2010 News Releases

12/30/2010

SAN FRANCISCO - The Coast Guard and the California Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) remind boaters to practice safe boating over the holidays. Equipping their vessels with proper safety equipment, being mindful of state boating laws and checking weather and wave conditions can decrease the chances of getting into a boating accident.

DBW reports that boating fatalities are more likely to occur during the winter than the summer season. Last year, over half of boating fatalities in California occurred between October and April.

Following the notes below will help all boaters have a safe winter holiday season.

  • Boaters should be aware that there will be safety zones around fireworks sites. The Coast Guard broadcasts these safety zones in the Broadcast Notice to Mariners on VHF channel 22A and can be found at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for USCG-2010-1079 and USCG-2010-1108.
  • There should be a life jacket on the vessel for each person, sized accordingly. Children under the age of 13, all personal watercraft riders, paddle-boarders, and anyone being towed behind a boat are required by law to wear a lifejacket.
  • It is strongly recommended boaters equip their vessels with immersion suits or other full-body protection, as water temperatures will be cold, and hypothermia can quickly overtake the average person.
  • In the event of an emergency, boaters should have the following in order to expedite a rescue:
    • Flares and an emergency position indicating radio beacon with 406 MHz capabilities.
    • An operational marine VHF radio on their boat. Due to the high mountainous areas throughout the region, boaters should not rely on their cell phones as a means of communication. The Coast Guard reminds radio operators that VHF channel 16 is an emergency channel and that improper transmission on channel 16 not only hampers Coast Guard response, but is punishable under federal law.
    • A GPS unit, or at a minimum, maintain knowledge of local waters and know their location at all times.
  • It is against the law for anyone to operate a vessel under the influence of alcohol. Consumption of alcohol by anyone else aboard is also strongly discouraged.
  • Boaters are strongly recommended to file a float plan with a friend or family member on land, with an approximate time of return and location to which you will be heading. It is also recommended that you regularly check in with those who are aware of your plan, especially if your plan should change.
  • Mariners should check current and forecasted weather, and wave conditions prior to getting underway, and remain aware of changing conditions once on the water.
    • National Weather Service broadcasts weather conditions throughout the day on VHF channel WX2.
    • Coast Guard broadcasts weather conditions on VHF channel 22A at 9:30 a.m., noon, and 4:30 p.m.
    • DBW posts wave forecasts at www.dbw.ca.gov.
    • Current weather information and advisories: www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/zone/west/mtrmz.htm.

A vessel-safety inspection can ensure vessels are properly equipped with the recommended and required equipment. These inspections are complimentary and take only a couple of minutes. To book an appointment with a Coast Guard Auxiliary examiner, boaters can visit: www.vesselsafetycheck.org.

More complete information on safe boating may be found at www.uscgboating.org. Safe boating information may also be found at www.dbw.ca.gov, as well as wave forecasts and California boating laws.

The Coast Guard and DBW wish all boaters and their families to have a happy and safe winter holiday season!

07/09/2010

SACRAMENTO - Marina operators can now apply for a national boating infrastructure grant (BIG) for transient boat dock improvements through the Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW). The deadline to submit grant proposal applications is Tuesday, August 31, 2010.

BIG is a national competitive program open to both publicly- and privately-owned marinas with funding totaling $13 million. Eligible projects include installation or upgrades of visitor tie-up facilities for recreational boats 26-feet-long or longer, and renovation or construction of visitor docks, restrooms, gangways and dockside utility hookups. The funds are also used to produce and distribute information and educational materials about the program and recreational boating.

Applicants should first review the federal guidelines, to determine if they meet the necessary requirements. Eligibility criteria and submission information may be obtained by visiting www.dbw.ca.gov/Funding/BIG.aspx or contacting Kevin Atkinson at
(916) 327-1788.

DBW is the designated agency responsible for administering U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) BIG program in California. USFWS receives the applications from DBW and scores and ranks the proposals using a government/ industry review committee.

 

DBW enhances public access to California’s waterways and promotes on-the-water safety through programs funded by vessel registration fees, boating fuel tax dollars and boating facility construction loan payments.

06/21/2010

SACRAMENTO, June 21, 2010 – Looking forward to relaxing on the boat this weekend with that ice chest full of cold beer? Better think again. California boating law enforcement officers, as part of a national coordinated effort of stepped-up enforcement known as Operation Dry Water, will be out in force the weekend of June 25-27 looking for boat operators whose blood alcohol concentration exceeds the state limit of .08 percent.

“In 2009, 41 percent of all reported California boating fatalities were alcohol related,” said California Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) Acting Director Lucia Becerra. “Boating is fun, but when you mix in alcohol and drugs, it can be deadly.”

Operation Dry Water may include increased patrols, breathalyzer tests, and checkpoints, as well as boater education. Impaired boaters caught this weekend can expect penalties to be severe. According to California State Law, a person convicted of operation of a vessel while intoxicated could receive up to a $1,000 fine, six months in jail or both.

Alcohol can impair a boater’s judgment, balance, vision, and reaction time. It can increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion. Sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion – “stressors” common to the boating environment – intensify the side effects of alcohol, drugs and some prescription medications. 

Boaters should also think twice about designating a sober operator. The concept works well in cars, but drunken passengers on boats can easily fall overboard, swim near the propeller or cause loading problems by leaning over the side or standing up in small vessels, causing vessels to capsize. Everyone who drinks alcohol on board is at risk.

Last summer, agencies and organizations from 46 states and five territories participated in the first ever Operation Dry Water weekend. Over that three-day weekend, 2,442 marine law enforcement officers made contact with 17,454 recreational vessels and issued 5,320 boating safety warnings, 283 BUI citations and 1,127 citations for other violations. This year, all 56 states, trusts and territories are expected to participate, searching for boat operators whose alcohol or drug impairment makes them a danger to other boaters.

"There will be arrests this weekend, and some boaters will face the consequences of boating under the influence," added California Boating Safety Officers Association President Cary Smith. "But we'd much rather arrest someone than to have to tell their friends and family they're never coming back."

DBW will be hosting Operation Dry Water for California in cooperation with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks, California Boating Safety Officers Association and participating law enforcement agencies.

To find out more about Operation Dry Water, visit www.OperationDryWater.org. For California boating safety information and laws, visit www.dbw.ca.gov.

05/27/2010

SACRAMENTO - A California interagency taskforce battling the spread of invasive Quagga and Zebra mussels urges boaters to remain especially vigilant this Memorial Day weekend. Anyone who launches their vessel at any body of water must clean, drain, and dry their boats, personal watercraft, and any equipment that comes in contact with the water-both before arrival and after leaving the waterway.

"Quagga and zebra mussels are a serious threat to our aquatic environment and fisheries," Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFG) John McCamman said. "It's crucial that everyone who uses public waters takes the time to make sure they're not moving these mussels from place to place. It only takes a few mussels to infest an entire waterway and destroy the ecosystem there."

Quagga and zebra mussels are non-native, fast-reproducing invasive species that will cause serious problems for boaters and water enthusiasts. Mussels spread from one body of water to another by attaching themselves to nearly anything that's in the water for more than a few minutes. Water in boat engines, bilges, live-wells and buckets can carry tiny mussel larvae (called veligers) to other waterways, as well.

"Boat trailers are often overlooked as an avenue for the spread of quagga and zebra mussels and many other aquatic invasive species," Department of Boating and Waterways Acting Director Lucia Becerra said. "About 85 percent of boaters trailer their boats, so it is critical for them to clean, drain, and dry their vessels."

To help prevent the spread of mussels, boaters must inspect all exposed surfaces, wash boat hulls thoroughly, remove all plants from the boat and trailer, drain all water, including that in lower outboard units, clean, and dry live-wells and bait buckets, and dispose of baitfish in the trash. Watercraft should be kept dry for at least five days in warm weather and up to 30 days in cool weather between launches in different bodies of fresh water. These measures are essential to safeguard boats and preserve California waterways.

An excellent guide to cleaning vessels of invasive mussels is available on the website: www.dbw.ca.gov/PDF/BoatingQuaggaGuide.pdf.

Travelers are also advised to contact their destination waterway before leaving home, to learn what restrictions or inspection requirements are in place. Boaters entering the state should be prepared for inspections at California Department of Food and Agriculture Border Protection Stations. Inspections, which can also be conducted by DFG and the Department of Parks and Recreation, include not only a check of boats and personal watercraft, but also trailers and all onboard items.

Contaminated vessels and equipment are subject to quarantine or impoundment.

Quagga mussels were first detected in the Colorado River system in January 2007 and were later found in San Diego and Riverside counties.

They are now known to be in 21 waters in the Golden State, all in Southern California. Zebra mussels were discovered in San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County in January 2008.

Both mollusks can attach to and damage almost any submerged surface. They can:

  • ruin a boat engine by blocking the cooling system and causing it to overheat;
  • increase drag on the bottom of a boat, reducing speed and wasting fuel;
  • jam a boat's steering equipment, putting occupants and others at risk;
  • require frequent scraping and repainting of boat hulls;
  • colonize all underwater substrates such as boat ramps, docks, lines and other underwater surfaces, causing them to require constant cleaning;
  • cost the owners of these items a great deal of money.

 

A toll-free hotline at 1-866-440-9530 is available for anyone involved in activities on lakes and rivers seeking information on quagga or zebra mussels.

A multi-agency taskforce that includes the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Boating and Waterways, Department of Water Resources, and State Parks has been leading an outreach campaign to alert boaters and the public to the quagga and zebra mussel threats.

For more information about quagga and zebra mussels, the state's response activities, and what you can do to help prevent their spread in California, visit the DFG Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/quaggamussel.

05/26/2010

SACRAMENTO – The California Boating and Waterways Commission (Commission) today approved $15.9 million in boating facility improvement loans. The loan recipients are:

San Francisco Marina (West Harbor Project), San Francisco County
The Commission approved a $6.99 million loan to the City and County of San Francisco for improvements to the West Harbor Project of San Francisco Marina. The project consists of the demolition of existing berths and construction of recsonfigured berths in the West Harbor, upgrading of electrical and water dock utilities, installation of new barrier-free access gangways with security gates, construction of a new breakwater, replacement of revetment, mole removal, dredging and improvement of buildings.

Alamitos Basin, Long Beach – Los Angeles County
The Commission approved a $9 million loan to the City of Long Beach to rebuild Alamitos Bay Marina, Basins 2 and 3. The project is to rebuild Basins 2 and 3 of the Alamitos Bay Marina, including dredging, reparation of the seawall and repaving the parking areas.

Grant and loan applications are submitted to the California Department of Boating and Waterways and funding for approved projects is derived from the taxes paid by boaters on the purchase of vessel gasoline and the repayment of principal and interest on department-made loans.

The department provides grants to a county, city, district or other public agency for the construction of small craft boating launching facilities and loans to local agencies for the construction of small craft harbors. These grants and loans require the consent of the seven-member Boating and Waterways Commission.

05/25/2010

SACRAMENTO – The Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW), Radio Disney and the UC Davis Children’s Hospital announces the 11th Annual Life Jacket Trade-In. The event will be taking place May 28 from 4-6 p.m. at select Sacramento Kohl’s department stores and from 1-3 p.m. at select Sam’s Clubs in the Bay Area and Los Angeles region. A complete list of participating stores is attached.

“We want to make sure water enthusiasts are prepared this summer season with serviceable life jackets”, said DBW’s Acting Director Lucia Becerra. “Life jackets are the proven number one way to save a life in the event of a sudden, unexpected accident and can help them keep afloat until help arrives.”

Water enthusiasts are invited to bring their life jackets for inspection by water safety professionals. If a life jacket is found to be unserviceable, a new one of the appropriate size will be given in exchange. Life jackets will be available at each site while supplies last. (One new life jacket per family.)

Community partners including the Sacramento Safe Kids Coalition, Radio Disney, CBS Radio, Consumnes Fire Department, Drowning Accident Rescue Team, the U.S. Power Squadron and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will come together at the events to help answer questions and provide information about boating and water safety. Experts will stress the importance of wearing a life jacket at all times when in or around the water.

This event is being conducted in connection with National Safe Boating Week (May 22-28) that aims to spread the message about life jacket wear and safe boating practices.

As of this year, the California boating life jacket law requires all children under the age of 13 to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Other life jacket laws to remember this boating season:  every person on board a personal watercraft (popularly known as “jet skis”) and any person being towed behind a vessel must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket. For more information, please visit www.BoatSmarter.com.

05/21/2010

SACRAMENTO - The California Boating and Waterways Commission (Commission) will meet May 26 to consider $16 million in boating facility improvement loans. The meeting is open to the public and will convene at 8:30 a.m. at the Residence Inn, Pacific Room, 3240 W. March Lane, in Stockton. The proposed loans are:

San Francisco Marina (West Harbor Project), San Francisco County
The Commission will consider a $6.995 million loan to the City and County of San Francisco for improvements to the West Harbor Project of San Francisco Marina. The proposed project consists of the demolition of existing berths and construction of reconfigured berths, upgrading of electrical and water dock utilities, installation of new barrier-free access gangways with security gates, construction of a new breakwater, replacement of revetment, mole removal, dredging and improvement of buildings. The Commission has approved four loans totaling $16.5 million in fiscal year (FY) 2004/2005 through FY 2007/2008 for this project.

Alamitos Basin, Long Beach - Los Angeles County
The Commission will consider a $9 million loan to the City of Long Beach to rebuild Alamitos Bay Marina, Basins 2 and 3. The proposed project is to rebuild Basins 2 and 3 of the Alamitos Bay Marina, including dredging, reparation of the seawall and repaving the parking areas. The Commission has approved three loans totaling $1.1 million in FY 2004/2005 through FY 2006/2007 for this project.

Grant and loan applications are submitted to the California Department of Boating and Waterways and funding for approved projects is derived from the taxes paid by boaters on the purchase of vessel gasoline and the repayment of principal and interest on department-made loans.

The department provides grants to a county, city, district or other public agency for the construction of small craft boating launching facilities and loans to local agencies for the construction of small craft harbors. These grants and loans require the consent of the seven-member Boating and Waterways Commission.

05/12/2010

Click here for the Boating and Water Safety Fact and Resources Sheet

SACRAMENTO—Boating and water safety officials will be holding a press conference this Friday to speak and answer questions regarding the dangers of local waterways.

 

Speakers from the California Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW), Sacramento Fire Department (Sac Fire) and the U.S. Coast Guard will share information on the latest change to California’s life jacket boating law, how to properly fit a life jacket, how to participate in the Wear It California! campaign and on the dangers of alcohol use while boating. Sac Fire will also be on hand to remind Sacramento County water enthusiasts of its life jacket law for children under age 13.

The press conference will start at 10:00 a.m. at Discovery Park (adjacent to boat launch ramp) in Sacramento. Reporters should check in at the media tent for media ride-alongs or to interview spokespersons.

05/10/2010

Note to media: Before the event, call for story opportunities, press packets or fact sheets. On the day of the event, reporters should check in at the Media tent for media ride-alongs or to interview spokepersons. High resolution photos from prior years are available. More details are at www.BoatColoradoRiver.com.

LAS VEGAS – Wearing a life jacket is the overriding message of this year's Colorado River Tri-State Boating Safety Fair. Families will be given the opportunity to bring in their outgrown or unssafe life jacket to trade in for a brand new one (while supplies last).

"The stats are clear that four out of five people who die on boats would probably live if they just wore a life jacket. That statistic is both depressing and unacceptable," said David Pfiffner, Nevada's Boating Law Administrator. "The four fatal accidents we worked in Nevada section of the Colorado River last year could have all been prevented by the use of life jackets, and we're committed to moving the needle on this grim statistic."

The sixth annual event will be held May 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at London Bridge Beach Park, McCulloch Road, Lake Havasu City, Arizona. In addition to the life jacket trade-in, courtesy vessel safety checks will be offered to make sure that boats are ready for the 2010 boating season, boating safety bags full of safe boating information will be distributed at twenty-seven launch ramps along the river and boating professionals will be on hand to answer any questions boaters may have. The Tri-State Boating Safety Fair is a one day event, but the campaign will continue distributing boating safety messages to boaters through an online awareness campaign throughout the summer until Labor Day weekend via the campaign Web site www.BoatColoradoRiver.com.

"More boating accidents occur on this river than any single waterway in the U.S. and more than the total accidents for most states," said California Department of Boating and Waterway's Acting Director Lucia Becerra. "Boating on the Colorado River can be a fun, safe and enjoyable activity, but boaters need to remember to wear a life jacket."

Some of the reasons people claim for not wearing life jackets include -- It's too hot! It doesn't look cool. I know how to swim. Nothing is going to happen to me. The fact is that knowing how to swim doesn't make anyone "drown proof". A number of fatalities on the Colorado River have included boaters who knew how to swim, were not wearing a life jacket, were under the influence of alcohol, went overboard and were knocked unconscious.

There is no excuse not to wear a life jacket. Newer styles of life jackets are lighter, less obtrusive and more attractive than ever before. The new inflatable life jackets allow the mobility and flexibility for activities like boating, fishing, paddling, hunting or just sunbathing, and are much cooler in the warmer weather.

Even though life jacket wear is the focus of the fair, boating professionals will also be educating boaters on the serious issues of boating under the influence or "drunk boating" that costs many lives along the Colorado River. "Drunk boating is the other 900-pound gorilla on the boat," said Kevin Bergersen, Arizona's Boating Law Administrator. "If we could get people to leave the booze at home and wear life jackets, we could prevent around three quarters of fatal accidents on the river, and we want to get the word out to our boaters."

In 2009, 207 accidents, 137 injuries and 11 fatalities occured on the Colorado River in Arizona, California and Nevada. The state lines intersect in along the Colorado River. While many laws are congruent, a few laws differ and can be confusing to boaters. Providing a forum to the million Colorado River boaters, to learn about the boating laws, is crucial in reducing the number of accidents, injuries and fatalities that take place every year.

Visit www.BoatColoradoRiver.com for more information about the boating safety fair and the Tri-State partnership.

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The mission of the Tri-State Partnership is to promote safe and knowledgeable recreational boating on the Colorado River through the combined educational and enforcement resources of Arizona, California and Nevada.

05/05/2010

Click here for the Marina Event List

SACRAMENTO--The Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) announced today the Wear It California! campaign will continue this summer in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. More than 800 inflatable life jackets will be distributed to boaters who pledge to wear their life jacket at all times while boating (while supplies last) at 10 different events. In its fourth year, this federal funded driven campaign, utilizes a full range of marketing strategies to increase life jacket wear among Delta boaters, and awareness of the highly wearable inflatable life jackets.

“Observed life jacket wear rates on the Delta rose from six percent in 2006 to 15 percent in 2009, while remaining flat in other areas of the country”, said DBW’s Acting Director Lucia Becerra. “We hope to continue reaching more boaters with the life jacket message and decrease the number of fatalities that take place on the Delta.”

A press conference will be held May 14 at 10:00 a.m. at Discovery Park.  Speakers from DBW and the U.S. Coast Guard will share information on the latest life jacket law, how to properly fit a life jacket and details on how to participate in Wear It California! campaign. The Sacramento Fire Department will also be on hand to remind Sacramento County water enthusiasts of its mandatory life jacket ordinance for children under age 13.

"Wear It California!" kicks off May 15 with an event at Discovery Park, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Boaters are invited to partake in kickoff event activities, which include, pledging to wear a life jacket in order to receive a new inflatable one, trading-in an outgrown or unsafe life jacket for a new one, and free vessel safety checks from the USCG Auxiliary. Other boating professionals will also be on site distributing educational materials and boating safety information to encourage boaters to hit the water this summer, but safely and responsibly. Life jacket supplies are limited. One per family.

Nine other events follow, including B&W Resort Marina May 29, Buckley Cove Marina June 12 and Boathouse Marina June 26. A complete list of all participating marinas and events may be viewed on the campaign’s Web site at www.WearItCalifornia.com.

To be eligible to receive an inflatable life jacket, boaters must complete an onsite pledge to always wear their life jacket while boating at one of the marina events. Boaters may also complete a pledge card from the campaign’s Web site and turn it in at a marina event. Boaters who pledge will also be entered to win a grand prize to be awarded upon completion of the campaign compliments of Bass Pro Shops and a daily prize at each marina event compliments of Full Throttle Water Sports.

Key partners in the Wear it California! campaign include the National Safe Boating Council, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Office of Auxiliary Boating Safety, Bass Pro Shops, Full Throttle Water Sports, Onyx Outdoor, the Stockton Ports, Radio Disney, Togo’s, the USCG Auxiliary, and many marinas and law enforcement agencies throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta area. Sacramento’s KHTK radio personalities Sep Hendrickson of California Sportsmen, Kent Brown of Ultimate Bass and all time Western U.S. fishing tournament money winner Gary Dobyns have also signed on as campaign spokespersons and will be appearing at campaign events throughout the summer.

In 2006, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta was selected by the U.S. Coast Guard among communities nationwide to serve as the test site for this pilot initiative to advance life jacket wear among recreational boaters. The measured success of California’s campaign motivated other states to adopt the program in their communities.

On average, a total of ten percent of all of California boating accidents occur in the Delta area alone. In 2009, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta accounted for 13 percent of all accidents, 15 percent of all injuries and 20 percent of all fatalities in California.

The life jacket observational studies are conducted over four separate time periods throughout July and August, in a total of ten observation sites per year. The chosen sites are known only to the research company, until the conclusion of each year’s campaign. The studies exclude measurements of children, personal watercraft users and persons being towed, populations that could skew results as these groups are required by law to wear life jackets.

For more information about the Wear it California! campaign, please call (888) 326-2822 or visit www.WearItCalifornia.com.

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Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW)
DBW’s mission is to provide safe and convenient public access to California’s waterways and leadership in promoting the public’s right to safe, enjoyable and environmentally sound recreational boating.

For more information, visit www.dbw.ca.gov.

National Safe Boating Council (NSBC)
NSBC consists of more than 300 U.S. and Canadian organizations, committed to reducing boating accidents and enhancing the boating experience. The North American Safe Boating Campaign is produced by the National Safe Boating Council in partnership with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators in collaboration with the Canadian Coast Guard and the Canadian Safe Boating Council. The campaign is produced under a grant from the Sports Fish and Restoration and Boating (Wallop-Breaux) Trust Fund administered by the USCG.

For more information, visit www.SafeBoatingCouncil.com.

United States Coast Guard (USCG) Office of Auxiliary Boating Safety
The USCG is asking all boat owners and operators to help reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage and associated healthcare costs related to recreational boating accidents by taking personal responsibility for their own safety of their passengers. Essential steps include: always wear a life jacket and require passengers to do the same; never boat under the influence; successfully complete a boating safety course; and get a Vessel Safety Check annually from the local USCG Auxiliary or US Power Squadrons. The USCG reminds all boaters, “Boat Responsibly!”

For more information, visit www.USCGboating.org.

04/29/2010

SACRAMENTO—Boating facilities now open in Los Angeles and Shasta counties with funding from the California Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW). Pyramid Lake, located in Los Angeles County, received $522,982.97 in improvements for the Bear Trap Boat-In Site and Emigrant Landing Visitor Dock, and McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park, in Shasta County received $332,318.03.

"Among the many services DBW provides using the gasoline tax dollars that come to the department from boating is to build and improve boat launching access sites, such as Pyramid Lake and McArthur Burney Falls," said DBW’s Interim Director, Lucia C. Becerra.

Pyramid Lake, Los Angeles County
Pyramid Lake’s Bear Trap Boat-In Site now has two new single vault toilets and three shade structures with ADA compliant picnic tables. The Emigrant Landing Visitor Dock was improved with a new aluminum pier, connected to a new aluminum gangway, and eight new boarding floats.

McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Shasta County
The improvement project at McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park included an ADA compliant path of travel from the adjacent beach area to the head of the ramp, and an aluminum gangway connected to a new wide concrete sidewalk and abutment.

Grant and loan applications are submitted to DBW and funding for approved projects is derived from the taxes paid by boaters on the purchase of vessel gasoline and the repayment of principal and interest on department-made loans. 

The department provides grants to a county, city, district or other public agency for the construction of small craft boating launching facilities and loans to local agencies for the construction of small craft harbors.  These grants and loans require the consent of the seven-member Boating and Waterways Commission.

04/27/2010

SACRAMENTO - The California Department of Boating and Waterway’s (DBW) reminds resident and out of state brokers and salespeople to obtain a California’s broker’s license. DBW has received reports of unlicensed activity from out of state brokers who are listing and selling vessels located in California.

California law requires brokers and salespeople to be licensed before selling, soliciting or obtaining listings on vessels within the state. Brokers found to be listing and selling vessels located in California without a co-operative listing agreement in place, or identifying the listing broker as a California licensee, are subject to penalties and fines pursuant to California’s unlicensed activity statutes.

Current law requires that any vessel listed for sale in California be sold by a licensed California broker. A California broker may co-broker a transaction with an out of state broker only if the listing broker is licensed in California.

Licensees from other states can claim experience toward licensure provided they can verify at least three years experience performing as a broker in another state. They would also be requested to submit three years of earning statements and be required to undergo a background investigation.

California’s licensing process includes meeting specific criteria, submitting fingerprints to the California Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and successfully passing a written examination.

For further information on the program or to apply for a California broker’s license please visit www.dbw.ca.gov and click on the Yacht and Ship tab. You may also contact DBW’s Broker Licensing Technician Fahim Buksh, at (916) 327-1838.

 

DBW licenses and regulates yacht brokers and salespersons in California. Those selling used vessels 16’ or longer and less than 300 gross tons, for others, are required to be licensed. The department also enforces the Harbors & Navigation Code to regulate the activities of licensees to ensure compliance and provide consumer protection.

04/22/2010

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SACRAMENTO –The Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) today announced that California will receive $3.04 million in federal funding from the National Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program. Proposals from the cities of Monterey, San Francisco and Oxnard were among the 13 winning proposals for the BIG grant program, made available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The grant recipients are:

Monterey Bay Boatworks Company – City of Monterey
Monterey Bay Boatworks Company will provide $433,000 to match the $391,000 BIG grant to construct a transient dock space and amenities at Breakwater Cove Marina.

Treasure Island Marina – City of San Francisco
Treasure Island Marina will provide $2.23 million to match the $1.94 million BIG grant to construct a transient dock with vacuum sewage disposal, handicap access to the landside restroom, shower and laundry areas, water, power and fire suppression. 

Channel Islands Harbor, Peninsula Park – City of Oxnard
Channel Islands Harbor – Peninsula Park will provide $700,400 to match the $700,400 BIG grant to replace an existing dock and gangway with 26 boat slips, a new dump station and pumpout, along with amenities including ADA accessible restrooms and showers, to accommodate transient non-trailerable boats and their users.

BIG is a competitive program open to both publicly- and privately-owned marinas with funding totaling more than $12.5 million. In June of 2009, DBW announced to California marinas the availability of the grant funding with an application deadline of September 2009. DBW is the designated agency responsible for administering the program in California. USFWS receives the applications from DBW and scores and ranks the proposals using a government/industry review committee.

Eligible projects include installation or upgrades of visitor tie-up facilities for recreational boats 26-feet-long or longer, and renovation or construction of visitor docks, restrooms, gangways and dockside utility hookups. The funds are also used to produce and distribute information and educational materials about the program and recreational boating.

DBW enhances public access to the waterways and promotes on-the-water safety through programs funded by vessel registration fees, boating fuel tax dollars and boating facility construction loan payments.

03/24/2010

SACRAMENTO—The Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) encourages life jacket wear during spring break and as the season starts to thaw out from the winter. Of the fatalities that occurred in 2009, 67 percent of the victims drowned. Of that group, 84 percent were not wearing a life jacket.

"Boating is a big part of spring break celebrations and the changing of the seasons, and there's no reason why everyone can't have fun on the water while also choosing to wear a life jacket," said DBW Director Raynor Tsuneyoshi. “Today’s life jackets are technologically advanced, making them more convenient and less restrictive.”

Knowing how to swim is one of the most common reasons given for not wearing a life jacket and gives boaters a false sense of security. Often the victim has a serious injury or is knocked unconscious and cannot swim. Other factors that can affect swimming ability include cold water immersion, heavy clothes or alcohol consumption.

DBW would also like to remind boaters about some life jacket laws that can save their lives:

  • A new boating law states that children “under age 13” must wear a life jacket when on a vessel that is 26 feet or less in length.
  • Every person on board a personal watercraft (popularly known as “jet skis”) and any person being towed behind a vessel must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
  • No person can operate any vessel, water skis or similar device under the influence of drugs or who has an alcohol level of .08 percent or more.

Boaters interested in further information about life jackets or other boating laws, can visit www.dbw.ca.gov or call (888) 326-2822.

03/11/2010

SACRAMENTO - The Boating Clean & Green Program will train volunteers Saturday, April 3 to become "Dockwalkers", individuals who promote environmentally-sound boating throughout California's marina communities. The training will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Verizon Corporate Security Building, 1560 N 1st, 2nd Floor, in San Jose.

Dockwalkers will be trained to engage members of the public and the boating community in adopting clean boating practices. Once training is complete, these volunteers don their official "Dockwalker" hats and conduct face-to-face boater education while visiting marinas, boat launch ramps, boat shows and special events.

Training is free and dockwalking is a fantastic way to interact with boaters to help keep California's marinas, waterways, and ocean clean and healthy. The training provides an overview of environmentally-sound boating practices, information on how to conduct Dockwalking, educational materials that Dockwalkers will distribute including boater kits, a video about clean boating in California and baseball caps. In the last five years, more than 600 Dockwalkers have distributed over 90,000 boater kits statewide. Hours spent training or educating the public qualify as community service.

The Boating Clean and Green Program is an education and outreach program conducted through the California Department of Boating and Waterways and California Coastal Commission. The program promotes environmentally-sound boating practices to marine businesses and boaters. This training is conducted in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the City and County of San Francisco Department of the Environment.

For more information about the Dockwalker program, and to register for training, please visit www.dbw.ca.gov (Click on Clean and Green tab), or contact Vivian Matuk at (415) 904-6905 or vmatuk@coastal.ca.gov.

The San Jose Dockwalker training is one of a series of trainings that the Boating Clean and Green Program will be hosting in Northern California. Others include:

March 16, 2010 - Napa
7 p.m. to 8:40 p.m.
Napa Valley Yacht Club
100 Riverside Dr., Napa, CA 94559
Partners: Keep the Delta Clean Program, US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Napa Valley Yacht Club and Lake Berryessa Partnership.

March 24, 2010 - Sacramento
6:00-8:40 p.m.
Sacramento Marina
2710 Ramp Way, Sacramento, CA 95818
Partners: Keep the Delta Clean Program, US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Sacramento Marina.

April 1, 2010 - Benicia
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Benicia Yacht Club
400 East 2nd Street, Benicia, CA 94510
Partners: Keep the Delta Clean Program, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, City and County of San Francisco Department of the Environment and the Benicia Yacht Club.

April 10, 2010 - San Rafael
10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.
Loch Lomond Yacht Club
95 Loch Lomond Drive, San Rafael, CA 94901
Partners: Keep the Delta Clean Program, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, City and County of San Francisco Department of the Environment and the Loch Lomond Yacht Club and Marina.

June 5, 2010 - Fresno
10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.
Clovis Memorial Building
808 4th Street Clovis, CA 93612-1396
Partners: Keep the Delta Clean Program and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

03/03/2010

SACRAMENTO– The Boating Clean & Green Program will host a series of “Dockwalker” trainings for individuals who want to promote environmentally-sound boating throughout California’s marina communities.

Dockwalkers will be trained to engage members of the public and the boating community in adopting clean boating practices. Once training is complete, these volunteers don their official “Dockwalker” hats and conduct face-to-face boater education while visiting marinas, boat launch ramps, boat shows and special events.  

Training is free and dockwalking is a fantastic way to interact with boaters to help keep California’s marinas, waterways, and ocean clean and healthy. The training provides an overview of environmentally-sound boating practices, information on how to conduct Dockwalking, educational materials that Dockwalkers will distribute including boater kits, a video about clean boating in California and baseball caps.  In the last five years, more than 600 Dockwalkers have distributed over 90,000 boater kits statewide. Hours spent training or educating the public qualify as community service.

For more information about the Dockwalker program, and to register for training, please visit www.dbw.ca.gov (click on Clean and Green tab), or contact Vivian Matuk at (415) 904-6905 or vmatuk@coastal.ca.gov.

The “Dockwalker” trainings will be held at the following times and locations in Northern California:

March 16, 2010 – Napa
7 p.m. to 8:40 p.m.
Napa Valley Yacht Club
100 Riverside Dr., Napa, CA 94559

Partners: Keep the Delta Clean Program, US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Napa Valley Yacht Club and Lake Berryessa Partnership.

March 24, 2010 – Sacramento
6:00-8:40 p.m.
Sacramento Marina
2710 Ramp Way
Sacramento, CA 95818
Partners: Keep the Delta Clean Program, US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Sacramento Marina.

April 1, 2010 – Benicia
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Benicia Yacht Club
400 East 2nd Street, Benicia, CA 94510
Partners: Keep the Delta Clean Program, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, City and County of San Francisco Department of the Environment and the Benicia Yacht Club.

April 10, 2010 – San Rafael
10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.
Loch Lomond Yacht Club
95 Loch Lomond Drive, San Rafael, CA  94901

Partners: Keep the Delta Clean Program, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, City and County of San Francisco Department of the Environment and the Loch Lomond Yacht Club and Marina.

June 5, 2010 – Fresno
10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.
Clovis Memorial Building
808 4th Street Clovis, CA 93612-1396
Partners: Keep the Delta Clean Program and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

02/25/2010

SACRAMENTO– The Boating Clean & Green Program will host a series of “Dockwalker” trainings for individuals who want to promote environmentally-sound boating throughout California’s marina communities.

Dockwalkers will be trained to engage members of the public and the boating community in adopting clean boating practices. Once training is complete, these volunteers don their official “Dockwalker” hats and conduct face-to-face boater education while visiting marinas, boat launch ramps, boat shows and special events.  

Training is free and Dockwalking is a fantastic way to interact with boaters to help keep California’s marinas, waterways, and ocean clean and healthy. The training provides an overview of environmentally-sound boating practices, information on how to conduct Dockwalking, educational materials that Dockwalkers will distribute including boater kits, a video about clean boating in California and baseball caps.  In the last five years, more than 600 Dockwalkers have distributed over 90,000 boater kits statewide. Hours spent training or educating the public qualify as community service.

For more information about the Dockwalker program, and to register for training, please visit www.dbw.ca.gov (click on Clean and Green tab), or contact Vivian Matuk at (415) 904-6905 or vmatuk@coastal.ca.gov.

The “Dockwalker” trainings will be held at the following times and locations in Southern California:

March 20, 2010 – Dana Point
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Dana West Yacht Club 24601 Dana Drive, Dana Point, CA. 92629
Partners: the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation, the City of Newport Beach, Project-GreenWorks, US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Dana West Yacht Club and Dana Point Yacht Club.

March 27, 2010 – Long Beach
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Shoreline Yacht Club
386 Shoreline Drive South, Long Beach, CA 90802
Partners: the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation, US Coast Guard Auxiliary, the US Power Squadron, the Shoreline and the Navy Yacht Clubs, Long Beach.

April 5, 2010 – San Diego
6:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m
Bay Club Hotel and Marina (Harbor Room)
2131 Shelter Island Drive San Diego, CA 92106
Partners: the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation, US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Bay Club Hotel and Marina.

May 1, 2010 – Los Angeles
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
3720 Stephen M. White Drive
San Pedro, CA 90731
Partners: the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation, US Coast Guard Auxiliary, the US Power Squadron, the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and the City of Los Angeles

02/24/2010

SACRAMENTO--The California Boating and Waterways Commission (Commission) will meet March 3 to consider $2.386 million in boating facility improvement grants and loans. 

The meeting is open to the public and will convene at 8:30 a.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott, 1782 Tribute Road, in Sacramento.  Other topics of discussion will include the introduction of newly appointed commissioners, AB 166 (a new state program to assist in the elimination of abandoned vessels on state waterways) and other matters.  The proposed grant and loan recipients are:

Coyote Point Marina, San Mateo  -- San Mateo County
The Commission will consider a $1,966,000 loan to San Mateo County for improvements to Dock 29 of the Coyote Point Marina.  The proposed project includes removal of the existing structures and installing new piles, docks, utilities, gangway and a security gate.  In February of 2008, the Commission  approved a planning loan in the amount of $218,000 for this project. The total project cost is estimated at $2.184 million.

El Dorado Beach Boat Launching Facility, South Lake Tahoe – El Dorado County
The Commission will consider a final $420,000 grant to the City of South Lake Tahoe for improvements to the El Dorado Beach Boat Launching Facility (BLF).  The proposed project includes replacing the existing bathroom, installing safety lighting and providing associated pedestrian paths from the existing parking lot to the proposed restroom.  The Commission has previously approved three grants totaling $1.1 million for improvements at this BLF.

Grant and loan applications are submitted to the California Department of Boating and Waterways and funding for approved projects is derived from the taxes paid by boaters on the purchase of vessel gasoline and the repayment of principal and interest on department-made loans.