One poster was right - AL pols (like all state legislators) only care what AL voters think - so letters/e-mails from outsiders don't mean much.

Having your lakes' use and operations controlled by power companies is a real shame - and maybe that's why a lot of people just throw their hands up...

That said - this does represent a bigger problem that won't go away--and one that will touch everyone sooner or later, one way or another. On some of our local lakes, the high-rollers don't like the loud bars, so they buy 'em and turn em into condos or housing developments. Pretty soon, if you don't live on the lake, you won't be able to go there and enjoy it. They'd probably like to ban our loud fast boats, too...

I went back and found the text from an email just I sent BoatUS Consumer Affairs division ......
I included my membership number and other pertinent info about who I am. Hope it helps and I at least get a response from them.


To whom it may concern,

I have been a member of this fine organization since I bought my first boat at age 22. I have since moved into "performance boats" that BoatUS will not insure but have still been a vocal proponent of the help BoatUS provides all boaters and the value of insuring boats with BoatUS.
With that, I am concerned about something going on in the state of Alabama. Alabama's Governor Riley has signed HB 756 into law which was recently challenged and upheld in court. This ruling makes certain boats illegal on 3 Alabama lakes based solely of size and/or speed. I converse occasionally with one of the parties involved in this "fight" and was told BoatUS was contacted but not interested in joining their cause. Please tell me I have been mis-informed.
Of even more concern is that the initial proposed law would have effected 11 state lakes. Under some local opposition, the proposal was reduce to just 3 lakes. Now, just 1 month after getting this law passed on those 3 lakes, a 4th lake is being targeted for the same legislation. A precedence has been set in the first ruling, I ask BoatUS in get involved and keep this from happening at more and more lakes across the country.

I would be happy to provide more consumer input and put you in touch with the Plantiff's who fought (and lost) the first "battle" with the state of Alabama and it's high powered Power Company.


Russ Carter

Let us know how that goes. I have been considering joining that organization, but if that's their attitude about protecting the rights of ALL boaters, then I will think twice about that. :(

In our fight with the State of Fl, The USFWS and the almighty $TM, BoatUS was nowhere to found, and could CARE LESS!:angry-smiley-038:
Good luck,
Dean

[QUOTE=Schweitz58;2525963]One poster was right - AL pols (like all state legislators) only care what AL voters think - so letters/e-mails from outsiders don't mean much.

The good thing sending email is that they do not know where you are from unless you tell them. :D

Thanks!

It's because those people don't own boats!

Or they have crappy ones. ;) :D

One tactic may be to tell everyone, including those homeowner groups supporting the ban, that this is just a foot in the door to banning ALL boats on the lake including theirs. First, it is the larger faster ones, then ski boats, then fishing boats, and finally all boats. It is not as if this type of thing hasn't happened before. Then you would have a much larger group of people behind you.

Michael

That is already in the works, as well as signed petitions. The emails are phase one of the plan because they are easy and get there immediately! We are still fighting the original ban on the other lakes also. Thanks for the support!