 |
The Bexley Marine Captain's logMarine News, Marine Information, Current and Upcoming Events |
|
|
|
The 2010 Show is approaching quickly !
Put your fishing hat on and join us to kick off the 2010 season.
There will be lots of boats and the newest marine equipment to have a look at. Maybe you are in need of a new boat with a more efficient engine... we can help you find the right one for your usage. And remember, you can always get a great deal on a boat at the show ! We have been at the show for many years and it is a good time.
Hope to see you there.. Columbus Fairgrounds.. Jan. 09 2010 to Jan. 17 2010
Have a look at the Ohio RV & Boat Show Website
The Division of Watercraft is not a suitable or appropriate agency in which to place the administration and funding of the Scenic Rivers program.
Boat Ohio Foundation aka
Boating Associations of Ohio.com --Web Link--
1269 Bassett Road –--- Westlake, OH 44145 ---- 440-899-5009
What all Ohio Boaters & all Concerned about River Preservation Should Know
(Ref. H.B. #1) The proposed transfer by ODNR of the Scenic Rivers program from the Division of Natural Areas & Preserves to the Ohio Division of Watercraft should NOT be approved by the General Assembly:
-
This proposal assumes that, because the Scenic Rivers program deals with rivers & streams, it’s a natural fit in the Division of Watercraft. It is not! This assumption is wrong for the following reasons:
-
The Division of Watercraft was created to administer and enforce laws regarding the identification, numbering, titling, use and operations of all watercraft ON Ohio’s waters and inform citizens about navigation, boating safety and conservation practices ON the waterways.
The Scenic Rivers program is an excellent preservation program focused on the acquisition, administration and maintenance of land areas and reforestation along with studies of stream biota, flora and fauna education.
-
The Division of Watercraft is a model user-pay, user-benefit program funded solely through the Waterways Safety Fund by boat registrations, boat gas tax revenue and federal boating safety grants. It receives no General Revenue Funds GRF).
The Scenic Rivers program is currently and correctly funded by the GRF because stream and adjacent land preservation is a general benefit to all Ohioans. Transferring Scenic Rivers to the Division of Watercraft will, in effect, single out Ohio’s boating families to pay for an unrelated program just to reduce the GRF budget.
-
The Division of Watercraft has told boating organizations that, if transferred, the Scenic Rivers program will be reconfigured into a “boating program.” This will include more access sites and the development of picnic areas and more landings which boaters are expected to demand since they’ll be paying for the program.
The Scenic Rivers program is not about boating and never has been. It is about preserving and restoring. In many respects these are opposites – one wanting more access and activity while the other supporting limited use to preserve natural quality.
-
The Division of Watercraft does not own, control or have maintenance responsibilities for any land areas, natural preserves or conservation easements. Its charge is law enforcement and safety on Ohio’s navigable waterways.
The Scenic Rivers program currently has responsibilities for nearly 5000 acres of forested property, land buffer real estate and conservation easements. While all lands are owned by ODNR, the administrative responsibilities for these lands are placed in the various Divisions. Accordingly, the administration, acquisition and maintenance responsibilities for large Scenic Rivers land areas has never been, nor should it be, in the scope of the Division of Watercraft’s administration, its officers or its operations.
-
The Division of Watercraft is an advocate for and charged with responsibilities for increasing waterways access and has an active facilities grant program from the Waterways Safety Fund to accomplish more access. Access is among the highest priorities in Watercraft’s Strategic Plan.
The Scenic Rivers program is a successful preservation program that historically advocates restricted uses, limited access and deals with land-use conflicts on adjacent real estate to maintain or improve natural qualities in the area.
The Scenic Rivers program is a valuable program. It should properly continue to be funded by the GRF in the Division of Natural Areas & Preserves. If an alternative is necessary, Scenic Rivers is far more attuned to other ODNR Divisions including: The Division of Soil & Water Conservation which already provides conservation assistance on more than 20 million acres and 40 watershed action plans; The Division of Forestry which already manages199,000 acres in 20 state forests; or The Division of Wildlife which already manages over three-quarters of a million acres of lands throughout the state, and is also concerned with stream biota and fish populations.
The Division of Watercraft is not a suitable or appropriate agency in which to place the administration and funding of the Scenic Rivers program.
- a link to an Open Survey from the ODNR , voice your opinion as a boat owner in Ohio
- a link to the ODNR page about this issue , [ keep in mind this site is a State of Ohio Web site]
- a link to the Ohio Legislature page displaying the actual bill
Every once in while I find a good web site to talk about, I have found another great little spot on the web. The Buckeye Lake Area Community Web Site, a really neat idea and a feature filled web site to boot. If it's on the water or anywhere close to the water, you will find it on BuckeyeLake.org
You owe it to yourself to stop in there for a visit and spend some time looking through the site. They have just about anything you might need to know about Buckeye Lake. A real nice map, a place to post your events, videos, blogs, forums, local news, lake area web links, classifieds, business directory and more....
And while your there, you will see that I have some boats for sale in the classifieds.. why not.. it's free for anyone in this area to use. In fact the web site has memberships available for free. Anyone in the lake area can have a blog and lots of other neat stuff like a user page to do with what you want.
The site administrator is always adding more features to the site for everyone to use and enjoy. Help from the admin is just a contact away for useing the site, posting graphics or anything you might need. He has 20 or more themes you can choose from to see the site how you like it, very neat and fun too.
Have a look at BuckekeLake.org, you should find it interesting.
The boat show is over, thanks to everyone that stopped by to visit us !
We have been real busy getting our new location ready for the upcoming boating season.
We are set up and everything is going very smooth as far as moving goes. The new secure storage yard is all ready for boats and the busy springtime rush. Inside the building we are working on a much better arrangement for the ships store. You will be able to find everything you need much easier now, stop in to find the supplies you will need for the upcoming season. The service department has a new set up as well. Our wish is that you will be better served as a result of this new location and all that it has to offer.
The thanks goes out to all our great customers !
Jay
Happy New Years Everyone !
The 2009 Show is approaching quickly !
Put your fishing hat on and join us to kick off the 2009 season.
There will be lots of boats and the newest marine equipment to have a look at. Maybe you are in need of a new boat with a more officiant engine... we can help you find the right one for your usage. And remember, you can always get a great deal on a boat at the show ! We have been at the show for many years and it is a good time.
Hope to see you there..
Columbus Fairgrounds
Jan. 09 2009 to Jan. 17 2009
After long thought about the idea of downsizing, I have decided to go ahead with it for many reasons. For one, the building we use for service and sales is outdated and not very energy efficient. It would be far better to have a newer building than to rebuild or refurbish the current one. The storage yard is not without it's problems as well. The buildings are having some issues and I really think we can be more efficient with a smaller area.
This is a big deal--- have you ever tried to just pickup and move a marina? It is a lot of work, to say the least.
My wish is that our customers will be better served in the new location.
You might be wondering where the new location will be and how far away it will be..
Relax, It's just East and around the corner from our current facility.
The new address will be 6800 Kilowatt Circle, Blacklick, Ohio
We will have the same phone numbers.
Some of you have said the web site is out of date, so we are working on a new one to be up sometime in February 09
It's about that time of year to get your boat winterized. We offer a professional service that you can trust.
Do you want to rebuild or clean all the carburetors in the spring? Running Stabilizer through the fuel lines, squeeze bulb, fuel pump, and carburetors keeps the compounds in the gas from separating; which causes deposits that will plug the carburetors.
Do you want rust to form inside your engine that will shorten it's life by many years? Spraying or Injecting fogging oil into the engine coats all the 'steel parts' with a layer of WAX. This stops rust from forming inside the engine during the winter. The WAX is dissolved away by the gasoline while the engine is running in the spring time.
Do you want a new lower unit in the spring time, because yours had water in it that froze and cracked the housing? Draining and refilling the lower unit with new lube will get any water out, if it is there. Fresh lube will help make the gears and bearings last longer, you will be ready to go for spring time.
Do you want to buy a new engine block for your inboard or inboard-outboard? The water jackets in the block, cooling pumps, and exhaust manifolds must be drained and charged with RV antifreeze. This will keep them from freezing and cracking.
There are other problems that can occur during the winter months, but these are some of the most important issues to keep it running good.
I'm not trying to mislead you with the consequences of not getting your boat winterized....
This is the real deal, if you have a boat that you want to keep in running condition, it needs winterized.
Boating Law Changes Effective Immediately . . June 12th 2008
Senate Bill 271 included changes to some Ohio boating laws to help enhance boating safety and enjoyment:
• A “slow tow” provision will permit boaters to tow ski tubes and other towables at a slow pace in areas outside of the designated speed and ski zones, primarily in the interest of safety. This provision will create additional recreational opportunities for individuals who are physically unable to manage or do not desire the higher speeds of open zones.
• Establishes “failure to control” as an enforceable boat operator rule. Many accidents occur as the result of operator inexperience or the forces of nature. These are not the result of a “rules of the road” violation or caused by reckless operation, but may result in minor property damage or injury. Examples of situations encompassed by the “failure to control” law include: over-compensation in strong winds or currents, loss of steerage on jet boats when the throttle is released, and attempting to maneuver under sail power alone through congested areas like marinas.
• Creates a “no wake zone” around boats actively engaged in public service, including law enforcement, fireboats, search and rescue teams, dredges and towing services. This is similar to the law requiring motorists to proceed with caution and change lanes or slow down when approaching a stationary public safety vehicle displaying an emergency light.
• Approves the children's swimsuit-style life jacket as an acceptable lifejacket for children who are required by law to wear a lifejacket (children under 10 on boats under 18 feet, in Ohio). The swimsuit-style personal flotation device was approved by the U.S. Coast Guard several years ago and is designed to be more comfortable and better suited to the activities of children participating in family boating. These PFDs are considered to be "Type V" lifejackets, which the old Ohio law did not explicitly allow for children.
• Allows for the transfer of electronic titles for outboard motors. This provision reduces the time it takes to transfer titles by preventing the need for a watercraft dealer to first issue a physical title.
