NYCkayaker HARP organization

[mark handy]

[changed the subject line away from the Times article]

Ralph:

How did the HPBG decide what actions to take?  Was it consensus-based, majority rule, weighted majority rule, or based on what individuals decided to do on their own after discussion?

What were the members -- individual persons, organizations, or both?  How many people came to meetings?

Was it focused on waters adjoining Manhattan below 125th Street?

Off the top of my head, I would be inclined toward a pretty formal organization, with bylaws, officers, dues, and the like. I would make members of individuals only, but with an option for organizations to enter all their members as HARP members at greatly reduced rates (maybe $10 versus $30 a year).  Creating such a HARP would be a lot of work and would trample on our individualism a bit, but I'm not convinced that a less structured group could get anything decided.  Also, a highly structured group, with titles and a budget and clear decisions, could present itself to the powers-that-be more impressively.

I would join such a HARP, or probably any HARP.  But I have some doubts on whether City paddlers are ready to support any unified body. We aren't directly threatened with more regulation at this time. The recent, real threats of loss of access and storage downtown were answered, as far as I know, in a non-unified way.  If we won't rally against a real threat, will we rally against a conjectured threat?

Also, would we be called HARPies?

Mark

  

-----Original Message-----
From: ralph diaz <ralphdiaz at optonline.net>
Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 18:10:18 
To:David Gottlieb <peekamoose at optonline.net>, Erik Baard <erik at baard.com>,       nyckayaker at rockandwater.net
Subject: Re: NYCkayaker NY Times: The Lure of Seeing a Hushed City at Water
 Level

The problem remains that power boaters are greater in influence than kayakers based on the strength of their numbers and powerful industries that thrive on them from boat manufacturers through marinas, fuel suppliers and after market products and services such as repair.  So they can lobby against regulation better than can rowers and paddlers. 
  
The Harbor Association of Rowers and Paddlers (HARP) as proposed by Eric among others is a good idea that should be launched soon.  Eric is familiar with an earlier successful group, HPBG (Human Powered Boating Group) that was initiated by Jim Wetteroth of the Downtown Boathouse and which I headed with a lot of help from DTBH, the two kayaking companies and people like Bonnie, Michael Glass, etc..  HPBG had some 25 paddling and rowing groups as well as outfitters supporting it.  We headed off possible night time restriction on human powered boats, created a modus operandi with the cross river ferries and focused enforcement authorities to crack down on harassment of rowers and paddlers by renegade jet skiers, which was becoming more numerous and dangerous.  Obviously more things are at stake now especially preserving and improving access.  A HARP group would be just as beneficial as was its predecessor the HPBG.  All it takes is a bit of organization and other harbor users will pay attention as will public officials. 
  
ralph diaz  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: David 
  Gottlieb: <mailto:peekamoose at optonline.net>  
That being said, I believe potential regulation of kayakers appears to be completely arbitrary, considering the amount of irresponsible power boaters out there, many under the influence of all sorts of substances, who are not regulated any more than we kayakers are. 
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