Dive Float , Use, or not use..
- Thread starter Wreck/Tec
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Wreck...,
I see you live in FL. so you should already know that the Manatee Club's agenda is to stop power-boating in the state, a little at a time. So unless you dive from shore, divers (as well as fisherman & waterskier) need to wake up !!
http://www.cfwbrevard.org/
Dr. Jay
Contributor
Good point crf8
I recently saw a news story on how the manatee numbers were getting much greater now. They even considered taking them off the endangered species list.
Anyone have any experience with "the manatee problem"? I haven't seen any new discussions in light of the recent studies. Only mentioned in one thread in FL divers board (see link below)
http://www.scubaboard.com/t19922/s.html
This is probably something that will effect FL divers greatly.
I recently saw a news story on how the manatee numbers were getting much greater now. They even considered taking them off the endangered species list.
Anyone have any experience with "the manatee problem"? I haven't seen any new discussions in light of the recent studies. Only mentioned in one thread in FL divers board (see link below)
http://www.scubaboard.com/t19922/s.html
This is probably something that will effect FL divers greatly.
Rice
Guest
The ONLY reason the manatee numbers went up was thaere was a really strong cold snap the day they count all the manatees so a greate percentage of them were in palces they are easily counted. There was no manatee spanish fly in the water adn there were plenty of deaths in the last year.
This was just a statistical manipulation by people that want to drive thier boats wherever they want at whatever speed they want. same people who use dive flags as slalom bouys. it's time for a required boating course.
Rice
This was just a statistical manipulation by people that want to drive thier boats wherever they want at whatever speed they want. same people who use dive flags as slalom bouys. it's time for a required boating course.
Rice
you're right about the stat minipulation; but its the manatee clubs lawyers & lobbysts that are playing games. This is a money issue for them, not environmental. Call the manatee club, ask a question; all they want is a solicitation...send your cash to pay the lawyers. I guess you don't even own a boat, I see you live in Florida. Try going idle speed several hours (in the 100 degree heat) in a river 10 miles wide, because a manatee might happen by. Boaters were environmentalists before manatee club existed. Why do you think were out there. The animals are killed by commercial boats, fishing lines & nets, lock doors, loss of habitat to waterfront homes, and inability to migrate due to warm water discharge at power plants. Try to shut all that down.
http://www.cfwbrevard.org/
http://www.cfwbrevard.org/
Groundhog246
Contributor
I agree that the speed zones may not be the best method, perhaps a total ban on boating in some areas? But your Boaters were environmentalists is IMHO blatantly untrue. I've seen way too many powerboaters, carelessly spilling fuel while filling up, especially filling from jerry cans, pumping oil filled bilge water over the side and tossing beer cans and other garbage over the side. Two-stroke outboards dump 100's of quarts of unburnt oil out their exhaust (thus many areas are banning use of two-stroke engines). Not to say there are not environmentally conscious (friendly) boaters, but not the majority of them.
Locally at least, even with recent requirements for an "operators proficiency" card to legally operate a power boat and dive flags are included in the study materials, most boaters still don't recognize one. Or even if they do, they pay as much attention to dive flags as they do to no wake zones and speed limits. In my home port, the local Coast Guard cutter's Captain feels the "No Wake" restriction, IN the marina, does not apply to them, so they save 30 seconds getting through the breakwall and bash everyones boat around in the process. It's a municipal marina and they lease space, rumours are the lease may not be renewed due to numerous complaints.
Dr. Jay
Contributor
Actually, unless you were born before Sept. 29, 1980, you have to take a boater's safety course to operate a boat in FL (if I am not mistaken).
Seems like we're making some generalizations here (heh...Groundhog, yours wasn't as bad
)Anyone have any scientific evidence to put here? Seems the only place I got informed was the boaters website
. There seems to be a lot of 'politiking' going on (for lack of a better word ).BTW - If manatees hear the sounds of faster moving boats better, think it would be possible (with how well sound travels in water) to create something that creates some sort of advanced warning. Really, if someone told you that you could no longer take a boat to get to your dive site and you had to swim 1-2 miles to the site, wouldn't you be a little ticked?
There has got to be a better solution than just stopping boating altogether.
Groundhog246
Contributor
The "stop boating" was meant to be "tongue in cheek". Since the government applies the same regulations to all boats, power and sail, I'm not in favour of more regulation. Since a lot of the "damage" to manatees is prop damage, perhaps jet drives would be in order? Of course, think of the impact of a sailboat fin keel (mines a ton of cast iron and extends 4 feet down) moving at 5 knots. And it's not making any noise at all. I'm afraid there's no real solution. As long as Manatee's and boats share the same waters, there will be collisions, the question is how many is acceptable.
On the dive flag topic (this thread), if the Florida boating course is a good as the one here, it might as well not exist. I'd also be curious to know how many here recognize
![url]](http://[url]http://web.ukonline.co.uk/scoutnotebook/communicator/maritime/a-icon.gif[/url]){kind=icon}
- Messages
- 3,464
- Reaction score
- 12
I've lived in Florida most of my life and operated boats here for many years. As a retired captain I feel that several things are needed....
First, enforce the existing laws. Second, require more training for private boaters. The level of skill and knowledge of your average recreational boater is virtually nil. Any idiot with the money can buy a 70 mph boat and go out and "use" it.
The currently required course is nearly useless.
I can remember when one would see a manatee nearly every day, now, they're rare enough to draw crowds at docks when they come around and their backs, every one of them, are covered with prop scars.
Jet skis? Ban them in navigable waters, allow in small lakes only.
Tom
First, enforce the existing laws. Second, require more training for private boaters. The level of skill and knowledge of your average recreational boater is virtually nil. Any idiot with the money can buy a 70 mph boat and go out and "use" it.
The currently required course is nearly useless.
I can remember when one would see a manatee nearly every day, now, they're rare enough to draw crowds at docks when they come around and their backs, every one of them, are covered with prop scars.
Jet skis? Ban them in navigable waters, allow in small lakes only.
Tom
kpauley
Registered
LMAO - (wiping the tears from my eyes) that has got to be the funniest things I have read on this board yet!!!
I thought they bought power boats so that could throw their empties farther from shore? Some seem to think that if they take their dates from from shore they can convince them to take the bikini tops off.
What other reasons do power boaters have? anyone else have some good suggestions? Maybe I could start a new thread?
Similar threads
