New Law Prohibits Drunken Sailing

[prowlersfish]

News, recent developments, and useful information from around the Chesapeake.



February 17, 2013

Search & Rescue


Low water makes for challenging rescue of father, son near Tangier Island, Va.

A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., rescued four people from a grounded vessel near Tangier Island, Md., just after midnight Saturday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Crisfield, Md., received a distress call at approximately 6 p.m. Friday, February 15, from the owner aboard his 36-foot boat reporting he had run aground with his son aboard, near Tangier Island.

Station Crisfield watchstanders coordinated the rescue with the Virginia Marine Police in Newport News, Va. Both agencies arrived on scene at 6:30 p.m., but the Coast Guard crew aboard a 41-foot Utility Boat was unable to reach the distressed boaters due to low water depth around the island. The marine police 25-foot response boat crew was able to transfer the two stranded boaters onto their boat; however the vessel was made heavier by the added passengers and also ran aground.

The Coast Guard crew from Air Station Elizabeth City was dispatched aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and arrived on scene shortly after midnight, hoisting the two boaters and the two marine police boat crewmembers from the police vessel.

Rescued were Barry Walker, 34, and his 14-year-old son. The two were transferred to awaiting Emergency Medical Services at the Tangier Island Airport. No injuries were reported.

"Before we go out on a patrol, we do a course layout," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicholas Hupp, the Coast Guard's responding coxswain. "Boaters should take measures to layout their course beforehand taking the draft of their vessel, water depths and preferred channels into consideration. Boaters should also be sure to have all the necessary equipment for a voyage, not just a GPS and a radio, but the proper protective equipment in case they find themselves in trouble. In the winter months it is imperative that boaters have the proper gear to keep them warm in case they have to await assistance or end up in the water. Lastly, boaters should always pay attention to weather and tide conditions."

Weather conditions at the time of the rescue were reported as having an air temperature of 46 degrees, water temperature of 43 degrees and 10 to 15 knots winds with two to three foot seas.


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February 2013


Capping State Excise Tax on Boats in Maryland


Boat brokers have contended that purchases in Maryland have fallen behind neighboring states Virginia (2% tax with $2,000 cap) and tax-free Delaware. Maryland is currently at 5%, no cap (on any boat that is kept in Maryland longer than 90 days).


The Department of Natural Resources has been resistant to capping the tax since they use the money for the Waterway Improvement Fund. But proponents of the bill claim that the cap could actually increase revenue by making Maryland more competitive with its neighbors.




February 2013


Improving Access to the Bay


The National Park Service has put the dots on the map of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and found that, as far as public water access is concerned, the Bay is a few dots short. Although there are currently 1,500 spots throughout the Bay and its watershed tributaries where you can drop a fishing line, launch a canoe, or just take in the view, there are long stretches where access is unavailable-for example, a stretch of 60 miles along the northern shore of the James River. Long sections of the Potomac, Rappahannock, Susquehanna and Nanticoke rivers are closed to visitors as well. In its study released in January, the Park Service made note of the problem and then identified 320 potential new access points. More than half of these are on public property but would take varying amounts of preparation to make access possible.


In response, a network of Bay boaters, businesses, organizations and government representatives has formed the Freedom to Float campaign to make increased access a reality. The group is looking for volunteers to help build these new points. Their website is www.freedomtofloat.org. You can find a copy of the NPS study on our website, ChesapeakeBoating.net.




February 2013


Baltimore Wins, Then Loses Bid for Volvo Ocean Race Stopover


Robert Housman, executive director of Ocean Racing USA, was more than disappointed when his successful bid to have Baltimore be the East Coast stop for the Volvo Ocean Race was scuttled by irreconcilable scheduling differences. The race organizers wanted to stop over the weekend of the Preakness, asking Baltimore to either move the horse race to another weekend or have it share the limelight with the sailboat race. That was a deal breaker for Baltimore and the stopover was subsequently awarded to Newport, R.I.




February 2013


Bay Creek Marina Has New Owner


Bay Creek Marina Village in Cape Charles, Va., has been purchased by Bob Occifinto, a New Jersey businessman who put in the winning bid when Marina Village-marina, restaurant and shops-was put up for auction December 28. The marina has remained open throughout, with Joel Habel its the new director of operations; Aqua Restaurant is expected to be open by Easter.




February 2013


Renewed Effort to Crack Down on Poaching and Fishing Violations in Maryland


Under Governor Martin O'Malley's leadership, increased law enforcement is part of an overall effort to deter poaching and toughen penalties for those who violate fishing laws in Maryland, under the Fisheries Management Reform Act of 2007. A noteworthy part of this effort is the launch of new enforcement initiatives and enhancements including the installation of a network of radar and camera units to assist the NRP in monitoring sensitive areas that are prone to poaching. DNR, the Office of the Attorney General and the District Court of Maryland have also expanded a successful program that sets aside specific days to try only cases dealing with natural resources violations.



February 2013


New Law Prohibits Drunken Sailing


A new law making its way through the Maryland legislature would make sailing drunk a crime. It isn't already, you ask? No. When legislators outlawed boating under the influence some years ago, they neglected to include non-powered sailboats. Oops. The new law would rectify that oversight. Here's the Washington Post story:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md- ... story.html

[Big D]

Now that explains a lot. I thought they were just being rude

[Stripermann2]

What are the rag boaters gonna wash down their brie with? Certainly not, don't say it.......club soda for goodness sakes!?

[Commissionpoint]

We have BWI on the books here in NY. It makes no distinction as to if you are under power or sail. A conviction has the same weight as if you were driving drunk in your car. We also have similar laws regarding snowmobiling or ATVing while under the influence.

[TBone]

those politicians and law enforcement personnel are trying to take all the fun out of everything!!!

[K4282]

I like T Bone's comment lol, here in RI you can get a BUI (Boating under the influence) Ive heard of a couple guys in a canoe getting one about 5 years ago here in Riverside, id imagine they had to be pretty ignorant and rude to someone as most patrol officers are very lienent with drinking and boats around here but fines and penaltys carry over onto your drivers licence