Door County, which has more than 300 miles of shoreline, led the tally of citations with 382 over five years in a seven-county region, according to a Green Bay Press-Gazette analysis.

Brown County, which has the most boats registered, had 378 citations over the same time period. Oconto County had 324 — 87 for personal watercraft violations alone — and Shawano County had 283.

Those numbers are for citations entered into the DNR system so far between 2004 and June 30, 2009.

Citation records show violations vary from county to county due to different geography and recreational use, state Department of Natural Resources officials said.

For example, personal watercraft violations and water-skiing violations were high in rural counties of Oconto and Shawano where small lakes and rivers predominate.

Brown County, known for fishing, sailing and powerboating on the open waters of Green Bay, led in citations for boating while intoxicated, operating without a valid certificate and lack of lifejackets.

"We try to focus our enforcement with a concern for safety," said DNR regional warden Byron Goetsch.

Citations also were commonly issued for failing to carry fire extinguishers or lights, operating a ski boat within 100 feet of a dock, water-skiing after sunset or without an observer, and exceeding boat capacity by weight.

Small lakes with a dense collection of cottages, docks and swim rafts mean closer contact with water-skiers and personal watercraft, which often leads to complaints, Goetsch said. Wardens try to act on the complaints before accidents can happen, he said.

The top causes of accidents in 2008 included operator inexperience or inattention, speed, recklessness, weather and alcohol.

Water-skiers and personal watercraft aren't commonly seen on Green Bay, Goetsch said.

"The bay is a whole lot different, with boats often several miles from shore. It's just a different environment on big water where weather and size of craft are factors," Goetsch said.

Leo Loeb, a bay boater and commander of the Green Bay Sail and Power Squadron, said wearing a lifejacket is the most important thing people can do to remain safe.

"If you're going to wear a seat belt in a car, wear a lifejacket in a boat," Loeb said. The squadron offers courses in safety, piloting and coastal navigation.

"Developing skills and experience can minimize the chances of bad things happening," Loeb said.

Of the 20 boating fatalities in 2008 in Wisconsin, 17 were by drowning or hypothermia. Three of the drowning-hypothermia victims were wearing lifejackets. DNR officials said any of the other 14 drowning victims may have lived if they had been wearing a lifejacket.

Excessive speed was the top factor in boating accidents in 2006, fifth major contributor in 2007 and third top factor in 2008.

Alcohol use was the sixth top factor in 2008, an improvement from 2001 when it was the top-contributing factor. DNR officials said that with more concerted enforcement and public education, alcohol use could eventually drop out of the top 10.

Ben Treml, DNR marine conservation warden, said overall boating activity on the bay was down in 2009 due to poor weather much of the summer.

"It also may be due to the recession and that people couldn't afford to take their boats out as much," Treml said.

There were 20 boating fatalities statewide in 2008, and 15 so far this year through September.

Fall can be a dangerous time for boaters, especially on the bay, he said.

Duck hunters tend to bring a lot of gear and can easily overload a small boat.

"It's colder and gets dark earlier. If people make mistakes there are fewer people around to help," he said.

Take precautions, Treml said.