Pennsylvania “fish police” don’t give a rat’s arse about tourists. They slapped a bogus $75 fine on a guy from New York who was my ex’s son’s college buddy, visiting for a holiday weekend. All the boat permits were in order for their group float but due to people scrambling between canoes in the wake of a brief thunderstorm, the PFD count was one off in the boat he ended up in (nobody was wearing them but they aren’t required to be worn in PA, only carried.) It was a stupid and unfair call but the “rangers” who were harassing people at the take-out could not be talked out of it. We took up a collection to pay the fine but the lack of hospitality and basic reason certainly did not impress our out-of-state visitors. I’ve witnessed other petty incidents by Fish and Game officers here – not all are bad but there are some would-be jackboots amongst them.
And meanwhile real crime goes unscathed by “The Man.” Law enforcement at times seems to have its priorities very much out of order. A warning should have been more than sufficient.
Population density must come into play when enforcement is involved. In the past two years, only twice have I seen DNR marine enforcement and that was on the Chain of Lakes which is pretty well traveled by power/pontoon/fishing boats.
Last summer a city policeman was at a Lake Michigan park which has a kayak/SUP launch, warning paddlers that if they didn’t have a PFD on board he would ticket them $50 on the spot. On one large inland lake I paddle, there is no DNR boating access site; waterfront owners won’t allow one. Nor is there a public marina. I’ve never seen any patrol boat on Lake Michigan, other than the harbor patrol in the harbor I launch from.
On the other hand, I never use any state-owned access sites. Spending a bit of time on Google Maps always turns up a small waterfront township or county park, or even a public road that dead-ends at the water. Another nice aspect of paddling above the 45th parallel.
Unfortunately, terrain in PA (and nearby WV) often means that launch sites are few and far between so state lands are frequently the only areas with accessible banks along desirable stretches. We are said to have the most miles of waterways in the country other than Alaska and our friable geology means that our networks of rivers and streams cut deep valleys and even canyons. Our rivers tend to run through heavily forested country too, merely finding a dirt road that leads to a lake or river can be a challenge, Thanks to the spread of the dreaded Japanese knotweed, one often needs a machete (and possibly a rappel line) to reach the water in unmaintained areas, not to mention the dense tangles of woody vines and poison ivy. Banks may be steep cliffs of shale or limestone boulders. In many towns the rivers that cut through have steep concrete flood-control embankments with no access at all. Highways tend to follow the lower slopes of the valleys along the river and stream courses since they are the easiest routes from point A to B. This crowds out a lot of access.
Well thanks for that; it makes me appreciate the Evergreen State all the more.
The only time I can remember any encounter with “law enforcement” while boating was when I was sailing my 30’ sailboat on the Columbia River. A Coast Guard boat happened by and some young person on that boat told me to sit down in the cockpit. I was close hauled and sitting on the high side coaming. I gave the guy an incredulous look and sailed on my way and I might have said something uncomplimentary that he didn’t hear, but I stayed put on my high perch.
I e-mailed my State Senator & Rep. The Rep is going to Quiet Water this Saturday & we will talk some there.
One part of the proposal is to create a database linking the vessel & owner to the registration. This is purportedly so that the owner can be identified when an unoccupied kayak is found floating in a lake or river. Also, perhaps, another way to prevent swapping tags. Willowleaf, you might be OK. The proposal targets rigid hull canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards.
“All rigid hulled kayaks and canoes in addition to rigid hulled Paddleboards (exceeding 8 feet in length operating in Michigan’s Great Lakes waters, tributaries, inland lakes and streams be required to display, in a conspicuous location, a Michigan Vessel Registration sticker.”
I have my name and contact phone numbers written with permanent marker inside the cockpit of all of my boats. I think it’s something everyone should do. Some outfitters and states provide stick on labels to do this. More expedient than having to check a registry.
And here in PA, the launch permits are for the boat, not the owner. If you sell a boat here with a current sticker it stays with the boat until it expires. We don’t have to register canoes or kayaks here, though some people opt to do so.
@willowleaf said:
I have my name and contact phone numbers written with permanent marker inside the cockpit of all of my boats. I think it’s something everyone should do. Some outfitters and states provide stick on labels to do this. More expedient than having to check a registry.
The USCG Auxiliary gives out “if found” stickers. http://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=054-25-01&category=if-found-stickers
Can also be purchased from the ACA, although I get one every time I renew my membership. I have them in my kayaks. For my paddles and other gear I use a waterproof sticker which lists my name, land line and cell numbers, plus my email address. Ten bucks for 24. Great sticker and very waterproof. Have had two on my Cyprus for two summers now and the labels still look pristine. https://tinyurl.com/ycf3qdtl
Thanks for that tip, Rookie. Those are nice stickers – going to order some for the gear. Looks like they would be good for all my tools and tool boxes too (since I’ve retired I seem to be working on everybody’s house but my own – lost a modular battery on the last project.)
@rival51 said:
I e-mailed my State Senator & Rep. The Rep is going to Quiet Water this Saturday & we will talk some there.One part of the proposal is to create a database linking the vessel & owner to the registration. This is purportedly so that the owner can be identified when an unoccupied kayak is found floating in a lake or river. Also, perhaps, another way to prevent swapping tags. Willowleaf, you might be OK. The proposal targets rigid hull canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards.
“All rigid hulled kayaks and canoes in addition to rigid hulled Paddleboards (exceeding 8 feet in length operating in Michigan’s Great Lakes waters, tributaries, inland lakes and streams be required to display, in a conspicuous location, a Michigan Vessel Registration sticker.”
Rival51 - thanks for your involvement. I’m anxious to hear your comments following QWS.
I have to comment that although a database SEEMS pretty basic and logical, any costs associated with maintaining the database do not seem offset by the trivial benefit to paddlers of returning a boat that we somehow lost completely. Or perhaps there is some concern around litter from abandoned canoes and kayaks that requires regulation.
Now they’ve revised the resolution: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/MSWCResolution02-2018-01_615903_7.pdf
And approved it for submission to the Michigan legislature, as proposed legislation.
New: a separate surcharge for invasive species control (no amount determined), plus annual COLA increases of 2-3% on all registration fees.
Omitted: any reference that kayak/canoe/SUP fees would be used for paddler safety programs. All references to PFDs were removed (perhaps they read existing law and discovered their initial recommendation was redundant). Also gone is the commission’s desire to promote “the growth in number, accessibility [emphasis supplied], and user safety of paddle powered vessels…” No identification sticker requirement.
Appears that the clarified purpose is to fund “statewide public recreational boating facilities.” I’m trying to figure out what value I would receive by paying a registration fee for each of my kayaks and am coming up empty.
It’s an election year and will be worthwhile to hear the candidates’ position on the topic.
Wow!! They upped the registration from 7 to 10 / year & removed any benefits - along with an invasive species charge as well. And wanting 2 - 3% a year increase.
@rival51 said:
Wow!! They upped the registration from 7 to 10 / year & removed any benefits - along with an invasive species charge as well. And wanting 2 - 3% a year increase.
Taxation without representation. Not a single person on that commission has any connection to paddling. With three whose terms expire this year, that needs to be changed.
Nice to see Michigan legislators are listening to paddlers:
https://legiscan.com/MI/pending/house-tourism-outdoor-recreation-committee/id/3343
The Waterways Commission April 25, 2018, meeting minutes have been posted at the DNR website: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79137_79763_79917---,00.html
The commission plans to continue its efforts to tax all paddlecraft.
New resolution proposed: Currently, vehicle owners have to opt-in to purchase a Michigan Recreation Passport when renewing our license plates. Proposed change is that the passport fee be automatically added to other fees charged, requiring the vehicle owner to opt out.