Post by fish2win on May 20, 2022 3:46:12 GMT -5
Memorial Day marks the official time for boating in Tenn. From this time until Labor Day the number of boaters. especially on week end will increase as much as 300 percent on week ends. This is especially true at Norris and Douglas.
The reasons are simple. First these two lakes have easy interstate access coming both north and south, Second, These lakes have other draws like clean water, open areas and breath taking views, Tennessee is one beautiful place with our old big mountains and our TVA lakes.
So why does it make for so much danger? First the number of boat owners in the USA has increased by 831000 boats in the last two years. These boats are bigger, faster and easier to pull and launch then ever. This in itself is not all, most states do not require a boating operation or safety coarse to license a potential boat operator and secondly even in states that do enforcement on people traveling from other states is next to impossible.
In Tennessee you must be 18 years of age , have taken and completed a boater safety course and received a valid operational license. This is the law but how far does enforcement take it?
Boating laws in Tennessee are enforced for the most part by the TWRA. The TWRA is the only agency of the state that does not receive and funds from the states general budget; It operates strictly on license sales and a small amount of federal funds from the Wallp Breau act. This agency is charged with enforcing boating laws, hunting and fishing regulations, and conservation of our lakes rivers and wildlife management areas. surprisingly the agency does a remarkable job on conservation and wildlife management programs but this limited budget only goes so far. Example. when was the last time your license and registration was checked on Norris,
Another increasing problem in Alcohol/ Up until a few years ago alcohol was not available at our marinas and in some cases mot in the counties surrounding the lakes. Today everywhere you go it is available. Its not a question of approval or disapproval of alcohol it simple water and alcohol do not mix. The poor judgement and or reaction time can make for a very bad outcome,
Please be safe this season and watch out for those untrained intoxicated operators. Things can go bad real fast on the water F2w
The reasons are simple. First these two lakes have easy interstate access coming both north and south, Second, These lakes have other draws like clean water, open areas and breath taking views, Tennessee is one beautiful place with our old big mountains and our TVA lakes.
So why does it make for so much danger? First the number of boat owners in the USA has increased by 831000 boats in the last two years. These boats are bigger, faster and easier to pull and launch then ever. This in itself is not all, most states do not require a boating operation or safety coarse to license a potential boat operator and secondly even in states that do enforcement on people traveling from other states is next to impossible.
In Tennessee you must be 18 years of age , have taken and completed a boater safety course and received a valid operational license. This is the law but how far does enforcement take it?
Boating laws in Tennessee are enforced for the most part by the TWRA. The TWRA is the only agency of the state that does not receive and funds from the states general budget; It operates strictly on license sales and a small amount of federal funds from the Wallp Breau act. This agency is charged with enforcing boating laws, hunting and fishing regulations, and conservation of our lakes rivers and wildlife management areas. surprisingly the agency does a remarkable job on conservation and wildlife management programs but this limited budget only goes so far. Example. when was the last time your license and registration was checked on Norris,
Another increasing problem in Alcohol/ Up until a few years ago alcohol was not available at our marinas and in some cases mot in the counties surrounding the lakes. Today everywhere you go it is available. Its not a question of approval or disapproval of alcohol it simple water and alcohol do not mix. The poor judgement and or reaction time can make for a very bad outcome,
Please be safe this season and watch out for those untrained intoxicated operators. Things can go bad real fast on the water F2w