CaptA, before you go requiring EVERY boat on hte Hudson River to have an AIS tranponder........ try looking at one of the web sites that lets you see all the vessels in an area using the AIS data. Even this time of year, with very few if any recreational boats out...... the screen is filled with little dots. I think that you would find it difficult to really notice a boat without an AIS transponder if EVERYONE had one.
Take a look!
www.marinetraffic.com/ais/

Hey Lex, once again you have a forum and you're running your mouth. When do you quit crying about being stopped by L.E. You complain about this and if something bad happened to you, you would be the first to condemn L.E. for not being tied along side of your boat. Why didn't you intelligently talk to the agencies that you were involved with instead of screaming. The state has had courtesy inspection stickers for years and they have worked hand in hand with the CG Aux. Why does Senator Chuck have to re-invent the wheel.

Just askin'..................................

I have to agree with everyone else. The Power Squadron and the USCG AUX have been doing vessel inspections for a long time, and at no incremental cost to the boater. Schumer on the other hand, having never found a TV camera he didn't like, will do nothing but cost boaters money. He should stay away from boating before he screws it up like everything else he touches.

I am in Michigan by the Canadian Border and we see the same problems as on the Hudson River but I do have concerns. Yes the USCGAUX Courtesy Examination would be a great starting off point. But we could very quickly overwhelm the great VOLUNTEERS who perform these inspections. Because as we know every boat owner will plan in advance and have there inspections done early not waiting to the last minute before a holiday weekend to try and have the inspection done. Then be upset with a volunteer because they will not drop everything and check his boat. You also now have to consider liability for the USCGAUX Courtesy Examiner because this has now become an official inspection sticker. You have people now suing boat manufactures and dealers because they cannot driver their boats and hit people with props. What happens to our volunteer if they accidently miss an expired fire extinguisher and the boat catches fire? An Official Inspection opens these folks up to a lot more liability that a free Courtesy Examination.

The sticker idea is a good idea but we need to look at this program from all angles. To perform it CORRECTLY will cost tax payer money. I don’t like to pay any more than the next person but people’s time and materials cost money. Additionally people being sue happy any more will require whoever is doing the inspections to have some form of liability insurance and you don’t get that for free.

Unfortunately many USCG stations do not recognize the Aux inspection stickers and board anyway. Individual stations do things differently and have said they will board even if you have a sticker and have a recent boarding. What we need is a nationwide policy that avoids harassing boaters repeatedly. If we don't get it boaters will go buy a motor-home to cruise.

Rod hit the nail on the head, why reinvent the wheel. I do VSCs for Power Squadron. We do not need the Congress to get involved.
RB LHP

If Mr. Schumer would wake up and smell the coffee he would find out that such a program ALREADY exists and has been in place since the 1950s!!
The USCGAUX began performing Courtesy Motorboat Examinations in the late 1950's as a way for boaters to be sure to have all the required (and at the time, some non-required but highly recommended items!) items on their boats. If the Examiner from the USCGAUX found that the boat met the requirements, a distinctive Decal was applied to the boat. This program has evolved over the years, it is now called the Vessel Safety check (VSC) and has been expanded to include the US Power Squadron and some local Law Enforcement Officers (although, the program is best performed by those NOT in Law Enforcement) The VSC checks for compliance with all Federal, State and local Safety requirements plus checking for other recommended items, it also includes an opportunity for one on one education in boating safety with a no pressure atmosphere. The best part about this VSC is that since the VE (Vessel Examiner) has no law enforcement power, there is no threat of a fine or ticket if the boat is missing something, the VE is usually a fellow boater who has been trained by the USCGAUX or USPS in what to check and how. Think of it as the same thing as the yearly inspection that most States require of cars, but free of charge and free of any fines. The VSC is not a marine survey, but does check the safety items.
A vessel that meets all the VSC requirements will be issued a distinctive Decal that shows that the boat has been checked. That Decal is NOT insurance against getting stopped by law enforcement, but most officers will not stop a boat with a VSC Decal unless they observe something wrong, like overloading, no lights at night, excessive speed, etc.

Why "re-invent the wheel"? There is a program already in place, USE IT! The VSC program is already funded, Decals already printed, VEs (volunteers, ie: UNPAID) already trained and working, boats are already getting checked! Let's not waste taxpayer $$ on duplication of efforts.

check out www.safetyseal.net for more info.

My name is Lex and I have been working on the issue of olive stopping boaters with no probable cause for over 4 years. John Vargo who is the publisher of Boating in The Hudson Magazine has been working on this with me as well.

We have been working with Senator Schumer in this issue since last August and him and his office have been amazing in helping to create a sensible solution.

My suggestion was the yearly safety sticker and we will be meeting with high level Coast Guard personnel from Washington DC to encourage them to adopt the Safety Sticker Plan.