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**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
IT IS TIME FOR MEDIA TO HEAR THE BOATERS IN NORTH CAROLINA!
THIS PRESS RELEASE HAS BEEN SENT TO ALL MAJOR NEWS OUTLETS.
FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS PRESS RELEASE TO ANY LOCAL NEWS MEDIA.
PLEASE SEND THIS PRESS RELEASE TO YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES. WHO REPRESENTS ME
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Boaters Must Be Heard
On a Sunday afternoon in Goose Creek, long time boater Steve Stephens was hard at work removing his boat trailer's guide posts. Steve needed to trailer his boat back home to Sanford. Steve, now a recreational fisherman, was once a guide and tournament striper fisherman.
Steve's rig is advertised as 102 inches wide, but the trailer's guide on posts measure 108 inches. "I am not going to take any chances getting a ticket," said Stephens. "I have owned this particular boat for 6 years and have pulled it over 30 thousand miles all over NC, SC, and VA fishing various tournaments and never had a single issue. But, since the recent enforcement, I must remove these guide posts to be legal."
Steve is one of thousands of NC boaters who have called and emailed their representatives repeatedly since early April, trying to get the laws changed.
H2167 reads as follows: Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a boat or boat trailer with an outside width of less than 120 inches may be towed without a permit. The towing of a boat or boat trailer 102 inches to 114 inches in width may take place on any day of the week, including weekends and holidays, and may take place at night. The towing of a boat or boat trailer 114 inches to 120 inches in width may take place on any day of the week, including weekends and holidays from sun up to sun down. A boat or boat trailer in excess of 102 inches but less than 120 inches must be equipped with a minimum of two operable amber lamps on the widest point of the boat and the boat trailer such that the dimensions of the boat and the boat trailer are clearly marked and visible.
"This is sound legislation," said Mark Miller of Fayetteville. "I rented a dry slip at the coast so I would not have to tow my boat. Over the past 25 years, I have towed my boat all over NC, but since the recent enforcement, I felt it necessary to dry slip the boat until the towing issue is resolved."
Boats over 102 inches have been on NC highways for years and many say they are safe. No one has provided any "real hard statistics" related to accidents involving a boat being towed. Most boats in this size range are somewhat expensive and the owners take special care of their investment. This law affects boats as small as 18 feet long, which is an average family size boat.
Until the recent enforcement, North Carolina was known as a "boater friendly" state and opened its doors to boating tourism and fishing tournaments. Now, tourists and large fishing tournament organizers are steering clear of NC. This is a huge black eye for the state and it has negatively affected coastal economies and the boating industry in NC.
Governor Mike Easley was quoted as saying, "We can't find a boat builder who thinks it's a problem."
Albemarle Boats of Edenton, NC, Carolina Classic of Edenton NC, Cobia Boats of Marion NC, Grady White of Greenville NC, Jarrett Bay of Beaufort NC, Kencraft Boats of Wilson NC, Parker Marine of Beaufort NC,
Regulator Marine of Edenton NC, Riddick Boat Works of Rocky Mount NC, Shearline Boatsworks of Morehead City NC, and Southport Boatworks of Wilmington NC, are among the list of NC manufacturers that have repeatedly called and written letters to the Governor’s office and state legislators urging the support of H2167 as written.
Robin Parker of Parker Marine told us, "We have been speaking out against the Governor’s stand and his veto of H2167. This is a safe and "common sense" bill for recreational boating in NC. Statistics and history clearly show that recreational towing is not a danger to those traveling NC highways. The overwhelming support of the House and Senate clearly indicates that our state legislators understand how important this issue is to the residents and tourists of our state and its economy. They also recognize those towing recreationally require access to roads during less congested periods as well as during weekends and holidays. We applaud the legislators for their support of a special session to override the veto and support it as currently written."
Source
Staff Writers
BogueInletNC.com
IT IS TIME FOR MEDIA TO HEAR THE BOATERS IN NORTH CAROLINA!
THIS PRESS RELEASE HAS BEEN SENT TO ALL MAJOR NEWS OUTLETS.
FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS PRESS RELEASE TO ANY LOCAL NEWS MEDIA.
PLEASE SEND THIS PRESS RELEASE TO YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES. WHO REPRESENTS ME
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Boaters Must Be Heard
On a Sunday afternoon in Goose Creek, long time boater Steve Stephens was hard at work removing his boat trailer's guide posts. Steve needed to trailer his boat back home to Sanford. Steve, now a recreational fisherman, was once a guide and tournament striper fisherman.
Steve's rig is advertised as 102 inches wide, but the trailer's guide on posts measure 108 inches. "I am not going to take any chances getting a ticket," said Stephens. "I have owned this particular boat for 6 years and have pulled it over 30 thousand miles all over NC, SC, and VA fishing various tournaments and never had a single issue. But, since the recent enforcement, I must remove these guide posts to be legal."
Steve is one of thousands of NC boaters who have called and emailed their representatives repeatedly since early April, trying to get the laws changed.
H2167 reads as follows: Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a boat or boat trailer with an outside width of less than 120 inches may be towed without a permit. The towing of a boat or boat trailer 102 inches to 114 inches in width may take place on any day of the week, including weekends and holidays, and may take place at night. The towing of a boat or boat trailer 114 inches to 120 inches in width may take place on any day of the week, including weekends and holidays from sun up to sun down. A boat or boat trailer in excess of 102 inches but less than 120 inches must be equipped with a minimum of two operable amber lamps on the widest point of the boat and the boat trailer such that the dimensions of the boat and the boat trailer are clearly marked and visible.
"This is sound legislation," said Mark Miller of Fayetteville. "I rented a dry slip at the coast so I would not have to tow my boat. Over the past 25 years, I have towed my boat all over NC, but since the recent enforcement, I felt it necessary to dry slip the boat until the towing issue is resolved."
Boats over 102 inches have been on NC highways for years and many say they are safe. No one has provided any "real hard statistics" related to accidents involving a boat being towed. Most boats in this size range are somewhat expensive and the owners take special care of their investment. This law affects boats as small as 18 feet long, which is an average family size boat.
Until the recent enforcement, North Carolina was known as a "boater friendly" state and opened its doors to boating tourism and fishing tournaments. Now, tourists and large fishing tournament organizers are steering clear of NC. This is a huge black eye for the state and it has negatively affected coastal economies and the boating industry in NC.
Governor Mike Easley was quoted as saying, "We can't find a boat builder who thinks it's a problem."
Albemarle Boats of Edenton, NC, Carolina Classic of Edenton NC, Cobia Boats of Marion NC, Grady White of Greenville NC, Jarrett Bay of Beaufort NC, Kencraft Boats of Wilson NC, Parker Marine of Beaufort NC,
Regulator Marine of Edenton NC, Riddick Boat Works of Rocky Mount NC, Shearline Boatsworks of Morehead City NC, and Southport Boatworks of Wilmington NC, are among the list of NC manufacturers that have repeatedly called and written letters to the Governor’s office and state legislators urging the support of H2167 as written.
Robin Parker of Parker Marine told us, "We have been speaking out against the Governor’s stand and his veto of H2167. This is a safe and "common sense" bill for recreational boating in NC. Statistics and history clearly show that recreational towing is not a danger to those traveling NC highways. The overwhelming support of the House and Senate clearly indicates that our state legislators understand how important this issue is to the residents and tourists of our state and its economy. They also recognize those towing recreationally require access to roads during less congested periods as well as during weekends and holidays. We applaud the legislators for their support of a special session to override the veto and support it as currently written."
Source
Staff Writers
BogueInletNC.com
