One thing that may have been missed: this bill isn't a BOAT registration -- it's an OPERATOR license. Meaning you have to have a "License to Paddle". But there's no license required to operate a motor boat or sailboat.

*S

But there's no license required to operate a motor boat or sailboat

But those users are already paying the state and towns - for registration, excise fees, mooring fees, launching fees, etc.

But this interested me:

Another measure, LD 510, would require DIF&W to bill for search and rescue costs unless the subject held either a DIF&W-issued license or a new $20 “Maine Rescue Card.”

Is this sort of a "Get of the Woods" free card? Heehee.

Registration fees typically apply to motorized vehicles that can be dangerous to people not operating them, and since they're based on the value of such vehicles, those fees can be substantial... like the ad valorem tax for registering your car in GA.

Excise fees are levied to provide monies needed for the extra healthcare and other public expenditures which will be needed as a direct or indirect result of excisable activities, such as lung cancer from smoking or road accidents resulting from drunk driving.

Mooring and launching fees pay for construction and maintenance of docks, piers, ramps, parking lots and all that.

As a canoer with a cheap canoe that you couldn't really place a value on because it's so old, it would cost more in overhead to bill me a registration fee than what the fee would be. I don't need mooring or a launch to put my canoe in the water. And the only person likely to be injured in my canoe is me, and I have healthcare and life insurance.

So, if this bill were to pass and you go up to Maine this summer, you'd have to get two $20 licenses to paddle your kayaks around. Ouch!

*S

So, if this bill were to pass and you go up to Maine this summer, you'd have to get two $20 licenses to paddle your kayaks around. Ouch!

Well, we'd have to get our own kayaks first....still renting.

(I'm not advocating the additional fees...just understand their thought process...)

Well, we'd have to get our own kayaks first....still renting.

Heh. That makes it easy for them -- rent a kayak, pay $20 extra for a license to paddle! Heh.

*S

It must seem like bumper boats out there!

When there are more than about 12 boats on the start line it is :-)

DM

This board has been so quiet over the summer that either:

a) Conditions have been so bad that we've all given up boats and resorted to letterboxing
b) Conditions have been so good that we've all been so busy boating there was no time for posting here!

Let's hear of your successes and adventures on the water.

Me? I've been suffering a slipped disc and have added a grand total of 7 hours sailing time to my logbook and most of that was in a nice big, safe boat that didn't require any gymnastics to sail. I'm hoping now to get afloat at least a few times before the end of the season.

DM

Little to do with conditions and everything to do with home improvements! I only got out once this summer, for an afternoon of kayaking. First time I've ever lost the dog in deep water to a critter. She jumped right off the kayak and swam with all her might after a groundhog on the shore. It was long gone by the time she got there but that didn't stop her from doing a thorough investigation before swimming back to me.

We had a fun stop at the local boat ramp, during which Claire-dog had a potty break and attracted the attention of many young children in the vicinity. Since she always wears her PFD on the water, we had many questions about it and at least one parent thanked me for helping to reinforce boat safety with her children. Apparently her toddler kicks up a fuss about his life jacket but was greatly impressed by how cheerfully Claire dons hers.

This weekend is the Sternwheel festival where I live, so even if I don't get out on a boat, I will get to see a great many of them.

Katy

Fishing fishing fishing. Oh and cleaning fish slime off the boat.

deniserows
but not this summer

Went out twice on the Tualatin River with a group of friends.

One time, I rented a kayak. The other time, I shared a canoe with two other people.

Easy going river with little current going upstream. We paddle up a few miles, have lunch at a park and paddle back.

I saw some great wildlife along the river, as well as some nice houses.

Wishing I could get out again before it really starts raining here . . .

KuKu

Me? I've been suffering a slipped disc and have added a grand total of 7 hours sailing time to my logbook and most of that was in a nice big, safe boat that didn't require any gymnastics to sail.

I hear you loud and clear DM... I have been sidelined with shoulder surgery, not once but twice in the last three years... (I never stepped on a boat the summer after the first operation 'cause I knew I would not be able to 'behave' myself to my MD's orders)... I still can not race (in sailboats) because of the 'herky jerky' motion, 'slow and steady' has been the rule lately. I've been enjoying my kayak alot this year (slow and steady), which helps rebuild the muscle, and the racing from the 'other' point of view of the Race Committee boat... which has landed me a request to be our club's Race Committee Chair-person for next year! 8-0! My poor Hubby, I can see it now! ... Did he do the dishes last night? EEEENT.... he lost!, Did he take out the garbage?? EEENT... he lost again!!... laundry?...walk the dog? vacuum the livingroom??.... oh dear.... the poor guy......

~C~

(here are some shots of the summer...) http://www.atlasquest.com/gallery/viewalbum.html?gAlbumId=1970

I just received some interesting info regarding some changes in the Canyon. Primarily the (man) changes were needed due to natures changes.
A new take out ramp and road was put in at Pierce Ferry due to the lowering water level in Lake Mead. Once the water level started lowering (a few years ago) the river started cutting into the silt at Pierce Ferry and the new Pierce Ferry rapid started forming. A huge ledge hole rapid was formed and last year a motorized 30 ft raft flipped in the hole.

With the new road and ramp (costing $1,000,000) it looks like the Federal Gov. believes Lake Mead will never fill up again.

Photos of the new class V rapid.
http://www.rrfw.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=27

Don

Primarily the (man) changes were needed due to natures changes.

I DO so love a good typo...and since YOU hassled Trex this week for one, Don...well...

In my experience, "men" change only when they want to, not when they're "needed" to do so.

;-0

pre

In my experience, "men" change only when they want to, not when they're "needed" to do so.

In this case it is dubious whether man (used representing "mankind", which consists of both men[plural] and women [plural] and previously cited) should really be building a ramp and road for $1,000,000.

The first flash flood will probably remove the new ramp and return silt to levels that will inundate the complement of new construction.(yes I do understand the difference Kirbert)

Mother Nature will some day return the canyons to their previous glory, silt up Lake Powell, and Mead and the dams will be breached.

In the meantime the new ramp and road merely allows a takeout upstream of the new class V rapid so that river runners that have less expertise and commercial river runners do not have to run this rapid. Pretty pricey for elimination of "lining" a rapid.

Now all of this work was paid for, not from fees associated only with the river running community, but from all entrance fees to the Grand Canyon NP.

Yes I know, more info than you wanted, but certainly shows some of the thought processes of the NPS.

Don

Hurray!! After more than a year of not being able to sail much because of back problems I am back afloat again. A couple of weeks ago I had to sail a Topper dinghy (and they are cramped!) back to base when conditions were too bad for one of our younsters. I was stiff from lack of practice but not too painful. Since then I took out my Graduate to see if handling a bigger boat was practical. No problem on the water but I need someone to help me haul her back up the slipway. So providing there is some shore-side assistance I'll be out there. Now I just need to brush up on my race techniques and find a crew who suits my sailing style.

DM

http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=39740

I just created a group on Couchsurfing for all of us letterboxers. Come and join me! I figured it would be nice for us to have a way to identify other letterboxers, since I know that I am more comfortable staying with someone I know I have something in common with.

What is a couchsurfer and what does it have to do with boats? Forgive me if this is a stupid question.

What is a couchsurfer and what does it have to do with boats?

Quite some time ago, it was suggested that there be a "Boating" board, and the suggestion was met with nearly universal approval. However, in an effort to keep the number of AQ boards in check, it was decided to "recycle" an already existing board that was hardly ever used: the "Couchsufing" board. I would suspect that the person posting saw the old couchsurfing posts (perhaps through a keyword search, or from a bookmark), and just posted to the same board not realizing it had changed.

Either that, or it was completely random.

What is a couchsurfer and what does it have to do with boats

Surfing=water and stuff = nowhere else to put it... was my thought process

deniserows
over to the couch surfing group

i'm in. i got a couch and i wanna a couch a lot of times. It always amazes me how generous and friendly LBing people are. i have had so many wonderful trips because someone has opened up their homes.

i love this hobby

deniserows
with a full heart because of boxers

A quite group, but none-the-less, Im In! Are there any other CSLBXRS out there??? Im new to it, but not to lbxng. Its amazing at all the kindness that letterboxers give. Happy Couching&Trails!

I teach sailing to youngsters aged 10 to 16 (ish) and am looking for some new ideas for games we can play at this end of the season now they are all reasonably competent sailors. Any ideas?

DM

How about letterboxing! The clues could say something like...Sail at 286 degrees until you come to a small island, then sail at 90 degrees untill you get to the floating Canadian Goose (there at time of planting)...Then capsize boat, box should be tethered 6 ft under the surface...etc.

Seriously, you could do a compass course on the water, with some sort of prize at the end of the course in a floating bouy.

When I learned to sail, the squirt guns were always the best part, so I would suggest a capture the flag game. If you get hit (with a squirt gun!) that would be equivalent to being tagged, and you'd have to go to jail (practice the safety position!) and to be rescued, have the rescuers do a man-overboard drill, and then tow the prisoner back. Or have anyone not following proper right of way be a prisoner. Or both. =) I'm not sure how you have things set up, but if you have the staff out on the water, maybe have them carry the flag (just a pool noodle or something), or have it on a buoy somewhere.

Have fun sailing--everyone's back in school where I live!

Still got the couch.

deniserows
a sectional

This is good to know! Although not as cool, as 'Cool Cabin C', I bet it would still be fun :0)

I just finished up a seasonal sailing program and we did a 'pirate hunt' with the kids dress in pirate garb and the clues cryptically written and taped either on buoys or on items that we left 'ashore' at different points leading to a treasure (filled with cookies and candy) water guns and balers were allowed to 'repel boarders' ...

the other was a scavenger hunt requiring them to finds items.... creativity was encouraged ie "a fresh fish from the sea" (a jelly'fish', shell'fish' or a fish 'fish' were all accepted), signature of the harbor patrol on duty, a compass ... etc

depending on the boats (we used Club 420's) you can do a 'kinetic' race, (which needs 'searoom' to ensure a safe race)... complete 10 - '360's' sailing to the windward mark, remove rudder and sail to a reach (offset) mark, sail backwards (the kids loved to do this trick!) to the leeward mark and sing a sea chanty to the finish blowing their own whistle crossing the line....

Have fun! the summer went too fast for me...

~C~

I'm here too! Oh yeah, cabin C was the place.

HowD girls
more of a futon girl

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I can certainly use and adapt some of your ideas for our mob. One of the main drawbacks we have is that we a fairly small lake (35 acres) and except for one area near our slipway we are not allowed to land on the bank because that is reserved for fishermen - and the land makes more money from them than the sailors.

One game we have played which went down well was half filling with water a number of plastic milk bottles and scattering them up the lake. The sailors are divided into teams and then have to collect the bottles and return them to their team base ashore. The team collecting the most wins. By restricting each boat to only carrying one bottle at a time and having two or three times as many bottles as boats everyone gets involved no matter what their standard.

DM