GENERALLY SPEAKING…
if you follow your own state’s rules, the other states give you ‘professional courtesy’ which means that even though Calif requires paddlecraft to be registered, Arizona does not.
So when i take my boats to California, and IF I am stopped and questioned by a Calif trooper, I show them my Az DL and inform them that Az does not register paddlecraft and they say “ok, have fun” and leave.
BUT, if I have a Calif DL, and am paddling an unregistered kayak in Cal;if, then I am in trouble.
Good. But there’s no hook.
I have failed to communicate properly.
First, I don’t think I’ve ever said before on this forum that I’m a lawyer, but many people know.
Second, I still am a lawyer, just not actively practicing. I had been licensed in four states: CT, NY, CA and FL. Four bar exams. Never again.
Finally, I’m not ignorant about these subjects and I’m not advising ignorance as defense or as a way to go about life. I believe in being informed, but not until it’s necessary.
What I do about these very minor paddling and camping regulatory things is to figure them out when I get where I’m going. Most places I go, I know what the story is from past experience.
But on the specific topic, I don’t care what the registration rules are for canoes in states other than my own. If someone told me to register my canoes, I would refuse. I will never register a canoe or kayak. They can go pound salt and I’ll paddle where I darn please. If some official cites me, that worries me about as much as jaywalking.
Finally, I can’t think of more than three or four occasions that I’ve even run into state officials when paddling. They aren’t usually where I am.
For some reason, I thought you were in Colorado.
California doesn’t require…
registration of paddlecraft. I live in SoCal and have kayaked all over the state. AZ used to require registration of kayaks and canoes, but gave up after deeming that law unenforceable several years ago.
Ohio requires registration
Hope it’s not a problem that I’m reviving an old thread. Ohio requires registration of ALL boats, even a simple inflatable and all boats (including inflatable) must display registration numbers. You can get around the display of numbers by purchasing a special registration sticker (that costs a bit more). The special sticker has a provision, however, once you register that boat with the “numberless” sticker, you can never (over the life of the boat!) power it by any kind of motor (not even an electric). It’s strictly hand power only.
Rules are enforced too. While anchored just a few feet offshore and chatting with my wife (who was fishing), I was approached by the ranger who asked if my boat (a 13 foot Coleman inflatable at the time) was registered. I pleaded ignorance due to it being an inflatable (I knew it needed it, but hadn’t since I rarely use that boat at home…it’s mainly my travel boat for when I’m camping out of state). He was nice about it, but warned me to get it registered before putting in next time or else I would be facing a $150 fine.
Ohio does recognize registrations from other states, as long as you are in Ohio for 30 days or less (I believe that’s the time length). Longer than that, it has to be registered.
Craig
that’s sad, register a blow-up boat?
money hungry government
You will be fine in the red states
in the blue states you will probably have to get a paddling license, and register your boat.
NY state …
…as best I know as of April, 2014 …NYS does not require any kayak registrations, but it has been talked about in legislature. There are some smaller lakes and pond areas in the state they have a “invasive species” program in place, that requires cleaning and inspection of all boats. Cazenovia Lake is such a lake.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/48221.html
side note: state parks charge a fee to enter park. boat launch is free once inside park.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7832.html
List
This older poster did some research on the topic.
http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/default.asp?message=8040
Interesting that it seems about the same number of “red” and “blue” states have requirements on unpowered boats. Looks like there are slightly more red states with requirements.
I notice that “bkmturner” must have
gone on the road already, leaving us in doubt about whether bkmturner lives in any particular state. Might be some sort of illegal immigrant.
I used to be against profiles, but if one wants to get useful information on a forum, sometimes one must be willing to share at least a slight indication of from where one is coming.
People need to think like deer or fish
or doves, and just go innocently where they want to. If challenged by a landowner, react like a “dumb animal”. Stare innocently for a few instants, and then go quietly on your way.
Rangers and landowners are like grizzlys, looking to make an encounter into a territorial challenge and then into as much conflict as possible. We don’t need to buy into that.
I hope NY doesnt go that way
I hate those ugly stickers. I wont ugly up my nice kayak with one of those. Plus it will really hurt kayak shops were they have a fleet of kayaks for rentals unless they exclude those?, no idea if they do in states were they already have this registration crap.
Watch out in PA
Glenn_Macgrady, you lucked out… the PA “Fish Police” can be merciless, even on out-of-state paddlers. We have a group of 20 to 30 folks (boyfriend’s son’s old college buddies) who come from New England and New York every Memorial Day to camp out on the BF’s property along the West Bank Susquehanna – they always do a canoe and kayak float one day during the weekend. We are always scrupulous about assuring that all boats are properly tagged and equipped, since the take-out is a Fish and Game maintained property that requires the usage permits. Two years ago there were 30 paddlers in 14 canoes and kayaks. An hour into their float a thunderstorm with hail hit and they scrambled for the shore, having to hide out under the canoes until it passed. When they got back into the boats the mix got changed up of who was in which craft. Nobody was wearing their PFDs (yeah, I know, I know, but the day and water were warm, current was slow and the river there is so shallow I’ve walked across it several times) but the state only requires there be one in the boat per passenger. When they reached the takeout, the Fish Nazis were awaiting them and inventoried the PFD’s as each boat pulled in. Though there were 30 vests for 30 paddlers, one canoe had 2 paddlers and 3 vests and another had 3 paddlers and 2 vests. The rangers got really nasty and slapped a $75 fine on the last guy to exit the “underequipped” canoe, even though he was a Massachusetts resident. Plus they harassed him and others for not having their driver’s licenses on them for ID (I was driving their van shuttle, so WTF?)
I urge anybody paddling in PA to check with the ranger station at any state park or facility before putting your boat in the water. Application of fees and fines is mercurial and can be quite nasty in this state. My outdoor club and many others fought this “permit” requirement for non-powered boats back in the 80’s when the state first proposed it and were unsuccessful. The only benefit that has accrued to us from it is that it does give us stature to demand equal access to launch ramps when some power boaters try to bully us out of the way.
PA Laws
I still really don’t understand the PA kayak requirements even after many years of kayaking here.
I get that if I am paddling in a state park (or lake “owned” by the fish police) I need to have a launch permit and so far is the only place I have ever been checked, except for those few county parks that require a unique county launch permit.
But it seems that on rivers as long as I don’t use the actual boat ramps and launch from the dirt, I do not require any type of permit.
I usually just error on buying permits and slapping them on just be sure but it would be nice to have clear laws – I know a number of kayakers who just registered their kayaks like a motor boat as they were so damn confused by the laws or were given very bad information.
It is annoying have to tag all three of my kayaks just in case I decide to loan one. It seems to be an odd penalty for paddlers who are much more likely to have multiple boats.
PA law?
Iam from NY I do once in a while paddle in PA. Am I supposed to get some kind of permit. I have never done so in the past. I rarely carry ID on me when kayaking. I usually leave it in the car. So if I get stopped how do they give you a ticket? Its not like I would give them any REAL info about me if that happened. Of course if they follow me to my car I guess then I would have to but then I could show iam not from PA. Anyone know?
Example I sometimes go to Prescott isle in Erie PA on Lake Erie.
they “own” some river and stream sites
We have been challenged and turned away by the Fish Police at several takeout points on local rivers and streams in the past. These are rarely if ever marked in any way, so the burden falls on the paddler to determine which launch area, even in rather remote locations, is considered to be under their jurisdiction. By the way, NONE of this launch sites where we were turned away had anything resembled improvements, were usually just a barely accessible streambank where we had to hike through woods and slide down an overgrown bank to reach the water.
And you don’t want to get me started on driving to places along public waterways in this state where you used to be able to put in without regulation, only to find the area fenced off, locked and/or posted “no trespassing” because gas well drillers had claimed it as a work or lay-down zone. I spent 4 hours last night awaiting my turn at the podium at the local council meeting to protest attempts by one of the county executives to broker a no-competition lease with an out of state gas drilling company that would allow them to drive frack wells under one of our county parks, Deer Lakes, a prime fishing and paddling area.