"Calif Bill" wrote in message
news

"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.

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.



Improper use may be more likely a false Mayday. We had one of those
locally last year, but he kept up the transmission long enough to be
found.
Bill



Around here, we get groups of idiots who get into long discussions of "where
the fish am at", on channel 16. But, I understand how hard it can be to
change channels without poking one's eye out.