Fee for Kayaks

[Woodsy]

APS...

Insurance usually covers the cost of recovery or any environmental fees/fines with regards to sunken vessels. The state rarely pays if at all. I know the insurance on my boat has an environmental EPA rider included. Up to $500K I think and they cover the cost of recovery. There are also maritime salvage laws that come into play as well. The small float planes and sleds don't carry enough gas/oil to warrant an environmental hazard as long as they are recovered quickly.

F&G has a tough road ahead financially. I don't have a problem with spreading the wealth to the kayakers/canoeists/sailboaters/hikers etc who enjoy the resources & protection that the F&G dept provides. Just make sure you write the law in such a way that the $$ raised cannot be raided for the General Fund.

Woodsy

[chaseisland]

Write the law the way you want it. When the next legislature comes along will not be able to recognize the original law after they get their paws on it. With the legislature in session hide the women and children and duck for cover.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

Just make sure you write the law in such a way that the $$ raised cannot be raided for the General Fund.

Woodsy

You know that will never happen.... As long as the politicians are making the laws they will not allow that type of rider on a law....

NH is still trying to rob Peter to pay Paul....

NH funding is still completely Broken....

[fatlazyless]

Charging ten dollars per year for kayak, canoes, rowboats, and small sailboats under 12', not counting the rudder, seems like an excellent idea. Not only will it raise needed money for the Fish & Game Dept and maybe for the state parks system but it will also enhance the use one gets out of a small boat because using the small boat will be appreciated more when it comes with a price like this and at ten dollars/year.....it is a super-duper steal of a deal......just like the 20-dollar White Mountain National Forest yearly windshield sticker that allows you to park at a WMNF hiking trail.


For just ten bucks........this proposed kayak sticker, as it is called, would still be a steal of a deal at twice the price or twenty dollars.


Plus, it should empower the Fish & Game Dept to go after people from Massachusetts who get caught kayaking without a valid sticker and wack them with a 200-dollar violation or something like that!!!! .... .....okey-dookey......u get caught paddling without a valid sticker......and it will cost you some big money.........hee-hee-hee-hee......this ticket is for you! ..

[Island Girl]

We have three kayaks. They may get uses once a year or less. Paying 30 dollars just in case we might use them is ridiculous.... on top of the boat fee, the jetski fee, real estate taxes, etc. I vote no.



IG

[mcdude]

from the Daily Sun

House votes to add $2 to boat fee to fight milfoil; local GOP repsvote 'no'

• Published Date Thursday, 30 January 2014 01:38

CONCORD — The Belknap County representatives divided along party lines when the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted yesterday to increase the boat registration fee by $2 and apply the proceeds to control of milfoil and other exotic, invasive aquatic weeds.
Originally House Bill 292 would have required all out-of-state boaters to purchase a decal and applied the receipts to aquatic weed control. However, the House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee learned that for the program to break even would require the sale of 35,000 decals at $10 apiece while the best estimate of the number of vessels registered in other states but plying New Hampshire waters fell between 9,000 and 10,000.
The committee, with the support of the Marine Patrol, Department of Environmental Services and New Hampshire Marine Trades Association, amended the bill to increase the boat registration fee by $2, from $7.50 to $9.50 and the share of the revenue earmarked for controlling exotic aquatic plants from $3 to $5.
Supporters of the bill noted that in the last 20 years the number of infested water bodies in the state has risen from four to 80 while funding for matching grants to local lake associations and municipalities to treat and control aquatic weeds has grown at a much slower pace.
The amended bill carried the House by a vote of 164 to 127. Since the bill would raise revenue, it was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, which will make its recommendation and return it to the full House for a final vote.
Among the 18 members of the Belknap County delegation 13 — four Democrats and nine Republicans — were present and voting. All the Democrats — Lisa DiMartino of Gilford, Ruth Gulick of New Hampton, David Huot of Laconia and Ian Raymond of Sanbornton — voted in favor while Beth Arsenault of Laconia was absent. All the Republicans — Richard Burchell of Gilmanton, Dennis Fields of Sanbornton, Don Flanders and Frank Tilton of Laconia, Bob Greemore, Herb Vadney and Colette Worsman of Meredith, Stephen Holmes of Alton and Michael Sylvia of Belmont — voted against, while Guy Comtois of Barnstead, Jane Cormier of Alton, Charlkes Fink of Belmont and Bob Luther of Laconia were absent.

[Dick]

For all these years our Fish & Game Dept. services have been paid for primarily by hunters, anglers, and motorboats. In the case of motorboat registration, $5 is supposed to go into a dedicated fund to help pay for acquiring new public water access sites and mainatining the approx. 146 that F&G already owns/controls. BTW, about half of these sites are cartop only . . .so the motorboaters have been (and still are) paying for water access for canoes and kyaks. Non-mortorized craft often park and launch from boat ramp sites that were primarily designed for motorboats In addition, it is the motorboaters who also pay into the milfoil fund when they register each year. I own a canoe too and I pay nothing for the above.

Most of us believe in the fairness of "User Benefit . . . User Pay"

Here's an idea . . . implement the modest $10 annual decal. However, if you are a current holder of a fishing or hunting license or have a motorboat registration you are exempted because you have already paid.

[Orion]

Originally Posted by Dick

.........
Here's an idea . . . implement the modest $10 annual decal. However, if you are a current holder of a fishing or hunting license or have a motorboat registration you are exempted because you have already paid.

Now that's an approach I can agree with.

[tis]

WE have the same situation because we have more than one boat. Two of the boats gets used, the others not so much. I don't know why we keep them really. Just because we have them I guess.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by tis

WE have the same situation because we have more than one boat. Two of the boats gets used, the others not so much. I don't know why we keep them really. Just because we have them I guess.

I'm in the same boat. Anyone want to buy two kayaks? I have two that haven't been used much lately.

[Rob M]

When I show up at a boat launch at 6am to launch and can not park because the lot is full and 3/4 of the spots are taken by kayakers it is unfair and frustrating. I have paid money into the system which built and maintains the launch, the kayakers have not. How can we come up with a fair solution for everyone? As of right now boaters are paying the way for canoes/kayaks/cartops. All of which require F&G or Marine Patrol as much as boaters.

A kayaker calls Marine Patrol to complain about something, Marine Patrol must take their complaint even though they have not paid in the system and act on the complaint which costs money. This is being paid for by boat owners.

Someone in a canoe takes on water and is sinking, Marine Patrol is called and tows the canoe in, this costs money, yet the canoe owner has not paid in the system, how is this fair?

We all have a right to access the waters of the State and use them for whatever we like, but the ramps and services we all use need to be paid for, and it is time that we all share the burden.

As far as the sticker driving away tourists, Maine has seen no decline in tourism since instituting their decal program.

It has been mentioned on here that this would be a burden for resorts that have 30 kayaks, these resorts all are there to make a profit, if the kayak does not generate $10 per year in profit they can either get rid of it, or charge someone a $1 to use the kayak...problem solved.

Everyone loves a free ride, eventually someone has to foot the bill, and that time is now.

Sorry to be long winded and angry about the subject, but this subject hits a nerve.

[Island Girl]

We have 3 kayaks, rarely used. Guest like them. We do not use ramps or parking. I don't want to pay anymore than I already do for my power boats. Perhaps we can get kayak decals free with the registration of a boat, or a tax bill for island property.

I do understand the frustration and unfairness of some boaters not paying their fair share. I just pay enough already.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Rob M

When I show up at a boat launch at 6am to launch and can not park because the lot is full and 3/4 of the spots are taken by kayakers it is unfair and frustrating. I have paid money into the system which built and maintains the launch, the kayakers have not. How can we come up with a fair solution for everyone? As of right now boaters are paying the way for canoes/kayaks/cartops. All of which require F&G or Marine Patrol as much as boaters.

A kayaker calls Marine Patrol to complain about something, Marine Patrol must take their complaint even though they have not paid in the system and act on the complaint which costs money. This is being paid for by boat owners.

Someone in a canoe takes on water and is sinking, Marine Patrol is called and tows the canoe in, this costs money, yet the canoe owner has not paid in the system, how is this fair?

We all have a right to access the waters of the State and use them for whatever we like, but the ramps and services we all use need to be paid for, and it is time that we all share the burden.

As far as the sticker driving away tourists, Maine has seen no decline in tourism since instituting their decal program.

It has been mentioned on here that this would be a burden for resorts that have 30 kayaks, these resorts all are there to make a profit, if the kayak does not generate $10 per year in profit they can either get rid of it, or charge someone a $1 to use the kayak...problem solved.

Everyone loves a free ride, eventually someone has to foot the bill, and that time is now.

Sorry to be long winded and angry about the subject, but this subject hits a nerve.

Why don't we just hand over our pay check to the government and let them take what they want and then what's left over they can give it to us.

Tax this, and tax that, fund government for this, and fund government that ...when is this BS going to stop.

All of these government agencies need to get their house in order and stop all this wanting more from the citizens of this country.

[RANGER CANOE CO]

Originally Posted by Rob M

When I show up at a boat launch at 6am to launch and can not park because the lot is full and 3/4 of the spots are taken by kayakers it is unfair and frustrating. I have paid money into the system which built and maintains the launch, the kayakers have not. How can we come up with a fair solution for everyone? As of right now boaters are paying the way for canoes/kayaks/cartops. All of which require F&G or Marine Patrol as much as boaters.

A kayaker calls Marine Patrol to complain about something, Marine Patrol must take their complaint even though they have not paid in the system and act on the complaint which costs money. This is being paid for by boat owners.

Someone in a canoe takes on water and is sinking, Marine Patrol is called and tows the canoe in, this costs money, yet the canoe owner has not paid in the system, how is this fair?

We all have a right to access the waters of the State and use them for whatever we like, but the ramps and services we all use need to be paid for, and it is time that we all share the burden.

As far as the sticker driving away tourists, Maine has seen no decline in tourism since instituting their decal program.

It has been mentioned on here that this would be a burden for resorts that have 30 kayaks, these resorts all are there to make a profit, if the kayak does not generate $10 per year in profit they can either get rid of it, or charge someone a $1 to use the kayak...problem solved.

Everyone loves a free ride, eventually someone has to foot the bill, and that time is now.

Sorry to be long winded and angry about the subject, but this subject hits a nerve.

Well Sir, If you show up at the F+G boat ramp on Squam Lake with your car top canoe or kayak and park. Your car will be TOWED because you have to have a trailer hooked to your auto @ this (ONLY) public access to Squam. Two years ago, 2 ladies from Mass payed $325, because their car was towed all the way to Bristol because of some crazy towing rotation contract (?) I talked to these people at the ramp, who taught their car was stolen. PD told them it was towed. They didn't see the tiny sign saying you need a trailer. And FYI, You better get to the Squam ramp before 5am to beat the bass boat crowd. Whats Hunting + fishing got to do with paddling anyway. Most paddlers don't shoot and gut a deer, trust me Rusty has it right, Amen brother, Hut Hut. Now its Milfoil $ grab.