NYCkayaker 5 boro and the USCG

[bob1may at optonline.net]

I agree with Tim.33 CFR 100.15(a)An individual or organization planning to
hold a regatta or marine parade which, by its nature, circumstances or
location, will introduce extra or unusual hazards to the safety of life
on the navigable waters of the United States, shall submit an
application to the Coast Guard District.Does one kayak making this trip present an "extra or unusual hazard"?  Two?  Ten?  Fifty?It certainly seems that in cases such as this, there actually is safety in numbers.  A large (coherent) group of kayaks is more visible than a single or small group.  A group has many options for performing rescues.  A group has more eyes to keep watch for traffic.The circumnavigation last month was entirely uneventful.  Many past circumnavigations and harbor crossings have been entirely uneventful.We have already established that we do not present an "extra of unusual hazard".No permit necessary.Now, having already gone down the application road, it seems that we are simply going to comply with an unreasonable, and most likely unlawful request by the CG.Remember the "Question Authority" T shirts?Bob----- Original Message -----From: Tim Gamble Date: Wednesday, September 5, 2007 11:13 pmSubject: NYCkayaker 5 boro and the USCGTo: nyckayaker at rockandwater.net> I'd like to make one comment on all the USCG crazy rules.> > 4 or 5 years ago when the first large circumnavigation event was being> planned I argued long and hard, but unsuccessfully, with the > organizer NOT> to ask for a CG permit.> > My reasoning was that we should be free to run these kind of events> without asking permission to exercise our right to paddle. It is a> dangerous precedent to have to ask for permission, since once > you ask they> can say no, or they can put silly unreasonable limits on you.> > I learned this lesson long ago at the Downtown Boathouse when > planning our> annual race the Harrison St. Regatta. We don't ask for > permission, we run> the event safely, and we have up to 75 boats on the water at > once and it> all goes just fine.> > Now you are seeing some silly unreasonable limits being imposed, > and in> the case of motorized escorts you have expensive barriers being > put in> your way.> > What is next? requirement for a permit for every trip over some > arbitrarynumber of kayakers? Soon we will end up like the poor > bicyclists in> critical mass where the police decide a limit of the number of > people on> bikes to constitute a parade. Then when you apply for a permit > they say> no, then if you run the event anyway you are breaking the law > and they> arrest you. A fun event like critical mass has turned into a > civil rights> battle and a pissing contest between the bikers and the cops.> > If you run a tour correctly, and don't block commercial traffic, or> require a shutdown of the waterways you shouldn't need a permit, > and you> shouldn't ask for one, in my opinion.> > ---------------> Tim Gamble> 917-721-8851> **********************************************************************> The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, > and is a public service offered to the kayaking community by the > Hudson River Watertrail Association. Learn more about HRWA at > www.hrwa.org> To unsubscribe or change delivery options:> http://www.rockandwater.net/mailman/listinfo/nyckayaker> 
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