SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2015
M ARINE B OARD
Labor Day Weekend is one
of the top three boating week-
ends of the year on many
Oregon lakes and rivers,
attracting thousands to the
alluring banks and warmest
water of the season.
To keep things fun and safe,
the Oregon State Marine Board
suggests using your thinking
cap as you plan your water get-
away:
• Don’t drink and boat. The
Marine Board encourages
boaters and persons floating on
the waterways, to leave the
alcohol on shore. It’s safer for
everyone.
If arrested for Boating Under
the Influence of Intoxicants
(BUII), violators have been
fined up to $7,500, can lose
boating privileges for up to
three years and even serve jail
time. Consumption of intoxi-
cants on many Oregon water-
ways are up, and so are acci-
dents and fatalities involving
alcohol.
So far this year, 12 people
have lost their lives in recre-
ational boating incidents, half
of which involve drugs and
alcohol, and all of the victims
OFFERS TIPS FOR FUN , SAFE WEEKEND
have been male.
• Know your waterway. “Be
familiar with your surroundings
and always keep a sharp look-
out throughout your trip,” says
Ashley
Massey,
Public
Information Officer for the
Marine Board. “Stumps, dead-
heads and sand and gravel bars
can appear out of nowhere with
water depth changes. Start out
slow and get your bearings.
Water levels around the state
are very low.”
• Know what rules apply.
“There are all types of water-
craft on the market; some are
considered boats and others are
pool toys,” Massey adds.
“Boats are designed differently,
and by state law, have specific
equipment requirements such
as having enough properly fit-
ted life jackets and a sound pro-
ducing device, like a whistle.
“Attach the whistle to your life
jacket and you’re set.”
Massey suggests that if you
plan to float the river, keep in
mind that pool toys are
designed for use in a swimming
pool; they have no directional
control and puncture easily in
rivers.
If you are planning a relax-
ing float, do so in a watercraft
designed for the river; one
which won’t easily puncture
and comes properly equipped
with a paddle so you can
maneuver away from obstruc-
tions.
• Wear your life jacket. Each
boat (including kayaks, inflat-
able boats and canoes) must
have a properly fitting life jack-
et for each person on board and
at least one sound producing
device, like a whistle.
Life jackets need to be in
good shape and readily accessi-
ble, and not under a hatch or in
its packaging.
All youth younger than age
13 must wear a life jacket when
in a boat that’s underway. U.S.
Coast Guard statistics show
that over half of all boating
fatalities occur with small boats
on calm waterways, in sunny
conditions.
Ninety percent of boating
fatality victims this year were
not wearing a life jacket, on par
with Oregon’s average of 85-90
percent over the last 30 years.
• Sit on the seat. The growth
of wake surfing is luring many
people to ride on the swim plat-
form, stern, sides and the bow
of unenclosed boats. The stern
can be a dangerous place for
exposure to carbon monoxide
and a prop-strike safety hazard.
It is illegal to ride on the
bow, decks, gunwales or tran-
soms of a motor boat when the
boat is underway. Sitting on
designated seat cushions is the
safest place to be — especially
when the boat is towing some-
one.
• Slow down and keep a
sharp lookout. Know the boat-
ing regulations for your area of
operation. Always obey the
“slow no-wake” buoys or signs.
Boaters are responsible for
their wake. Remember to slow
down within 200 feet of a dock,
launch ramp, marina, moorage,
floating home or boathouse,
pier or swim float.
Be courteous with paddlers
who are also sharing the water-
way. Wakes can easily swamp
low-freeboard paddle craft.
Don’t allow your wakes to
generate negative attention
from other boaters, property
owners, and possibly result in a
citation.
• Carry your boater educa-
tion card. All boaters operating
boats over 10 hp need to have a
boater education card. Youth
ages 12-15 who operate a
powerboat 0-10 hp alone must
carry a boater education card.
When operating a powerboat
greater than 10 hp, youth must
be supervised by a card-holding
adult age 16 or older.
When operating a personal
watercraft, the supervising
adult must be 18 or older.
Educated boaters are much
less likely to be involved in
boating accidents because they
know the “rules of the road.”
• Carry your aquatic invasive
species prevention permit. For
registered motorized craft, your
boat registration and current
decals act as proof of payment
into the program.
For non-motorized water-
craft 10 feet long and longer,
such as canoes, kayaks, sail-
boats, paddleboards and inflat-
able rafts, the operator needs to
physically carry a permit when
out on the water. The cost is $7
for non-motorized craft and can
be purchased through any
ODFW field office or licensing
agent.
Permits are valid until Dec.
31 of the year issued. Tyvek
tags (waterproof permits) are
sold through the Marine
Board’s online storefront and
various Marine Board permit
dealers. Tyvek tags are $5 for
the annual permit and $10 for a
two-year permit.
This program is self-funded
and permit fees support aquatic
invasive species detection,
decontamination, signage and
education materials for boaters.
Marine officers will be on the
water to assist boaters and help
keep the waterways safe.
The top violations so far this
summer involve not having life
jackets, failure to carry a boater
education card or aquatic inva-
sive species permit, and not
having current boat registration
decals.
Other violations involve
reckless operation and drugs
and alcohol impairment.
“Boating is the best escape,
and a long weekend before
heading back to school and
other responsibilities makes it
even better,” Massey said.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
2 B
Restrictions eased in time for Labor Day Weekend
ROSEBURG — Umpqua
National
Forest
officials
announced a reduction of
Public Use Restrictions across
the Forest. Effective immedi-
ately, campfires are allowed in
fire rings within designated
campgrounds.
Charcoal briquettes can only
be used in Forest Service-pro-
vided fire rings and grills.
The change in Public Use
Restrictions comes just in time
for Labor Day weekend.
Visitors looking to enjoy the
end of summer will find most
campgrounds open across the
Forest.
Last week, Broken Arrow
and Threehorn campgrounds
re-opened to the public. Some
campsites can be reserved at
www.recreation.gov, though
those sites fill up quickly.
There are many first come,
first served campsites available
throughout the national forest
for campers looking to get out
into nature for the holiday
weekend. To find just the right
campground, visit www.fs.
usda.gov/recmain/umpqua/recr
eation.
While the cooler weather has
allowed for an ease in Public
Use Restrictions, fire season is
not over. The public is asked to
be cautious while recreating on
the Umpqua National Forest.
For more information about
recreation or fire information
on the Umpqua National
Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov
/umpqua.
Visit the Siuslaw News
online at
WWW.THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM
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