[Breakwater]

Lets look at the proposed law...

270:133 Braun Bay. No person shall form or allow the boat which he or she is operating or in charge of to be a member of a raft consisting of 3 or more boats in Braun Bay at any time when there are already 3 rafts consisting of 3 or more boats in Braun Bay. In this section, “raft” shall have the same meaning as in RSA 270:42, IV. Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a violation.

It is my recoomendation, as a user of the bay, that we support this bill!!! Why?

As written, this bill seems to allow for three rafts of three of three boats which is currently illegal! It does not speak to any of the current rafting practices in Braun Bay! If everyone else (other than the first three rafts of three) continues to limit their raft to 2 boats and maintains the proper spacing, Rep. Patten has simply allowed more boats in the "No Rafting Zone".

My question for Rep. Patten is:

1. Do our elected officials and adjacent property owners remember the Braun Bay of the 1980' and early 90's?? It has come a long way. Maybe they should do their homework!

2.Which law do we obey? RSA 270:44 or the proposed 270:133

"RSA 270:44-Size of Rafts; Separation of Rafts and Single Boats. – Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, no person shall, in a prohibited location or at a prohibited time:
I. Form or allow the boat which he is operating or in charge of to be a member of a raft consisting of 3 or more boats;" (allows a max of 2 boats)

Does she now intend to allow rafts of 3 boats?

3. Do you remember when Braun Bay was regulated like every other zone in the State where rafting had to be 150' from shore? After several hearings conducted by the Dept. of Safety at Moultonborough Academy, the administrative rule for Braun Bay was changed to allow anchoring w/in 75' of shore. The reasoning for this was the fact that the prime anchoring area abutted State property. This was viewed as a compromise between the competing uses of our public waters. A compromise that RSA 270:1, II and III declares.

270:1 Declaration of Policy. –

II. In the interest of maintaining the residential, recreational and scenic values which New Hampshire public waters provide to residents of the state and to the promotion of our tourist industry, and in light of the fact that competing uses for the enjoyment of these waters, if not regulated for the benefit of all users, may diminish the value to be derived from them, it is hereby declared that the public waters of New Hampshire shall be maintained and regulated in such way as to provide for the safe and mutual enjoyment of a variety of uses, both from the shore and from water-borne conveyances. Such provisions shall take into consideration the following: the variety of special uses appropriate to our lakes, public safety, protection of environment and water quality, and the continued nurture of New Hampshire's threatened and endangered species.
III. It is the intent of the legislature to recognize in RSA 270:42-46 that the cumulative effect of boats congregated as ""rafts'' differs from that of the same number of boats scattered and, therefore, requires specific appropriate regulation.

Let's pass this legislation and prove a point!

Sorry for the long post-