In a victory for boaters and anglers, Friday’s passage of the Fixing
America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act also includes
reauthorization of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund
through the year 2020. After significant lobbying by Boat Owners
Association of The United States (BoatUS)
along with other boating and angling organizations, in 1984 Congress
passed legislation establishing what was then called the Wallop/Breaux
Trust Fund. Now called the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund,
it continues to serve as the backbone of boating safety,
infrastructure, clean water and fisheries conservation funding in the
United States.
The practical “user pay, everyone benefits” program uses federal boat
fuel and fishing tackle taxes to protect natural aquatic resources,
enhance boating safety and provide more recreational fishing and boating
opportunities. Since its inception, more than $7.5 billion has been
collected and allocated to the states. More recently since 2004, over
3.8 billion fish have been stocked, 11,000+ boat ramps and access sites
have been created or renovated and over 1,100+ transient boating
facilities built, 4.7 million students taught aquatic education, over
63,000 acres of fish habitat protected, and over half a million boaters,
sailors and anglers have completed an approved state boating safety
education course.
BoatUS, as a longtime champion of the Trust Fund along with other
members of the Angling and Boating Alliance (ABA), has worked tirelessly
to make certain it continues to be used for key boating and fishing
programs. Said BoatUS President Margaret Podlich, “Some in Washington
might have viewed these boater and angler tax dollars as a way to solve
their own budget problems. BoatUS along with the ABA made certain this
reauthorization ensures that the money boaters and anglers pay stays
intact for the intended use: saving lives, keeping our fish stocks
healthy and making it easier to enjoy the water.”
Podlich went on to state, “We appreciate the leadership of the
multiple House and Senate Committees that included the Trust Fund in the
FAST Act. Congressman Bill Shuster, Senator James Inhofe, Congressman
Peter DeFazio, Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator John Thune and Senator
Bill Nelson are all to be commended for their continuing support of
America’s boaters and anglers.”
Monday, December 7, 2015
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Four Tips for Buying a Used Boat Trailer
As the boating season ends in the northern climates, some boaters may
be looking to find a trailer to store the boat for the winter. If
you’re looking to buy a used boat trailer
now or planning on buying a boat that comes with a used trailer, Boat
Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has four buying tips:
Bring a measuring tape: With older trailers, the capacity plate or sticker may be long gone or too hard to read after being outside in the weather for years. But if you’d like to know a rough idea of a spring-axle trailer’s capacity, simply measure the diameter of the axle. An outer diameter (OD) axle tube size of 1.75” is typically rated for about one ton; 2.375” for 3,500 lbs.; and 3” for 5,200-7,000 lbs. – remember to subtract the weight of the trailer from the gross capacity.
Buying out of state: Trailers aren’t built the same because states’ trailering regulations aren’t the same. While most states require brakes for trailers rated to carry than more than 3,000 lbs., some states require brakes on trailers as light as 1,500 lbs., while a few others let you coast up to 4,500 pounds – although that’s not recommended. It can be expensive to retrofit brakes, and some states such as Florida require brakes on each axle. State-specific trailer registration information can be found at drivinglaws.aaa.com.
Why tire diameter matters: After an hour at highway speeds, a 13-inch tire will have spun 10,000 revolutions more than a 15-inch tire, which means more heat, bearing wear and increased chance of problems. Having a fully serviced spare tire ready to go – and the tools to install it – will solve many of the most common reasons for a trailer breakdown. If all else fails, having an annual BoatUS membership with Unlimited Trailer Assist roadside assistance to safely tow both your boat trailer and tow vehicle up to a 100 miles will make a bad roadside breakdown suddenly get much better.
Watch out for paperwork snafus: Not having ownership documents can sink a sale faster than you can say, “Did you put the plug in?” If the trailer is missing the vehicle identification number (VIN), it cannot be legibly read or doesn’t match ownership paperwork, you may run into an issue with the DMV and have to apply for a replacement. It’s better to have the seller handle this before the sale.
For a full look at this topic, see “Buying a Used Trailer?” at BoatUS.com/buyusedtrailer
Bring a measuring tape: With older trailers, the capacity plate or sticker may be long gone or too hard to read after being outside in the weather for years. But if you’d like to know a rough idea of a spring-axle trailer’s capacity, simply measure the diameter of the axle. An outer diameter (OD) axle tube size of 1.75” is typically rated for about one ton; 2.375” for 3,500 lbs.; and 3” for 5,200-7,000 lbs. – remember to subtract the weight of the trailer from the gross capacity.
Buying out of state: Trailers aren’t built the same because states’ trailering regulations aren’t the same. While most states require brakes for trailers rated to carry than more than 3,000 lbs., some states require brakes on trailers as light as 1,500 lbs., while a few others let you coast up to 4,500 pounds – although that’s not recommended. It can be expensive to retrofit brakes, and some states such as Florida require brakes on each axle. State-specific trailer registration information can be found at drivinglaws.aaa.com.
Why tire diameter matters: After an hour at highway speeds, a 13-inch tire will have spun 10,000 revolutions more than a 15-inch tire, which means more heat, bearing wear and increased chance of problems. Having a fully serviced spare tire ready to go – and the tools to install it – will solve many of the most common reasons for a trailer breakdown. If all else fails, having an annual BoatUS membership with Unlimited Trailer Assist roadside assistance to safely tow both your boat trailer and tow vehicle up to a 100 miles will make a bad roadside breakdown suddenly get much better.
Watch out for paperwork snafus: Not having ownership documents can sink a sale faster than you can say, “Did you put the plug in?” If the trailer is missing the vehicle identification number (VIN), it cannot be legibly read or doesn’t match ownership paperwork, you may run into an issue with the DMV and have to apply for a replacement. It’s better to have the seller handle this before the sale.
For a full look at this topic, see “Buying a Used Trailer?” at BoatUS.com/buyusedtrailer
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Boater’s Guide To Winterizing
Water expands in volume by about nine percent when it freezes,
creating a staggering force that can crack a boat engine block, damage
fiberglass, split hoses, or destroy a boat’s refrigeration system
overnight. As cold weather approaches, Boat Owners Association of The
United States (BoatUS) dug into its claims data and found that more than
three-quarters of winter-related claims involved cracks in the engine
block or the exhaust manifolds. Now, the national boating services,
safety and advocacy group has available at no-cost a 15-page “Boater's Guide to Winterizing” that can ensure boaters don’t miss a step for any type of boat.
“Boaters up North know they need to winterize, so their freeze claims almost always involve poor winterizing,” said BoatUS Director of Technical Services Beth Leonard. “In the temperate South, the issue can be a case of no winterizing, or relying on a heater when the electricity goes off, usually when you need it most.”
The downloadable brochure addresses the reasons for more than 95 percent of the freeze claims handled by the BoatUS Marine Insurance Program in the past decade. Included are chapters on: Storing your boat - The options and the tradeoffs; a Winterizing Checklist to use as the starting point for creating your own boat’s winterizing list; Engines and Drives - The dos and don’ts; and Plumbing - Getting the water out, which is great for larger boats.
Additional information includes tips on choosing antifreeze, lessons learned from BoatUS Consumer Affairs about protecting yourself with a winterization contract, and green winterizing information.
The checklist is available at www.BoatUS.com/winterizingguide.
“Boaters up North know they need to winterize, so their freeze claims almost always involve poor winterizing,” said BoatUS Director of Technical Services Beth Leonard. “In the temperate South, the issue can be a case of no winterizing, or relying on a heater when the electricity goes off, usually when you need it most.”
The downloadable brochure addresses the reasons for more than 95 percent of the freeze claims handled by the BoatUS Marine Insurance Program in the past decade. Included are chapters on: Storing your boat - The options and the tradeoffs; a Winterizing Checklist to use as the starting point for creating your own boat’s winterizing list; Engines and Drives - The dos and don’ts; and Plumbing - Getting the water out, which is great for larger boats.
Additional information includes tips on choosing antifreeze, lessons learned from BoatUS Consumer Affairs about protecting yourself with a winterization contract, and green winterizing information.
The checklist is available at www.BoatUS.com/winterizingguide.
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Pennsylvania Offers Kayak Fishing Instruction Classes
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has scheduled two
programs to provide an opportunity for anglers or kayak enthusiasts to
learn about the basics of in kayak fishing.
PFBC Kayak Fishing Programs will be held at these locations:
Jeff Woleslagle will be the guest instructor at the July 18 program. He is a freelance writer for the Pennsylvania Angler and Boater magazine with an expertise in kayak fishing.
Noah Heck will be the guest instructor at the August 1 program. He is an avid kayak angler who is the co-founder of the Kayak Anglers of Western PA tournament series.
Participants must be 16 years of age or older and have a valid Pennsylvania fishing license. This program is limited to 40 participants and pre-registration is required. There will be no registrations accepted the day of the event.
Pennsylvania fishing licenses may be purchased at any of the more than 900 license issuing agents and online at www.GoneFishingPa.com.
PFBC Kayak Fishing Programs will be held at these locations:
- July 18, Bald Eagle State Park – Hunter Run East launch, Centre County, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (For more information or to register)
- August 1, Moraine State Park – Bear Run launch, Butler County, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (For more information or to register)
Jeff Woleslagle will be the guest instructor at the July 18 program. He is a freelance writer for the Pennsylvania Angler and Boater magazine with an expertise in kayak fishing.
Noah Heck will be the guest instructor at the August 1 program. He is an avid kayak angler who is the co-founder of the Kayak Anglers of Western PA tournament series.
Participants must be 16 years of age or older and have a valid Pennsylvania fishing license. This program is limited to 40 participants and pre-registration is required. There will be no registrations accepted the day of the event.
Pennsylvania fishing licenses may be purchased at any of the more than 900 license issuing agents and online at www.GoneFishingPa.com.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Be Safe on July 4th Weekend
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Send This Timely Reminder
With
the summer season well underway, July 4 marks a major boating holiday.
Boaters will take to the water in a variety of watercraft on one of the
busiest boating weekends of the year. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat
Commission (PFBC) reminds boaters to have fun and stay safe this
Independence Day and throughout the entire boating season.
“According
to Pennsylvania’s boating accident reports, almost 80 percent of all
boating fatalities happen to boaters not wearing a life jacket,” reports
Laurel Anders, PFBC Director of Boating and Outreach. “You may think
the unexpected won’t happen to you. Don’t take that chance. Most
boating-related deaths are preventable. Wear your life jacket at all
times and insist your passengers do, too.”
Many
boaters don’t wear life jackets because they claim they can swim, they
want to look “cool” or they simply forget to carry them onboard. But the
unthinkable can happen.
“We
urge you to watch this video of family and friends as they speak about
the impact of a double-fatal boat accident,” Anders adds. “Their hope is
that their story will make other boaters think twice, boat smarter and
prevent another tragic boating accident from occurring.”
For more boating safety videos, visit https://www.youtube.com/user/PAfishandboat or http://WearItPennsylvania.com.
For boaters heading onto waters this season, the PFBC urges the following tips:
- Always wear a life jacket, even when not required. Many models are cool and comfortable for warm weather boating.
- Never boat alone.
- Keep a proper lookout. Always be aware of your surroundings.
- Leave a float plan and know the waters you plan to boat.
- Always check the weather and real-time river forecasts for the potential of hazardous high water.
- Bring a fully-charged cell phone with you in case of emergency.
- Boat smart and take a boating safety education course before you head out.
- Never drink and boat.
“Remember,
life jackets are the most important piece of safety equipment on a boat
and there’s no excuse not to ‘Wear It, Pennsylvania’”, adds Anders.
To learn more about life jacket wear, visit the PFBC website: http://fishandboat.com/lifejackets.htm.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Springtime Boating Tips
Across America at boat launch ramps, the familiar growl of boat motors waking up
from their long winter nap heralds the start of the boating season. But what
makes boating, fishing or sailing this time of year different from all others?
When it comes to safety, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS)
has three tips to answer that question:
- The water is still cold. Darn cold. Even though the white stuff is gone and you’re in a T-shirt and can feel the sun’s warmth on your face, lurking beneath your boat’s keel is water that could make breathing difficult or disable you in minutes after an accidental fall overboard. It’s a good idea to wear a comfortable life jacket, and if solo, rig a self-boarding ladder that can be deployed while in the water.
- Have backup plans. For a routine breakdown while underway, having an on water towing plan from BoatUS can help. However, most important is to leave a note, or “float plan,” for friends or family members advising them of your expected return. That’s because early in the season there are way-too-few boaters out there who could provide aid if something unexpected happened, and if no one knows where you are, you could be in a heap of trouble. A sample float plan can be found at: BoatUS.com/floatplan.
- The number one reason why boats sink in the springtime is being in a hurry to get in the water. Check every engine hose and clamp. Remove leaves in scuppers and clear clogged cockpit drains. Check to see that freezing water didn’t crack the sea strainer or seacock/valves. Go to BoatUS.com/springchecklist to get a copy of a Spring Fitting Out Safety Checklist.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Top Ten Boat Names
Big and small, power or sail, there are many different kinds of boats and so
many different kinds of boat owners. But the one thing they seem to agree on is
how boating makes them feel, at least if your looking at a boat’s name on the
transom. “Serenity” has been named the #1 boat name for the second year in a row
with the release of the 2015 list of Top Ten Boat Names from Boat Owners
Association of The United States (BoatUS). It is also the name’s tenth
appearance on the popular list of boat names issued annually since 1992 by the
recreational boat advocacy, service and safety group. “Calm, peaceful and
untroubled is what boating is all about for so many boaters,” said BoatUS
spokesman Scott Croft.
The BoatUS 2015 list of Top Ten Boat Names:
“Picking a boat name can be harder than naming one’s own child,” said Croft, who has had to name several of his boats through the years. “Boat names can reflect your lifestyle, your relationship to loved ones or what you do for a living. And that’s only the beginning.” For the record, Croft’s first boat name was “Constitution” because, “We happened to name her on a July 4th weekend and I had only a limited choice of ugly hardware store letters.” For his second boat name, Croft chose “Aiden R.” after his only son and used the BoatUS graphics service. “Kids sometimes think it’s pretty cool to have their name on a boat. It’s also a real safe bet for parent to choose – but only if you have one child,” he said with a smile.
The BoatUS Graphics service also offers easy video instructions on how to remove or add a graphic to a boat as well a 30-day “Oops Assurance Guarantee” that allows the buyer to receive replacement decals free of charge if the graphic was damaged during installation. For more, go to BoatUS.com/boatnames.
The BoatUS 2015 list of Top Ten Boat Names:
- Serenity
- Seas the Day
- Andiamo (Italian for “let’s go”)
- Aquaholic
- Second Wind
- Island Time
- Happy Ours
- Journey
- Serendipity
- Relentless
“Picking a boat name can be harder than naming one’s own child,” said Croft, who has had to name several of his boats through the years. “Boat names can reflect your lifestyle, your relationship to loved ones or what you do for a living. And that’s only the beginning.” For the record, Croft’s first boat name was “Constitution” because, “We happened to name her on a July 4th weekend and I had only a limited choice of ugly hardware store letters.” For his second boat name, Croft chose “Aiden R.” after his only son and used the BoatUS graphics service. “Kids sometimes think it’s pretty cool to have their name on a boat. It’s also a real safe bet for parent to choose – but only if you have one child,” he said with a smile.
The BoatUS Graphics service also offers easy video instructions on how to remove or add a graphic to a boat as well a 30-day “Oops Assurance Guarantee” that allows the buyer to receive replacement decals free of charge if the graphic was damaged during installation. For more, go to BoatUS.com/boatnames.
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