hot water

I live in a Nothern California Delta waterfront community. Over the years it has silted in to the point where many boats cannot get off their hydrohoists at low tide. And polishing props in the mud is a common occurence. After a few years of going through the enviromental process and spending over 200k in fees we will finally be able to dredge next year. But only in a three month time window. And we havent even paid for dredging yet.

This weekend San Francisco Offshore sponsored a run to Suisun City. We entered into a gorgeous multi milllion dollar Marina Facilty. Unfortunetly, it was low tide and all of us were dredging mud all the way to the guest docks. Our enviromental laws are so strict that this Marina is now almost rendered useless. And this is the case with many of our Marinas here.

These laws are affecting all of us across the United States. And they all don't revolve around dredging. We all know about the Manatees in Florida.

Thanks to the Environmentalists our right to go boating is on the endangered species list.

It is time to put some common sense back into our Environmental Policies.

How can we accomplish this? Where do we start? Is there a nationwide boating organization that will hear our voice and lobby in our defense. Where do I send the check?

We need to be heard.

I know its Monday and I'm grumpy but I've had it with this overzealous environmental crap.

Dean Ferry

Hot Water,
I feel your pain, (in the ass)! You need to get your local ELECTED officals involved as they are the ONLY officals you can hold accountable, (With your vote!). Alot of the Regional Planning boards or State waterway/Wildlife commissions are APPOINTED positions, so they are immune from the wrath of the general public! Try contacting NMMA or BoatUS, they SUPPPOSEDLY have lobbists in DC, BUT so far, neither has done much to help us powerboaters here in FL.
We've started a couple of grassroots boaters/H2O water front property owners groups to FIGHT this B/S. Here are their websites;
www.standing-watch.org
www.cfwbrevard.org
Check out these websites and you see how we generally approach these issues from all sides.
Call me (407)-306-3636 work Ph.#, if you want, and I'll give you all the help I can. Hang in there, there is strength in numbers, and we are definitely getting bigger and louder!!
Dean
PS Alot of the eco-radical groups feel that we DON'T have the right to boat in the state/national waterways!

hot water

Dean,

Thanks for your response. After some research I have found the Recreational Boaters of California (www.rboc.org) to help me on the State level. I was hoping to get a larger response from the Offshore Only forum. ( Maybe too heavy of a topic on a Monday.)

I will check into the other organizations you mentioned.

Thanks for your number I may be calling soon. Good luck in Florida

Dean Ferry

HW,
I checked out rboc site and that's a great place to start. Feel free to call me, I'll try to help out as much as I can. The lack of OSO response is kinda typical, in that people DON'T like to get involved until something effects them. It used to bother me that I can't even get the FL. boaters to get involved, BUT alias, if you want it done right, you've got to do it yourself! You will find there are about a dozen people on the OSO BB that are concerned about all these eco-radical organizations SHUTTING down outdoor activities all over the USA, and the rest, I'm not sure. I just hope they never have to endure what we Fl. boaters and you folks on the Delta are going through!!
Hope this helps,
Dean