Speed Limits Coming???

Discussion in 'Powerboats' started by sharkeymarine, Sep 21, 2002.

  1. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

    :mad:
    Is your state next???

    Whether you're a high performance boater or a fisherman, you have to read this!!!

    Who wants to head to the ocean at 30 mph???

    I knew it would eventually come to this.

    Now is the time for all powerboaters to speak up and attend these meetings and make your voice heard.

    Otherwise, you are going to have to get up alot earlier to get out to your favorite fishing spot.

    PUBLISHED 9-21-02 ASBURY PARK PRESS

    State hears call for slow boating



    Published in the Asbury Park Press 9/21/02
    By KIRK MOORE

    STAFF WRITER

    Deadly boating accidents have state legislators and the state Boat Regulation Commission looking to tighten the rules for recreational captains -- from a potential 30-mph speed limit on coastal bays during summer weekends, to requiring more mandatory safety education for new skippers.

    At its first public hearing yesterday, a new state Assembly task force on boating safety heard a call for licensing of boat operators from Rosemary Decker, whose husband Thomas, 58, of Clementon, was among those lost when a 60-foot Viking yacht ran over his 20-foot boat two years ago.

    "My husband and three of his friends were in a horrific accident," Decker said. "He had a lot of experience. I never worried about him. He was very safety conscious" and had taken a number of Coast Guard courses as a private captain, she said.

    The other captain, Barry M. Flowers, 64, faces a six-month jail term and six-figure fine when he is sentenced in Ocean County Superior Court next week.

    "The man didn't mean to kill three people that day. But he did," Decker said. That her husband, a seasoned boatman with 40 years' experience on the water, could be run down by accident shows the need for mandatory licensing, she told legislators.

    Meanwhile, the Boat Regulation Commission this week took a first step toward a speed limit on the state's tidewater bays and inlets.

    The commission, a long-standing advisory panel to the state attorney general, last Wednesday asked its lawyer to draft "a submission to set an inshore speed limit," said commission Chairman Roger K. Brown of Brick.

    Brown declined to reveal much detail about the proposal, which is still being drafted. But John Shanahan of the New Jersey Marine Trades Association said the commissioners discussed setting a maximum 30-mph limit on the bays, from Raritan Bay to Cape May.

    As discussed Wednesday, such a speed limit would be in effect only on a seasonable basis and on certain days -- perhaps May to September, from sunrise Friday to sunset on Sundays, Shanahan said.

    Shanahan said the trades group -- which represents boat dealers, marina owners and others in the boating industry -- is not taking a position on speed limits yet.

    "We want to promote boating as a safe activity," said Shanahan, who added that captains are required under Coast Guard rules to keep "reasonable and prudent speed."

    The boat commission took up the speed-limit issue because of concerns voiced by boaters, particularly on the bays, Brown said.

    "You've got personal watercraft now that can do 70 mph, catamarans that can go 100 mph," Brown said. "If you want to go that fast, you should do it out in the ocean."

    The new Assembly task force was organized recently, in the last few days. Its enabling legislation is to be introduced Monday, said Assemblyman Jeffrey W. Moran, R-Ocean.

    Moran, a sailor from Beachwood, said he will push personal watercraft legislation that would widen the required safety margin between riders and swimmers, docks and other boats from 50 feet to 100 feet.

    The task force chairman, Assemblyman and boater Robert Smith, D-Gloucester, said he asked for the group to be formed after discussions with Rosemary Decker. Other families in Smith's district have suffered calamities on the water, including the loss of three brothers when their high-speed catamaran capsized off Sea Isle City this year.

    Overall, boating accidents in the state are declining -- even with boat registrations soaring during recent years. But 2002 is shaping up as a fairly deadly year, said State Police Sgt. Roy Bubigkit. So far, 17 people have died in 13 accidents -- the latest being a man whose boat ran into a bridge abutment on Lake Hopatcong on Thursday night, he said.

    Lake Hopatcong is one waterway subject to a 30-mph daytime speed limit -- and State Police say they enforce it with radar.

    Smith said he was not aware of the boat commission's speed proposal. That came as no surprise to Brown. His little-known advisory board has been initially overlooked in years past when the Legislature focused on boat issues. It was the commission that drafted the rules for boat noise and restricting personal watercraft from the Point Pleasant Canal, Brown noted.

    The task force will hold public hearings this fall and winter, and look to issue recommendations and possibly a legislative package in February, Smith said.

    "Ultimately, it will be some sort of compromise," Smith said. "It won't be an extreme proposal."

    Kirk Moore: (732) 557-5728
     
  2. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Saw this in Trade Only Today:

    N.J. speed proposal too broad, expert says

    A proposal to limit speed to 30 mph on New Jersey’s inland waters, spurred in part by three high-profile accidents this year, would have little beneficial impact, says a boating safety expert.

    John Shanahan, president of the Boating Safety Institute of America in Maywood, N.J., and a member of the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey, said in a telephone interview the plan is an “inappropriate limit on boating operation.”

    Shanahan calls the proposal “a one-size-fits-all” approach, and contends, “That’s not an appropriate way to deal with this issue.”

    The New Jersey Boating Regulation Commission, through chairman Roger Brown, has asked the state attorney general’s office to draft such a regulation. The draft most likely would be presented to the commission at its November meeting and, if approved, would take effect in January.

    Shanahan says Brown’s plan would apply the 30-mph limit to all of New Jersey’s coastal waters, including the state portion of the Intracoastal Waterway, and areas of the Hudson River and Raritan Bay. Two exceptions would be lakes, which are subject to individual regulations, and Delaware Bay, which is shared by New Jersey and Delaware.

    The call for a speed limit, Shanahan says, originated out of Brown’s personal concerns as well as sentiments conveyed to him by others. The concerns are motivated by increased boat congestion on New Jersey waters and a corresponding increase in boating accidents and deaths.

    Shanahan says the three high-profile cases contributed to a doubling of the state’s fatality rate this year, and has put boating safety in the spotlight. Nine fatalities were reported in 2001. There already have been 18 this year.

    Unless there is a specific speed limit posted, Shanahan says, current state law requires boaters to operate at “reasonable and prudent” speed, taking into account overall conditions.

    Although he does not particularly like Brown’s plan, Shanahan says he favors some type of restriction.

    “I recognize the problems and agree the situation would be vastly improved with some local regulations,” he says.

    But, Shanahan maintains, no regulations will solve the problem without increased emphasis on boater education.

    The Marine Trades Association has not officially taken a position on the issue, Shanahan says, but it plans to have representatives at a Nov. 6 meeting at which the issue will be discussed again.

    The organization is likely to take a position and issue a statement after that, he says.

    — Lindsey Savin
     
  3. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

    A letter from NJPPC

    Hello everyone,

    I am writing to you because I thought you would want to know of an impending law that may affect the way you use your boat next summer on NJ waterways.

    I am bringing this to your attention because the NJ State government is once again trying to protect us from ourselves by means of instituting a statewide speed limit of 30 MPH on all tidal waters within NJ territories. Tidal waters are waters that ebb and flow from the ocean. Basically all saltwater bodies of waters are considered tidal waters, except the ocean itself. If this new law were passed, the speed limit would go into effect next April 1st and would be in effect from Friday at sundown until Monday at sunrise.

    There is a hearing on this matter during the first week of November and many people I have talked to people who want to help in some way. In order to help, you need to make your voice heard loud and clear by taking the time to write a letter. An Attorney has been retained by NJ Performance Powerboat Club to speak on behalf of performance boaters and he is asking for your assistance by composing a letter that explains your view on the new law. All sectors of the marine industry will be represented at the hearing. Local marinas, performance boat centers, gas retailers, boat manufacturers and boating clubs will all be well represented at this meeting so your presence is not needed but your voice is. Your voice is what the Attorney needs to bolster his case. We know that sailboaters will be writing letters to support the law; we need to counter their voice.

    Here is what to do. Please send a letter to me at njppc@aol.com. Your letter will be presented to the local press and the committee of five people who will ultimately make this decision that will affect you for the rest of your life.

    The attorney feels that we should not argue that 30 is too slow but 60 is OK. That is a losing battle because the committee may then decide that 40 is fast enough. We don't want to argue what speed is the right speed; we want to suggest that if the committee is truly attempting to make boating safer, then they should sponsor legislation that would mandate a boating license course and test. Currently a boat license is needed on fresh water lakes. However, anyone over 13 years old can get one by paying an extra $2 when a car driver's license is renewed. We are suggesting a classroom style course similar to the current Power Squadron or Coast Guard course. This is something that should have been done a long time ago. They have done it for Jet Ski's, why not boats?

    Please write a letter that contains the following items:

    Your name.
    Your address. - You must be a NJ resident or do your boating in NJ
    Your age.
    Your profession.
    Relationship to boating. - What it means to you and your family.
    Why you oppose a speed limit.
    Effect a speed limit would have on you.
    Alternative recommendation, such as education or licensing.

    Items you might want to touch on in your letter:

    Boating is currently safe.
    How accurate is your speedometer? Do you have one at all?
    Boating at 30 is unsafe - low visibility, huge wake, engine strain, and poor fuel consumption.
    This may cause fewer boats to be sold. - Do we really want to do anything that would have a negative effect on our economy now?
    Loss of gas tax dollars to the State.
    State could make money from licensing.
    Low probability of enforcement. - Marine Police currently don't have radar guns nor the manpower to enforce this law.

    Please pass this email along to everyone you know who is a NJ boater or who may become one in the future. Now is the time to be heard as later may be too late.

    Letters are due by Friday, November 1st, 2002. If you send me a letter, then I'll keep you informed as things progress because I know you care about the outcome.

    As I have taken the time to write to you, please take the time to make your voice heard. Please don't count on the "someone else" to take care of this for you. Please sit down and write a letter if you feel that the proposed speed limit may affect you. Please do so in a very respectful manner.

    Thanks in advance for your help!

    Dave Patnaude
    njppc@aol.com
     
  4. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

    (If you have already sent in your letter- THANK YOU - please disregard this message)


    As you may be aware, there is now a proposal being very seriously considered
    by a New Jersey State Boating Commission which will limit boat speed on ALL
    TIDAL NEW JERSEY WATERS to 35 MPH on weekends. This proposal can very
    quickly be passed this fall and then be enforceable for the next year's
    boating season. The 2002 NJ boating season unfortunately had a sharp
    increase in deaths due to boating accidents. The proposal's intent is to
    make NJ waters safer. While we all can agree that safer waters are a very
    worthwhile cause, most power boaters do not believe that imposing a speed
    limit on ALL New Jersey tidal waters is the right solution - especially when
    weighing its minimal contribution to safer boating to its onerous effect
    upon power boaters and New Jersey's boating related businesses.

    We are asking you to write a letter to the Boating Commission expressing
    your concerns about the proposed speed limit and how it will impact you. We
    also ask that you possibly make an alternative suggestion for improving
    safety on New Jersey waters. Most boating organizations promote education
    as being the best way to eliminate accidents from happening. In our
    opinion, speed limits will not measurably reduce the occurrence of
    accidents.

    Here is a suggested format for your letter to the Boating Commission:

    1. Introduce yourself including your name, profession, where you live and
    where you boat in New Jersey.

    2. Describe how long you have been boating, any boating credentials you may
    have, how you use your boat and why boating is important to you.

    3. Describe why you personally don't believe universally-imposed speed
    limits to be an effective safety measure.

    4. Describe how an imposed speed limit will negatively impact how you boat
    in New Jersey and what the economic impact will be to the region's economy.

    5. Please make an alternative recommendation (i.e. not speed limits) for
    the commission to consider for improving safety.

    PLEASE FORWARD ALL LETTERS BY NOVEMBER 1 to NJPPC@aol.com
     
  5. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

    11-10-02 The Latest

    Letter from NJPPC:

    In the last few letters from the club we've communicated that a small but powerful boating regulatory committee was attempting to establish a 30 MPH speed limit on all New Jersey tidal waters. We asked for letters from the NJPPC membership and other interested boaters. While I'm pleased to say that we delivered about 30 letters to the committee on Wednesday - we're going to need your continued help to fight the fight to preserve our favorite form of recreation.

    Nine NJPPC members and about 20 other concerned boaters attended the committee's public meeting on Wednesday. The bottom line is that our worst suspicions and speculations are most likely true with regard to the intent of the speed limit. The committee chairman made it very clear that "high-speed boats" were the focus of the speed limit and yes - there is unfortunately a sailboat versus powerboat element at work here. The speed limit is much less about promoting safer boating for all boaters then it is about addressing complaints made against high performance boaters (and perhaps power boaters in general for that matter). Despite the fact that we provided statistics showing that speed had very little relation to boating fatalities and that education is universally embraced as the best approach for improving safety, the chairman seems very intent on establishing speed limits to achieve his agenda. The committee has not done their homework - they have not studied where accidents have occurred or where boating violations have been written up. Unfortunately, they are reluctant to spend the time to make an informed assessment and then come up with a reasonable course of action. They believe that a "one size fits all" statewide speed limit is appropriate and they want to implement this in very short order. The idea that a statewide mandate could be made without proper information, evaluation and due diligence is very scary indeed. And I'm sure it would have been well on its way if we didn't intercede on Wednesday!

    On the positive side, there was visible dissent among the committee members after hearing the view point of NJPPC, the NJ Marine Manufacturers Association and a few well-spoken individuals. I think we gave them many a reason to pause and reconsider if they really want to proceed ahead with a controversial speed limit when they have no supporting research and much opposition ahead. The chairman seemed committed however to restricting our performance boating, including Poker Runs, through speed limits. His intent was very clear and it's unlikely that he will back down unless we forge a strong, POLITICALLY based opposition.

    Please contact your local representative and the key elected officials involved in boating safety initiatives listed below. Call them up, send a letter, send a fax, email - do whatever you can do to derail the speed limits being set by the five-person committee who were not elected. Tell your representative that the committee chairman is subverting a needed boating safety initiative by acting upon an anti-performance boat sentiment rather then addressing the real problems that can significantly improve safety on the water. Tell your representative that you want your voice heard and to consider the impact that this will have on the region's economy if thousands of power boaters decide to go to friendlier waters. Ask your representative to immediately look into this far-reaching mandate.

    NJPPC will continue to attend the public meetings and to argue our case but we aren't going to be able to make speed limits go away without your help to rally the needed political opposition.

    Join the fight today!

    We'll continue to keep you informed.

    Key New Jersey Representatives to contact (besides your local representatives)

    ASSEMBLYMAN JEFFREY W. MORAN (Republican-9TH District)
    Heading Assembly Panel On Safe Boating
    620 W. Lacey Road Forked River, N.J. 08731
    Phone Number: (609) 693-6700 Fax: 693-2469

    Assemblyman Robert J. Smith, II (D) (Assistant Majority Whip)
    DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS: 110-F Greentree Road Turnersville, NJ 08012
    PHONE NUMBER: (856) 232-6700

    Assemblyman James W. Holzapfel (R)
    DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS: 852 Highway 70 Brick, NJ 08724
    PHONE NUMBER: (732) 840-9028 E-MAIL ADDRESS AsmHolzapfel@njleg.org

    Assemblyman Albio Sires (D)(Speaker)
    DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS: 303 58th Street, West New York, NJ 07093
    PHONE NUMBER: (201) 854-0900
     
  6. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

    We won part of the battle so far - but we still have a long way to go! We need to continue the fight against speed limits in the Metedeconk & Toms River waterways!

    Thanks again to everyone who submitted letters!

    Boating panel debating speed limits
    Published in the Asbury Park Press 11/14/02Seven-day summer limit of 30 mph being considered

    By TRACY ROBINSON
    and KIRK MOORESTAFF WRITERSA proposal to reduce boat speeds in specific inland waterways has critics arguing that regulators are either forcing boaters to pull the throttle back too far, or are not going far enough to set even slower limits.

    "We kind of backed down on regulating speed in all of the tidal waters," said Roger K. Brown, chairman of the state's Boat Regulation Commission yesterday.

    The commission is an advisory board to the state attorney general.Instead of the proposed blanket speed limit of 30 miles per hour on all tidal waterways during summer weekends, Brown said, changes could include setting a speed limit of 35 miles per hour only in congested areas such as the Toms and Metedeconk rivers.

    As on land, boat speeds can be enforced with radar. But critics note that State Police have discussed the difficulty of enforcing speed limits on the water. Brown expects such changes to be discussed at the commission's public meeting 10 a.m. Jan. 8, at New Jersey State Police headquarters in West Trenton.The changes are due to "very vigorous" opposition to the blanket speed limit at the Nov. 6 commission meeting at the Raritan Yacht Club in Perth Amboy, Brown said.Most of the approximately 30 people in attendance spoke out against such widespread speed limits, said commission member Gerald Nelson, 57, Long Branch.

    Boaters opposed to speed limits include Charles Amorosi, of the New Jersey Power Boat Performance Club. Amorosi, 59, a Dover Township resident who owns a 36-foot Spectre catamaran, says a 35 mph limit won't be appropriate for all power vessels.Amorosi echoes statements made by other boaters, that at slow speeds some high-performance boats can not get on a plane -- meaning their hulls won't be riding over the waves. At such speeds the bow of a performance boat may ride at a higher angle, blocking the captain's view ahead, he said.Brown contends that slower speeds and increased safety go hand in hand, yet club members contend that out of all the 2002 boating deaths, just four involved performance boats at excessive speeds: a May accident when a Hazlet man was ejected from his speedboat in Raritan Bay, and a June accident off Sea Isle City, where three brothers were killed when their high-speed catamaran flipped in heavy seas.

    On the other end of the spectrum is William deCamp Jr. of the environmental group Save Barnegat Bay.DeCamp's group has advocated the more strict, 30 mph speed limit seven days a week from May 1 to Oct. 31 on specific waterways."What is worth protecting on weekends must surely be worth protecting on weekdays as well," deCamp said.DeCamp made other arguments for week-long speed limits: reducing noise levels from boat engines, and less turbidity, the stirring of sediment by boat propellers.Currently, there are no speed limits in tidal waters except for in specific no-wake zones.Nelson said he doubts if the commission will get new regulations in place in time for this summer.Although Brown said the commission was not ramming any new regulations "down anybody's throat," he expects a vote on new restrictions by the 10 a.m. March 5, meeting at the National Guard Militia Museum Museum in Sea Girt.Before the restrictions can take effect, the commission must accept how it was drafted by the Attorney General's office and allow a 60-day public hearing period, he said.A call by some to require all recreational boaters be licensed or certified is not something the commission can impose, Brown said. That idea will be passed to state Sen. Andrew R. Ciesla, R-Ocean, he said. Licensing boat operators -- and boat speed limits -- is also high on the agenda of the state Assembly task force on boating safety, which has been discussing potential amendments to state boating laws.The task force will receive public comment at its meeting 2 p.m. tomorrow in Camden at the Rutgers University campus center.
     
  7. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

    11-16-02

    Safety test for state's boaters discussed at panel meeting

    Published in the Asbury Park Press 11/16/02By KIRK MOORE

    STAFF WRITERCAMDEN -- The possibility of requiring boat operators in New Jersey to pass a safety test -- regardless of their age or boating experience -- emerged as the main theme at a public hearing before an Assembly task force on boating safety.

    "There's no reason why mandatory licensing and education should not be required," said David Patnaude, president of the New Jersey Performance Powerboat Association, at yesterday's hearing. A proposal for 30 to 40 mph speed limits on coastal bays is misguided, because it may actually make it harder to safely maneuver high-performance speedboats, Patnaude told the panel of legislators meeting at Rutgers University here.

    Since state boating laws were last changed in 1996, safety education has been required for two classes of boat operators: Anyone riding personal watercraft and operators of motor boats who were born after Dec. 31, 1978.That age limit was a compromise with recreational boaters who have traditionally resisted licensing. Assemblyman Jeffrey W. Moran, R-Ocean - an avid boater himself - said that was a mistake by the Legislature."There are days I go out there (on Barnegat Bay) and I turn around and come back," he said.During debate on the 1996 legislation, Moran said he thought: "We're not talking about a 35-year-old guy with a 25-foot boat. And these are the guys who are running me down."To receive safe boating certification in New Jersey, operators must complete an eight-hour instructional course, including a 50-question examination that requires 70 percent of the questions to be answered correctly, said State Police Trooper Jeff Andrus."It is comprehensive," he said, but "it is critical that all of the course material is covered."State police are continuing an investigation of one private boat safety instruction firm that is suspected of letting its students slide on some of its course material.Mandatory safety certification for boaters of all ages is advocated by Rosemary Decker, whose husband, Thomas, was one of three fishermen killed when a 60-foot motor yacht ran over his 20-foot boat off Beach Haven in October 2000.Decker appeared at yesterday's hearing with Charles Hartley, 79, her husband's friend and sole survivor of the crash. Yacht owner Barry M. Flowers, 63, is serving a six-month jail term after pleading guilty in September."The captain (Flowers) of that boat was making a claim we crossed in front of him," Hartley told the panel. "No. We were there for almost a minute."Assemblyman Robert J. Smith, D-Gloucester, chairman of the task force, asked Hartley to describe contributing factors to the accident."Speed," Hartley replied. "And there was no one at the controls. I was hoping he would make a slight turn to the left, or a slight turn to the right, or pull back on the throttles. But nothing happened. He wasn't there.

    "Speed limits, as proposed by the state Boat Regulation Commission, would not have prevented that accident, nor the June 2002 capsizing of a performance boat off Sea Isle City that killed three brothers, said Patnaude, a Dover Township marine dealer and owner of a 37-foot performance boat.If the Legislature or boat commission propose rule changes, "they need to base it on facts," Patnaude said.And one fact to consider is the way performance boats ride at lower speeds, when their bows and long forward decks can rise up out of the water and make it hard for the helmsman to see what is in front of the boat, he warned."At 35 mph, the bow of my vessel has such an aggressive pitch that I would not be able to see over the bow if I wasn't 6 foot 7," Patnaude said.Any speed limit would be difficult for state police to enforce, because fiberglass boat hulls don't easily reflect police radar, Patnaude said, noting his club has experience trying to measure speeds at its own events.

    Commission Chairman Roger K. Brown of Brick suggested his group and the Assembly panel meet over the coming months to discuss how they might coordinate their ideas for changing boat laws.Despite the warnings of powerboaters, Moran said he thinks "we've got to talk about speed limits. Unless we get off the dime and do something, it's just going to get worse."Brown has said the commission is now more inclined to consider speed limits only for specific areas of coastal bays and rivers. But William deCamp Jr., president of the environmental group Save Barnegat Bay, urged a baywide 30 mph speed limit.Accident statistics alone 'don't really describe the situation because some people won't go out there."Fear has taken them off the water," deCamp said.
     
  8. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

    11-19-02

    To Whom It May Concern:

    As you saw in the recently e-mailed "Asbury Park Press" article, NJPPC
    attended the NJ Assembly boating safety task force meeting on Friday Nov.
    15. In summary, there has been some positive developments for NJPPC
    performance powerboaters but we still have our share of obstacles ahead.
    First the good news:

    1. The non-elected Boat Regulation Committee will now be working with
    (under!! the Assembly Task Force. The Assembly will need to follow proper
    protocols for enacting safety measures. Fact finding, due process and
    indeed "fair play" are now expected moving forward.

    2. The Boat Regulation Committee will soon have another member, John
    Shanohan, who has a much more balanced and comprehensive view point regarding
    safety issues. John represents the NJ Marine Trade Association and is also
    very strong proponent of boating education. We look to John to help make
    the Boat Regulation Committee more responsive to the interests of all New
    Jersey boaters.

    3. Eighty percent of the meeting was devoted to boater education and the
    idea of certification or licensing. Little time was devoted to discussing
    speed limits.

    4. The limited discussion around the need for universal speed limits was
    not convincing and in fact the Assembly men seemed to draw the conclusion
    that speed limits would be nearly impossible to enforce given the
    ineffectiveness of radar on boat hulls and the Marine Police's limited
    resources. Unlike the Boat Regulation Committee, they need to also
    consider the practical aspects of what they carry forward.

    5. We fully expect that mandatory boating education will be required for
    all boat operators. While no one likes to be told that they need to go to
    class to operate a boat - it's a small inconvenience considering it will
    yield safer boating for all boaters alike. Licensing may also be required.
    Once again an inconvenience but it will help keep the actual violators
    accountable for their actions instead of holding the entire performance boat
    community liable for the misdeeds of individuals.


    We saw real strides toward promoting boating safety for all boaters.
    Despite that speed limits have been repositioned as a less desirable safety
    measure, they are still with us and most likely will be implemented to SOME
    degree. That degree depends on all of our continued efforts. Now the less
    positive news.

    1. Someone or some group was trying to portray the Flowers accident at the
    meeting as being SPEED related. Through questions and perhaps inadvertent
    testimony, the sole survivor finally indicated that no one was operating the
    60' boat at the time of the accident. His first statement was that high
    speed (24 knots! caused the accident.

    2. Boat Regulation Committee Chairman, Roger Brown, has realized that the
    speed limit on all NJ tidal waters was too broad so he announced that he's
    now considering only the Barnegat Bay area (the epicenter of New Jersey
    performance boating!. We still have a fight ahead for our home waters
    which could escape the purview of the State Task force if we aren't
    diligent. Some speed limits are likely.

    3. The "Save Barnegat Bay Association" continue to be very involved in
    promoting the 30 MPH speed limit (except 7 x 24 x 365 days) and boating
    safety is only a secondary consideration. The association indicated that
    they have 1,200 members - they also have good political connections. We can
    not underestimate this group's impact. While our respective opinions
    differ, they have the same passion for their cause as we have for ours, they
    have been around longer and they have more people then we have. They most
    likely will get a some "bone" or concession from their involvement. The
    size of the "bone" will be influenced by our competing efforts.


    Conclusion:

    The playing field has now been leveled and the political process should now
    be in affect for everyone. We need to continue to voice our opinions to the
    elected officials on the boating safety issue. Rest assured, the Save the
    Barnegat Bay folks and sailing clubs are doing the same for their respective
    viewpoints. Remember education, licensing and enforcement of the current
    laws are the best roads to SAFETY - not unenforceable speed limits! Don't
    let our opposition change the issue from safety to their special interests.

    Thanks for your help,
    NJPPC
     
  9. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Thanks for keeping us updated sharkey...

    Just reading up as well on the new homeland security act which means no probable cause needed for wiretapping and other things like possible mandatory vaccinations with no ability to sue drug companies if death or injury results, etc. - public safety vs. personal freedom is definitely a delicate balance that we will see being defined at a rapid rate in the months and years to come in many different areas of our lives.
     
  10. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

    You're quite welcome...

    What's up with that? No ability to sue? Where did product liability fall?
    :confused:
     
  11. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

  12. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

    Speed Update Link

    Link has been modified. here is the correct one: Speed Updates
     

  13. sharkeymarine
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 125
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 8
    Location: New Jersey

    sharkeymarine 2 Fins Up!!

    Anyone using the Manasquan, Metedeconk, Toms River and portions of the Barnegat Bay better get ready to lobby!!! The commission has decided to blanket all these areas as SLOW SPEED NO WAKE ZONES!!! This is exactly the opposite of what they stated in the their meeting in January. They dropped the proposed Speed Limit idea only to turn around and try to make everything a Slow Speed No Wake Zone!!! This just proves even more that this is all about Sailboats getting to have the waterways for themselves... I have created a SPEED UPDATE page on my site to keep everyone informed. If this is the first you heard of the Speed Limit proposal, be sure to click onto the archives to see what has been happening. Please spread the word to everyone this will effect: Marina and Restuarant owners at the end of these rivers, Fishing boats, Performance boats, Jet Skis, WaveRunners, Waterskiers, etc. If this goes through, then it will only expand to other areas in the state. Thank you for your support.
     
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