NYCkayaker Coast Guard and Kayakers

[bob1may at optonline.net]

50 human-powered boats in the harbor present a hazard to navigation, but 50 human-powered boats + 5 support boats do not?----- Original Message -----From: David Gottlieb Date: Thursday, September 20, 2007 9:00 amSubject: Re: NYCkayaker Coast Guard and KayakersTo: bob1may at optonline.net, nyckayaker > I¹ve been silent on this... But will now put in my two cents...> > Although I don¹t think motorized support vessels are needed for > every group> of kayakers in NYC waters ‹ and I don¹t think it will come to > this ‹ I do> believe that Coast Guard's request for support boats are > warranted in> certain situations, such as 50 human-powered boats in the 5-boro > Rambleparticularly when they are crossing NY Harbor between > Brooklyn and Staten> Island. The amount of commercial boat traffic going in and out > of the harbor> there can be numerous. And the CG has the right to be concerned. > They are> very busy on any given day, rescuing boaters on vessels that are > sending out> an emergency signal.  There request for support vessels in heavily> trafficked waters should not cause Erik frustration, but an > understanding of> what the Coast Guard goes through every day. I will give you one > example.> Quite a few years ago, the Catamaran I was sailing on in Cape > Cod Bay went> over, and my friend and I, despite all our efforts could not > right the boat,> even though we had done it before. It was dusk and the Coast > Guard, came as> quickly as possible. The crew had already rescued two different > ships out in> the Atlantic that day.  I had spent an hour in the water > attaching ropes to> the Cat so they could right it.  It turned out there was a crack > in one of> the boat¹s pontoons and part of it had filled with water ‹ that > is why> despite all our efforts to right the cat we couldn't. Just after > they raised> our boat they received another distress call in the Atlantic > about two hours> off shore.  If they had received that call a few minutes earlier > they would> have abandoned the catamaran and let her drift or sink, because > life is more> important than a boat.> > The CG deserves applause and when they ask for support vessels > to back up a> large group of kayakers, the dialog should never be frustrating, but> understanding, cooperative and accommodating. Perhaps the Coast > Guard, from> what I hear, felt frustrated with the five-boro ramble. What > worries me is> that the Coat Guard¹s frustration with your negotiations may in > somewaydamage the good rapport many kayaking organizations have > with the CG. The> CG¹s job is to prevent accidents> > By the way, I can assure you there is an incredible amount of > large ship> traffic that goes through the NY harbor. Have you ever looked > out the window> as a plane as it is circling over the NY Metropolitan area. > There are> hundreds of huge vessels that appear to be lined up entering and > leaving the> harbor at one given time. The CG has the responsibility to try > to prevent> large organized groups that tend to spread out all over the > place from> having an injury or death. If you don¹t want the CG to implement> requirements for a support vessel, than my suggestion is to keep > your group> small. If you have fifty boats crossing the harbor, then you > should expect> the CG to be concerned.> > I¹m glad the ramble was a success and hope to join you next > year, if> possible.> > All my Best, David> > > On 9/19/07 1:38 PM, "bob1may at optonline.net" >  wrote:> > > Well stated Eric.> > > > Absolutely the CG is a necessary and important agency, with a > lot of good> > people doing their best to do a difficult job.> > > > While I don't believe that events such as the ramble meets the > standards of> > "extra or unusual hazards to the safety of life on the > navigable waters" that> > require the organizers to file a permit application, I agree > that it is good> > and fine idea to "notify" the CG, and even seek their advice > in planing.> > > > My argument was with the CG's imposition of "required" safety > vessels.  By my> > reading of the law, the CG does not have the authority to make > such a> > requirement.> > > > If the CG want's to suggest safety vessels, fine.  If the > event organizers> > want to voluntarily implement the suggestion - and have the > financial means to> > do so, fine.> > > > But acceding - without question - to a "requirement" that may > not be lawful is> > wrong.> > > > Bob> > > > ----- Original Message -----> > From: Erik Baard > > Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 12:52 pm> > Subject: NYCkayaker Coast Guard and Kayakers> > To: nyckayaker > > > > > > Hi All,> >  > > I didn't dive into the debate over kayaker consultation with > the U.S. Coast> > Guard earlier because I was too busy planning and executing > the Ramble. One> > thing that must be kept in mind is context.> >  > > Meeting CG requirements and adhering to CG methods was a great > source of> > frustration, though I am grateful for the daily work of that > agency to keep> > our harbor safe from accidents and worse. Kayakers shouldn't > be put off by the> > Ramble in 2008 because it's produced in concert with the CG. > Remember, this is> > an event to promote a NYC Department of Parks and Recreation > endeavor,> co-sponsored by the city and the Metropolitan > Waterfront Alliance. Those two> > entities have a host of legitimate reasons for needing to > bring the CG aboard> > and satisfy the demands that such a relationship entails. This > is not a> > spontaneous paddle, or a paddle shared by a group of friends > peer-to-peer,> > however large. > >  > > What the Ramble does work to achieve, however, is the > establishment of more> > launches. The presence of those launches will enable many, > many more> > spontaneous outings, and tours of kayak groups. So I view this > as an> > investment: we put our energies into working with the CG for > this event, and> > reap the reward of a more fully accessible harbor. With more > places to pull> > out, we'll have a strong argument that for most trips there's > less of a need> > for safety boats and such.> >  > > I hope that makes sense.> >  > > Salty regards,> >  > > Erik> > > > Erik Baard> > > > http://www.licboathouse.org > > http://www.naturecalendar.com> >  > > > > > > > **********************************************************************> 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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