Washington State proposal to license paddle sports

[BBSebens]

One State rep wants to enact a safety course and license requirement for all paddle sports, similar to what is currently needed for powered vessels. I appreciate the sentiment of safety, but I don’t think this is the way to accomplish it. Thoughts??

Link:
https://mynorthwest.com/2495128/kaya...rd-washington/

[Canoeyawl]

I think they are looking at revenue...

[Garret]

I think they are looking at revenue...

Bingo. Well that & being able to mind more of people's business.

[Rich Jones]

Yep... they're just looking for another way to get money out of your pocket.

[Brian Palmer]

It won't generate any revenue, either. Most people aren't going to pay real money to learn how to use something that costs only a few hundred dollars and consists of basically a board or boat and a paddle. Our canoe club charges a very nominal fee for American Canoe Association-certified canoe and kayak instruction. The people who take the courses are the ones who are already committed to developing the skills. If you require a safety course for the occasional paddler, they just won't do it.
Imagine if you tried to do this with bicycles?
The money would be better spent on PSAs on TV and billboards, maybe.

[jpatrick]

This measure is completely nuts. It's unenforceable and unnecessary. The people who really need some sort of water safety training won't get it just because the law requires them to do so. And that's if (a big if) they even know about the regulation/law. But the real evil in this proposal is that it will essentially criminalize an activity that is a personal choice.

I will be writing my state rep to urge dismissal of this proposed legislation.

Jeff

[Art Haberland]

next they will want to register the kayaks and canoes.

[Chris-on-the-Boat]

Ah, licensing, annual registration, administration fees, late fees, etc. For a paddleboard.

This from the same state that wants you to pay sales tax on a boat you've owned for ten years if you move into the state.

[wizbang 13]

Gentrification.
Gimme that third world for yachting....

[wizbang 13]

Dori Monson Show.... local right wing prick.

[Todd Bradshaw]

next they will want to register the kayaks and canoes.

I lived in Illinois when they pulled that crap. The pitch was that our facilities would the be improved with more launch ramps (It's a freaking canoe, we don't need no stinkin' launch ramps!). It would also make is easier to locate stolen canoes (as if the cops are going to be out there hunting for them). "Yes officer, it was a canoe and it was green, so if you see a green canoe, pull them over, as that's bound to be the one".

At first, they were thinking about requiring the typical 3" tall registration numbers, but they eventually backed off on that part and only required a sticker. As a dealer, I suggested that at a minimum they could at least design a sticker reflecting canoe heritage in the state instead of the ugly state sticker currently in use on powerboats. No luck there. Or a smaller sticker, since most canoe and kayak paddlers aren't able to bolt and run away from a warden in a Lund with a 90 horse Evinrude on the back of it, so long distance visibility isn't a huge issue. Maybe just a card that you could carry in your wallet? No, it must be visible - we don't want criminals paddling around in canoes.

Another problem was that numbers and stickers don't stick well to polyethylene rotomolds and other plastic boats. These days, with all the cheap kayaks and paddleboards there are probably ten times as many plastic boats out there as there were back then. The revenue, which was pitched to be used to improve boating in the state, was just dumped into the general fund instead. My personal solution was to move all my boats to our place in northern Wisconsin and I never paddled in Illinois again.

Minnesota used to require registration of out of state boats when we would go up there on Boundary Waters/Quetico trips. They would give you a receipt when you paid and mail you a sticker. It would arrive at home about three weeks later, after the trip, and could be thrown away.

[Etdbob]

They can have my paddle when they pry it from my cold, dead hands....