Boat U.S. - January 2008 - (Page 16) memberforum LettersToEditor@BoatUS.com License, License and Registration, Please Your November "Behind the Buoy" was unbelievably naive. The new U.S. Coast Guard ploy would require two IDs instead of the one previously proposed! First, there would be the government-issued photo ID, and additionally there would be an ID card proving that you had completed a safety course. You're right — "a new course has been set." It leads to the shoals. as it requires removal of the engine. A good repair technician should be able to diagnose which one is the problem. Mike Lauro Lodi, CA Crash Prevention Leon Weech Fort Pierce, FL A Matter of Taste Renato H. Rojas, whose letter was in the November issue of BoatU.S. Magazine, seems to be confused. He refers to an article in the September issue about snagging paddlefish. He says he is blushing with shame. I have no idea why. I also do not understand what sportsmanship has to do with it. The reason people snag the prehistoric, inoffensive paddlefish that feed on plankton is the same reason that people kill the historic, inoffensive cows that feed on grass. They taste good. In fact, they taste very good. Down home we called them "boneless catfish.” They are delicious. I am told that their eggs can be fixed up in a dish similar to caviar, but I have never tried that so I can't say. I have been fishing for 60 years now, since I was 8 years old. I have never noticed that it took a lot of intelligence to fish. I do it to relax and I love it. If a fish decides to take the bait that I am offering, it is a bonus. Edward J. Berry Cahokia, IL Your article, "Crash Tests Tell Tales,” in the November issue really hit home with me. Some of my friends laugh at the precautions I take when boating, particularly at night. My concern for safety is the result of having been in a boating accident when I was a teenager — an accident that could have, but thankfully did not, kill a good friend of mine. I try to avoid boating at night. If I do go out, I make sure every darn light on my boat is on, so other boaters have no excuse for ramming into me. And I'm not shy about using the radio or even spotlight to alert a negligent boater of my presence. Even so, I have been in situations on the Intracoastal where drunken boaters have nearly collided with my boat — on more than one occasion. The nature of boat design is such that probably very little can be done to make boats more crash-worthy. Car safety features would either be too heavy, expensive, or unreliable if applied to a marine environment. Thus, it is incumbent on the user to take precautions to prevent collisions in the first place. Keep up the good work. The photos accompanying your article are instructive for any boater. Perhaps we should see more of these types of pictures to remind us of the possible consequences of negligent boat operation. Bob Bell Jekyll Island, GA rockfish” (of which there are dozens of species) are overfished, which is absolutely untrue. But it is exactly that type of statement that continues to be used by extremists that currently seek to deny all or nearly all fishing opportunities, including recreational, off our coast. There are currently only a handful of Pacific rockfish species that are protected by no-take rules or are considered “overfished.” It has been proven that others that were in danger are either fully recovered or well on their way to recovery. California recreational fishermen are increasingly losing their fishing opportunities by an MLPA process that is fueled by misinformation, questionable science and misleading statements such as the one in this article. Ray Cloud Santa Maria, CA The Gear to Have Offshore Seals Leak Too I've enjoyed your Seaworthy series on why boats sink. In "Part Two" you left out one important reason why boats sink — the transom seal between the outdrive and the hull of the vessel. It may not have as high a failure rate as the rubber bellows, but please don't overlook this seal. As I found out from experience, if this seal leaks, it will pour water into a bilge that, in my case, never had so much as a teaspoon of water in it for five years. After a repair attempt to replace the shift boot, exhaust and drive shaft bellows, this was found to be the culprit. Unfortunately it's an expensive repair 16 BoatU.S. Magazine January 2008 Too Wide a Net I’ve been a member for many years and BoatU.S. usually has my unmitigated support. I am, however, appalled at a statement that appeared in the November issue of BoatU.S. Magazine, in the article “California Adds More Marine Protected Areas” on page 11. The article states, “The purpose of the California act is to set aside certain areas or underwater ecosystems for scientific study with little or no human disturbance and to provide protection for overfished species like Pacific rockfish.” I take serious exception to that statement. It explicitly implies that all “Pacific In the latest issue, I read with some degree of irritation that yet another boater (or hiker or mountain climber — fill in the blank) — this time off California was in a place they know can kill you fast (the ocean), but without the proper gear. While I'm glad they were rescued, here are some suggestions these people need to take to heart, and I could add a few more: • Bring a heavy-duty battery pack capable of powering a VHF radio. Then connect the radio to the boat's antenna for serious reach. If the boat doesn't have an antenna, get one. My power pack has jumper cables, a built-in light, and socket for power take-off. This is no toy — it's the same kind tow truck drivers carry, and recharges at any 110v outlet, including my car if need be. • Carry a handheld GPS so you can give people your position. • Better yet, carry an EPIRB. I gave one to my father for his Cessna — $700. If someone can afford a sailboat, they can afford an EPIRB. Hans Hug, Jr. Exeter, NH A Reliable GPS Backup I read with interest that solar flares knocked out GPS systems in December 2006. Isn't it strange that just a couple of years ago we boaters had to fight to keep Loran active using the very arguments that GPS was susceptible to interference and
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