Hemlock-Canadice Motor Size Clarification

[waywack40]

Hemlock-Canadice requires a boat length 16Ft or less and a motor size 9.9HP or less. Can a boat with a mounted motor larger than 9.9 be used if the motor is up with the prop removed and is 16FT or less with a 9.9 Hp kicker engine?

[zackblain]

yes as long as there is no possible way the main motor can be used, meaning prop removed, or spark plugs removed.

[Fbog12]

Agree with zackblain.  The way it's stated in the NYSDEC Regs is: 'Boats are allowed, but a mechanically propelled vessel must be less than 17 feet in length, and operating motors must be 10 HP or less."

[143447]

I would have this checked into further . I heard from a reliable source that outboards above 9.9hp are not allowed on a boat at all. Disabled or otherwise. Don't risk a ticket call the DEC office in Avon or stop in and ask.

[tbulhead]

The DEC has stated to me that all outboards on the boat have to be 9.9 or less.  The local DEC is not happy with this because when it was under the ownership of Rochester they did not care as much if you had a larger outboard with the prop removed.  The enforcement of this is coming from a directive from Albany not the local DEC people trying to be shmucks.  I have also seen some large boats launch at the North end of Hemlock and use the main motor to get to the south end and "pretend" they used their kicker to get there.  Some guy who works for the Rochester Water Authority may say otherwise, but the DEC is what to follow.

 

Interesting the boat length actually increased when the DEC took ownership of the lakes.  It is now stated confusingly as 17 feet or less.

 

This is from the DEC website for Canadice/Hemlock Lake:

Boats are allowed, but must be less than 17 feet in length, and any motors must be 10 h.p. or less. Do not transport or introduce any aquatic plants or animals into the water.

Boats may not exceed 17 feet in length and motors may not exceed 10 h.p. Do not transport or introduce any aquatic plants or animals into the water. See Hemlock-Canadice State Forest for further details.

 

[143447]

tbulhead the guy on patrol for the city has I suspect caused some confusion?

I also have seen guys fudging with larger outboards.

Well be careful maybe they let it slide now and.again but I am sure if it becomes frequent a few tickets will be passed out.

[tbulhead]

Another change when the DEC took over is they cleaned up all the aluminum boats that surrounded the shore.  The city allowed it and the DEC forbid it.  During this transition I was informed by someone from the city water authority that they had walked around the lake and copied down all of the boats id numbers.  Apparently they started arresting people for stealing boats that did not belong to them and this also kept them from registering the boats with DMV.  The official who was telling me this then had to take off to nab two people in a canoe who went back into the weeds at Hemlock.  The official knew of a boat back there and thought they were going to steal it.

 

Over the decades I wonder how many boats were stolen?

[Kymloch]

Hemlock is actually patrolled by the State Forest Dept. I get checked several times per year for fishing license, life jacket, fire extinguisher. One day this summer I was launching at the north end when he was launching and he yelled from his boat " are you going to put a kicker on before you launch" and I said "this is my kicker". I have a 9.9 Honda with electric start, electric tilt, steering wheel etc. He jumped out of his boat and checked my motor out with a fine tooth comb.

[snyder]

This is what I got from the dec when I asked a few years ago.

[snyder]

Ok I can't seem to post a screenshot of an email I received from John Gibbs the regional forester for region 8 about having a larger motor on Hemlock. My question to him was can I use my 17' boat with a 70 hp motor if I take the prop off and use my 7.5hp. His response was that removing the prop was a wise choice being that anyone could easily see that I wasn't using the motor. That was back in the fall of 2011. I put a copy of that in the glovebox of my boat just in case I was ever questioned.

Chris

Edited November 17, 2014 by snyder

[zackblain]

the same exact question was asked this year at the dec state of the lakes meeting for the western finger lakes. The officers present all agreed that as long as the big motor was completely immobilized that you will be legal.

[waywack40]

Thanks all for the responses. It is appreciated.

[Phisherman585]

the same exact question was asked this year at the dec state of the lakes meeting for the western finger lakes. The officers present all agreed that as long as the big motor was completely immobilized that you will be legal.

This ^^^

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[shoebag22]

Is this information still accurate?

 

the same exact question was asked this year at the dec state of the lakes meeting for the western finger lakes. The officers present all agreed that as long as the big motor was completely immobilized that you will be legal.

 

 

[Ray4852]

I fished this lake once 30 yrs ago, hemlock with a 14ft boat with a 5 hp motor. DEC checked me out. No problem but I new I was watched on this lake. When I got back to shore the Dec wanted to know if I caught any fish. my reply yes but tossed them back to the lake. my advice to anybody who wants to fish this lake. go fish with a kayak. you wont have any problem. this is one lake I stay away from. 

[000]

Love Hemlock and usually see an Eagle or two. I have seen some "plain wrapper" outboard motors with all decals stripped off and they look to be very large. I have been there too many times to count and not once have been stopped. Fishing seemed to be better some years ago, but that's just me...

[Ray4852]

 10 hp is overkill. I laugh at some people who try to launch with a bigger boat. the ramp here is to small and parking is very limited. this is a perfect lake with a very small boat and motor. I think the DEC should rewrite the boat size law to 12 to 14 ft maximum with a 5 hp 4 stroke motor only.  all 2 strokes should be banned because they leak gas and oil. 

[Gator]

Last year was a Chinese Fire Drill on this lake. I witnessed many small bass boats and even some houseboats launch from the North end. I suspect that this was let slide because of COVID, but I hope they put a stop to the nonsense this year. The type of usage I was seeing is inconsistent with the intent of the law, if just within the letter, depending on what you believe regarding the motor regulations. The major users are canoe and kayak paddlers, of all sizes and ages, but there are always going to be a few folks who think they're special. It's one of the last places that you can get away from the summer clamor on the other Finger Lakes. If you want to play Ricky Zoom-Zoom, there are other places to do so.

 

And yes, I know I sound like a curmugeny old fart. Get off my lawn, you darn kids!!

Edited April 16, 2021 by Gator

[JJBat150]

1 hour ago, Gator said:

Last year was a Chinese Fire Drill on this lake. I witnessed many small bass boats and even some houseboats launch from the North end. I suspect that this was let slide because of COVID, but I hope they put a stop to the nonsense this year. The type of usage I was seeing is inconsistent with the intent of the law, if just within the letter, depending on what you believe regarding the motor regulations. The major users are canoe and kayak paddlers, of all sizes and ages, but there are always going to be a few folks who think they're special. It's one of the last places that you can get away from the summer clamor on the other Finger Lakes. If you want to play Ricky Zoom-Zoom, there are other places to do so.

 

And yes, I know I sound like a curmugeny old fart. Get off my lawn, you darn kids!!

 

I stopped going to Canadice and Hemlock last summer because of the chit show.  I trailer the kayak and my usual 3-5 minute process of pulling down into the boat launch to load or unload turning into a 35 minute ordeal waiting for the granola crunching cidiots to get out of the way after they blocked me in.... Found a quieter place a few lakes east that was easy access to some really productive deep water. 

 

I laughed about the pontoon boat when I saw it - but the little 9 HP motor did make it move along pretty good....

[Gator]

And they'd tow a line of kayaks, life rafts, and canoes behind them to wherever their party spot was on down the lake. I'd laugh if it didn't make me want to puke.

[bulletbob]

On 4/16/2021 at 9:03 AM, Ray4852 said:

 10 hp is overkill. I laugh at some people who try to launch with a bigger boat. the ramp here is to small and parking is very limited. this is a perfect lake with a very small boat and motor. I think the DEC should rewrite the boat size law to 12 to 14 ft maximum with a 5 hp 4 stroke motor only.  all 2 strokes should be banned because they leak gas and oil. 

There are  still a LOT of good running 2 strokes owned used and  well loved by their  owners, many of whom can't afford a newer 4 stroke...
 My 14 foot Grumman side console  is pre 1980, and is not designed for the weight of a 4 stroke.. should that be banned too because  of that?...  Should pre computerized, carbureted cars and trucks be banned as well??. Very slippery slope when you feel things you don't like personally should be "banned"... Thats  the kind of thinking that has put the totalitarian left wing radicals in power in NY state these days..

[nickihoyboy]

x2. You tell 'em Bob! Agree 100%>

[Trouthunter]

Bulletbob right on do not ban something just because you can afford to get new

[sawbelliesam]

I fish these lakes fine with my 16' er and 10horse motor. If you fished this lake once 30 years ago, I'm impressed that you could be such an authority. Just sayin'.

[Ray4852]

I agree with a lot of things bob said about 2 stroke motors. 2 strokes motors were good motors during their time. we didn't have the technology 50 years ago to build a nice 4 stroke motor. the oil we used years ago was terrible. all it did was carbon up the cylinder and rob engine life. those old motors were hard to start. they leaked gas into the lake. the motor itself was a greasy mess. the emission on them stunk to high heavens when you trolled for hours with one. the only good thing I can say about them. they were lighter and easier to install on the boat. don't play that poor mans crap with me. the 4 stroke motors build today cost a lot less than a 2 stroke motor. we might pay a few dollars more up front to buy a new 4 stroke but over the life of the motor. the 4 stroke will cost you nothing with gas savings alone. I love my 4 stroke kicker motor. I can troll almost 50 hours on 6 gallons of gas. can you get the hours out of the 2 stroke  12 hours plus smell the smoke. we have new technology right now. lithium batteries. we can troll for almost the same hours we get with our 4 strokes with a small electric motor. I don't think we will see any 2 strokes on any lake in the next 10 to 20 years from now.