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Old 03-29-2007, 03:34 PM   #19
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Default Loopholes, gotta love those loopholes!

Good one Nightwing.

Now here's the rub. Below I post the statutory definition of a houseboat. Now, there is only the banning overnight of HOUSEBOATS, but no general statute banning other boats!

Some say that the "temporary" covers the seat cushions on your boat and a toilet could be your bailing bucket. However, many of today's 20 footers and up come with porta-potties and obviously seat cushions. So, if these options make these bow-riders/cuddies "houseboats", why are they then not banned on the lakes & ponds in New Hampshire that do have specific bans on "houseboats"? Because they really are not "houseboats" and are found in abundnace on inland water bodies where true "houseboats" are banned!

Aha, what we have here is a classic legal loophole!

TITLE XXII
NAVIGATION; HARBORS; COAST SURVEY
CHAPTER 270-A
USE OF HOUSEBOATS
Section 270-A:1
270-A:1 Definitions. – The following words and phrases as used in this chapter shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
I. ""Person'' means any individual, firm, co-partnership, company, association or joint-stock association, including any trustee, administrator, executor, receiver, assignee or other personal representative thereof.
II. ""Houseboat'' means any ship, boat, raft, float, catamaran or marine craft of any description upon or within which are located sleeping and toilet facilities, regardless of whether such facilities are of a permanent or temporary nature.
III. ""Overnight period'' means the period of time between the termination of daylight in the evening to the earliest dawn in the next morning.
IV. ""Mooring'' means beaching, grounding, or tying of a houseboat to the shore of any of the inland surface waters of the state, and the anchoring of a houseboat on any of the inland surface waters of the state.
Source. 1967, 412:1, eff. Jan. 1, 1968.


Here is an example of where HOUSEBOATS are specifically prohibited by law:

270:77 Squam and Conway Lakes and Silver Lake in Madison. – No person shall at any time place in or upon, or use, or operate upon, Squam Lake or Conway Lake or Silver Lake in Madison any houseboat. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a violation. Boards of health and health officers of towns abutting said lakes shall have power and authority to enforce the provisions of this section.
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