Evening star., 1960-02-12

new FEDERAL Boating Act which
takes effect April / was to SCI
up a uniform code Of safety fol
all navigable waters of the
United States and its terri
tories.
The States were given the
option of enacting their owr
boating laws within this frame
work, but if they did not, the
Coast Guard would do the reg
istering. So far, 80 have done
so and have either obtained OF
are awaiting approval of Their
laws by the Treasury Secretary
The Federal law calls for the
numbering of all boats with
motors of more than 10 horse
power. Left to the States was
the question Of also register
ing boats of less horsepower
Many plan to register every
boat, including Maryland, and
their fees vary greatly. Vir-
.ginia's current bill calls for reg
istration of boats Of 10 horse
power and above.
Coast Guard Fee Lowest
. Under the TideWater Fish
cries Commission plan, Mary
land would charge $6 to regis
ter a boat for three years. The
Coast Guard will charge So for
three years.
On the other hand, Della
wares fee of 50 for one year
Is equal in effect to Mary
lands. 1t also plans to regis
ter every motorboat. Mary
land will also register sailboats
but not boats that are manu-
ally operated.
The bill before the Virginia
Legislature proposes a fee of
81 annually while North Caro-
lima, which will register boats
Of more than 10 horsepower
Is charging SO per year. West
Virginia will number all boats
Of more than 5 horsepower and
is charging $5 for the original
registration and 81 for renewals
Pennsylvania. which has
only an inland INCORPORATING
law, and New Jersey do not
have laws which conform. to
the Federal statute. There
fore, the Coast Guard will do
the registering.
Use for Money Varies
Uses for the money also
vary, although principally
they will go for enforcement OF
into boating funds.
Maryland's plan was drawr
up by DR.. H. c. Byrd, chairman
OF the Tidewater Fisherie.
Commission, jeremiah Valiant
former Salibury mayor and 5tf
District executive officer in tn,
United States Power Squad
rons, and Ernest Vaughn
director Of the Game and In.
land Fish Commission which
would administer the law II
non-tidal waters.
Its funds would go towarc
enforcement Of the law, max.
ing boating improvements anc
deepening channels.
Virginia's bill would set ur
o fund to be used only fol
administration, boating safety
education and providing boat,
ing facilities.
North Carolina plans to turr
its money over to the Wildlift
Resources Fund for enforce.
ment and for educational activ.
tties relating to boating safety
West Virginia will put it,
receipts into the Conservation
Fund.
Revenue In General Funds
California, New Mexico anC
Vermont, on the other hand
will put their revenue into theil
general funds, a proposal which
was one of the reasons for thu
defeat Of Maryland's boatinl
bill last year.
California and Vermont arr
two of the states that have
passed boating laws and hac
them approved. Others are Ala.
bama, Arizona, Arkansas, Del
aware, Florida, Illinois, Indi'
ana, Kansas, Michigan, Mime
sofa, Montana, Nebraska, NORTH
Carolina. Oregon. Rhode Is
land, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wes
Virginia and Wisconsin.
New Mexico is one of tn,
group that has passed law
but is waiting approval. Other
are Colorado, Missouri, New