idling at no-wake speed or carefully picking up / dropping off a skier. Ignore this rule, and you're not just "that guy" on the lake... you're potentially looking at a misdemeanor, or up to a $500 civil fine on big water like the Great Lakes.

Which Way Do You Go on a Lake?

Here's the part that melts brains every summer: Michigan law says boats should travel in a counter-clockwise direction on open water without marked channels. That means:

• Keep the shoreline on your right
• Think of it like a giant, watery roundabout
• Yes, this is why you feel like everyone else is doing it wrong... because they probably are

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Between jet skis playing tag, wake boats throwing mini tsunamis, and someone's uncle trying to relive 1997 on water skis, these rules exist to keep lakes from turning into demolition derbies. Give people space. Go in the right direction. And maybe... just maybe... we can all make it back to the dock without starting an insurance claim.