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Received via e-mail on October 14, 2005 from the American Canoe
Association (ACA)
- ACA Position on Canoe and Kayak
Registration
The ACA
is generally opposed to the registration of canoes and kayaks. While we
recognize that states have an incentive to register canoes and kayaks, and
also acknowledge that paddlers do impose some burden on boating
administrators, we believe most legislative and regulatory proposals are
excessive because the costs imposed on paddlers would be disproportionate to
the services paddlers receive. Here are some of the reasons the ACA opposes
registration:
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Canoes and kayaks do not
present the same enforcement burden and costs as do other craft. Canoes
and kayaks are not capable of breaking speed limits or putting other
waterway users at risk. Canoes and kayaks do not require expensive access
ramps like larger craft, they do not emit hydrocarbon pollution into our
waters, and because they are quieter, they are less likely to disturb
wildlife and waterfront homeowners. States should encourage paddling as a
non-polluting, healthy, mode of transportation and recreation.
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Vessel registration
typically requires the display of 3" registration numbers on the hulls of
each vessel. Paddlers sometimes have trouble making these numbers fit on
their craft, and also may have trouble making them stick for long periods
of time because of the chemicals used in the manufacturing process.
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State boating agencies
often resist suggestions that canoe/kayak registration dollars and the
resulting revenue received from the Wallop-Breaux Trust Fund be set aside
specifically to serve the needs of the paddling community. Paddlers are
reluctant to support registration without assurances that state agencies
would spend canoe/kayak registration monies on legitimate paddling-related
needs.
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Many paddlers own numerous
canoes and kayaks in order to accommodate the wide variety of water
conditions and paddling objectives. Avid paddlers often own in excess of
ten canoes and kayaks. Requiring registration of each canoe or kayak could
easily result in a typical paddler paying far more for registration than
other boaters.
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In addition to the
registration fees, the multi-digit registration numbers often will not
stay affixed to canoes and kayaks for more than a year and must be
frequently replaced. In some states, registration will also result in the
assessment of various local fees. Canoeing and kayaking are boating
activities that are available to people of modest income, and the
accumulation of used or new canoes and kayaks can stretch over many years.
For these paddlers, the costs associated with registration can suddenly
make owning/using these canoes or kayaks unaffordable.
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States with canoe and
kayak registration unwittingly encourage their resident paddlers to go
outside the state to paddle. Testimonials from paddlers in Ohio indicate
that they will more frequently paddle in neighboring states to avoid
registering all of their canoes and kayaks. This means that a state that
enacts canoe and kayak registration can expect to lose some
recreation-related revenue to neighboring states. Canoe/kayak registration
requirements can adversely impact tourism revenue by discouraging
out-of-state paddlers from visiting.
Federal
law only requires states to register motorized vessels. Many states have
also required that sailboats above a certain length also be registered.
Beyond that, the decisions become much more arbitrary. Canoe and kayak
registration seems to be largely driven by the realization that there are a
significant number of canoes and kayaks in operation. State boating agencies
associate those large numbers with revenue potential and the need and demand
for services such as law enforcement and rescue personnel.
Registration categories are often established by vessel length. In the
non-motorized realm, using boat-type and length to determine which craft
should be registered is problematic. Canoes and kayaks come in a
wide-variety of lengths, and any length-based registration law is likely to
require some paddlers to register while ignoring others. Also, registering
canoes and kayaks raises the question of whether such registration
requirements are fair unless surf skis, sail boards, rowing shells,
surfboards, rafts, and wave skis are also required to be registered.
What
is the ACA position on canoe/kayak registration?
The ACA believes that states should encourage and support canoeing and
kayaking as healthy, non-polluting activities. Most canoe/kayak registration
proposals that ACA has seen to date are onerous plans that would have the
result of discouraging participation in canoeing and kayaking. These
registration proposals typically reflect a lack of understanding about
paddlesports and a lack of research into the potential impact on paddlers.
State
boating agencies should have a clear record of collaborating with, and
serving the needs of the paddlesports community prior to seeking
funding support from paddlers. Registration or any other legislative
proposal affecting paddlers should be the result of collaboration between
paddlesports clubs and organizations and state boating officials. Paddlers
as well as state boating agencies should oppose registration efforts that
are not the result of such collaboration.
The ACA
will judge the merits of any registration bill that results from such
collaboration on a case-by-case basis. ACA will oppose any proposal that
fails to address the following issues:
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The merits of the
registration proposal must outweigh the bureaucratic and financial burden
to paddlers;
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The proposal must enjoy
widespread support from paddlers in the state and be endorsed by a
majority of the state's paddling clubs;
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The proposal cannot
require the placement of traditional boat numbers;
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The proposal should have a
fee structure that reflects the lower enforcement, access, and pollution
costs associated with canoes and kayaks;
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The proposal should ensure
that registration is convenient and affordable for paddlers that own
multiple canoes and kayaks; and
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The proposal must include
adequate guarantees that the funds derived from registration will be used
to effectively serve the needs and interests of the paddlesports
community.
- Above sent by:
- Paul Sanford, Director
- Stewardship and Public
Policy
- American Canoe
Association
- 7432 Alban Station
Blvd. Suite B-232
- Springfield, VA
22150-2311
- Phone: 703.451.0141
ext. 20
- Fax: 703.451.2245
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www.americancanoe.org
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