I point out to her that I do not accuse wake boats of being the only factor causing river bank erosion.

Of course everyone knows that floods and high water flows aid in this problem and these factors have caused erosion since the beginning of time.

However, I and many other river users note and report to me that wake boat wash is the major contributor to bank erosion since these vessels were introduced to our area in the not too distant past.

The studies mentioned by Sandra Connor were Echuca-based, and in my article I specifically made Sunraysia readers aware of the problems here, and not in the Echuca area.

She would of course know that the Murray River is much narrower in that area than in the Sunraysia area.

Also I believe wake boats were virtually unheard of in our area at the time of that study.

So I completely dismiss the findings of that study with regards to wake boat operation in our area.

I agree that wind caused waves and river flows attribute to bank erosion, but must point out to Sandra Connor that wind does not usually cause waves to break up to a distance of a metre or more up the bank from the water line.

I am led to believe that the bigger the wake waves created by the vessel, the better the wake board riders like it.

So don’t try to tell me that wake boat drivers with wake boarders in tow do not try to achieve the maximum waves for their towed board riders. Nor does wind usually buffet moored houseboats against the mooring as the relentless pounding by wake boat created waves.

And as quoted “high speed recreational boating contributes to bank erosion” , however Sandra Connor will surely concede that wake boats used for recreational purposes travel at a much lower speed to a “high speed recreational boat”, thus creating their excessive wash, which is defined “wash that may endanger other vessels or causes nuisance to other people- e.g. a spilled cup of coffee”.