New NC Boating Regs

[JKil1]

This is good news for NC boaters. Should help our waterways a lot. They should put notice signs up at all the public access ramps though to informs more boaters of the new regs..Next year when they go into effect, many people will have no idea.

[dolphinfrenzi]

Well I for one believe they need to take some kind of step in this direction. I mean seriously think about it, running a boat requires NOTHING from ANY AGE, seriously that is scarey. I may not agree with the bill completely but it is a step. Yes most of you have plenty of experience as do I but a MAJORITY of boaters on the waters that we are on ICW and Ocean are on a vacation and bring their boats out just a couple times a year. They do not care they are on vacation, then you throw in alcohol, goodness scares me to death traveling ICW coming back in some days especially with the PWCs and some of the young kids on them. I believe there should be some type of licensing program and we as experience boats should not take offence. I am sure some of you will disagree but that is just my personal opinion and I have no concerns with passing a test or having to pay for a license. This bill does not really affect me because I am over 26, hold a commercial license and I hold USCG Capt license but I would still be willing to pass a test for the state. My thing is if you are going to do this bill add a rider to it and hire more DMF officers and Wildlife officers to enforce it, I know DMF is overworked, under paid and short staffed because so many times they are treated like the red-headed step child when it comes to state funds. I for one have NEVER found it a problem being pulled over and check, in Little River one day we actually asked them if they wanted a 15lb mahi we had caught that team member decided he did not want and we gave it to those guys. Been pulled over rushing to the scales explained and after a QUICK check less than a minute they let us run. My point is there are so many INEXPERIENCED boaters that is what this bill is after, so do not take offense take it as a thank you for trying make the waters safer, I know I do and hope to see more. How many times have you seen people running in areas that you personally knew were "skinny" and in your mind you knew this person has no clue how to read these markers and they are about to put that boat in the dirt. Sure enough I have seen in numerous times. So I have stated my opinion and it is just that my opinion. Scott

[Robja]

I like to see this type of change. Scott made some good points in his reply. There are way too many idiots particularly the jet skis in the waterway. But passing a law won't do much good if the manpower is not there to enforce it. Earlier this summer we were putting in at wildlife ramp and the Coast guard wannabees were there inspecting boats. There was a 16 ft boat putting in beside us that had 8 adults and 6 kids on it. It amazes me how irresponsible some people are. Do they not realize there are capacities of weight and bodies on boats for a purpose. I said something to the Coastie wannabe that the boat was overloaded but she said all she could do is report it. Needless to say they boated all day and as we were coming in late in the day I saw DMF had them pulled over. If implement this law they need more people to enforce it.

[hrdcor32]

I don't mind taking a class since I am only 24, I just don't think the law accomplishes what it is meant for.

As long as you are from out of state or are just renting a boat, then you don't need any sort of class. But, if you are a local who grew up on the water and have operated boats all your life, you need a safety class if you aren't 26.

[JimH]

NC issues dealers and manufacturers "X" numbers. It is a dealer "tag" for boats. Can be used for limited purposes such as testing, demos, etc.

Another little piece of legislation you may want to know about also passed this session.

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillL...9&BillID=h1378

This bill requires vessel owners to maintain proof they have pumped out the MSD on their vessel. I've nicknamed it "the poop log"; pun intended.

The mandatory boat operator safety education bill is really little more than a piece of "feel-good" legislation IMO. It will not have any serious effects on boating accidents that result in injuries or fatalities for a long time.

I looked at USCG 2007 national boating accident statistics and research papers that analyzed implementation time frames and effectiveness of education requirements. Other states have had differing results based upon implementation periods. The quicker the legislation requires all boaters to be educated, the greater the reduction in accidents that result in injuries and/or fatalities. This is the basis of my opinion.

Boaters over age 50 are just as likely to be involved in an accident resulting in injuries/fatalities as a 25 year old. Also, boats less than 16' in length and boat w/o motors (yak, canoes, etc) are also exempt, however these groups have injuries and fatalities too.

Of course, if you really wrote a good bill and included everyone that needed to be included, you could never get the bill passed. At least that is what one lobbyist told me that was working for passage of this bill.

[Mustang Sally]

I am normally a tried and true conservative all obsessed with state's rights and a "Don't Tred On Me" attitude, but this seems like good legislation.

Just go watch the sea ray idiots behind Masonboro or Shackleford on any summer weekend to see what I mean. (Do those cruiser-type boat people really think a boat should be constantly run at a speed somewhere between idle and planing speed???? Bow staight up in the air and a wake the size of the perfect storm????)

[All Lines Busy]

I am normally a tried and true conservative all obsessed with state's rights and a "Don't Tred On Me" attitude, but this seems like good legislation.

Just go watch the sea ray idiots behind Masonboro or Shackleford on any summer weekend to see what I mean. (Do those cruiser-type boat people really think a boat should be constantly run at a speed somewhere between idle and planing speed???? Bow staight up in the air and a wake the size of the perfect storm????)

I think they teach that during the delivery of the boat to the new owner (read new boater)!

ALB

[Sea Frog]

I am normally a tried and true conservative all obsessed with state's rights and a "Don't Tred On Me" attitude, but this seems like good legislation.

Just go watch the sea ray idiots behind Masonboro or Shackleford on any summer weekend to see what I mean. (Do those cruiser-type boat people really think a boat should be constantly run at a speed somewhere between idle and planing speed???? Bow staight up in the air and a wake the size of the perfect storm????)

May favorite is when I am anchored in about 12 feet of water behind shackleford near the inlet during Cobia season and one of the afore mentioned Sea Rays does that about 10 yards from my anchor line. Or better yet comes from full speed to a dead stop right beside me to anchor itself. I usually pull out the plug rod and after a few casts they get the picture.

But my favorite all time was when I was navigating through the Beaufort Bridge and was in the middle of the cut through when a 30 some foot Sea Ray full of college kids passed me on the right. Almost put me in the Wall. I called the enforment as they did not slow down all the way through the turning basin. I stuck around for a while and watched the law put a young lady in hand cuffs.

I like where this thread is going. Let's talk of other bone head things we have seen on the water. We will leave out the part where I misjudged the tide and wind while docking on the Beaufort Waterfront and darn near took off the swim ladder from my 21 Parker SE. Had just moved up from a Skiff I ran for about 5 years.

[gottaflylee]

I think all this stems from modern times and the foot of boat and the number of HP on the boat.
When I grew up ( ya, I'm kinda old...), a first time boat owner's boat was about 14' with a 10 or 15 horse motor...
My first boat, 12' bateau with a 3 hp Evenrude and after 2 years, I got a 7.5, I am 8 in this picture...




2 years ago, a first time boat owner bought a boat over 21' and a motor over 200 hp.
Some of the major problems now are the boat and jet ski rentals. Up in one area that I fish, the agency that rents the Jet Skis had a person on a Ski to watch over the renters and keeps them in a cretin area, now that's cool but yesterday I saw 2 kids on one get thrown off of one and it was a good thing that guy was there to help the kids out.
Due the boat size and big HP on boats, I feel that this will be a good thing...never thought I would hear myself say that...