"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

Was in BoatUS the other day and picked up a free copy
of "Federal Requirements and Safety Tips for Recrecational
Boaters". Nearest I can tell the publishing date was 7/2001.

Anyway, two notes:


It says all vessels (even recreational vessels) that
have "propulsion machinery" (en engine) must have "a capacity
to retain oily mixtures on board and be equipped with a fixed
or portable means to discharge these. On recreational vessels,
a bucket, oil absorbant pads and heavy duty plastic bag, bailer
or portable pump are some suitable means that meet the
resuirement..." ~ I'd never known of this regulation before.
Guess I'll throw a large "contractor" bag with some oil
absorbant pads into some unused corner.

This makes perfect sense.


It says impropper use of the (VHF) radio "is punishable by
a $10,000 fine, imprisonment for two years or both." It says
about negligent operation such as having "bowriding" that
you "mayb be fined up to $5,000, imprisioned for one year
or both." But about Boating Under the Influence it says,
"...violators are subject to a civil penalty of $1,000, or a
criminal penalty not to exced $5,000, one year
inprisonment or both. ~ Hmmmm.....so swearing
over the radio is worse than being negligent or drunk ???

Anyway.

The "improper use" clause makes sense, but the relative fines are a bit odd.
But, maybe they want to leave the major DWI penalties up to the local
authorities. If a township or county is too stupid to apply the same
penalties as automotive DWI offenses, they deserve what they get.