"Teak Surfing" legislation in California

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/19/BUGKI53LHK1.DTL

Some jacko, Assemblyman Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood, has put forth legislation that would ban being behind a boat within twenty feet of the stern in California. An end to Wake Surfing in this state. Contact your local assembly man and stop this guy. Good heart, bad idea. Education, not legislation!!

her is a link if you would like to let him know how you feel.
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a42/Contact.htm

Education, not legislation!! Man you said it. I sent him a E-mail WTF is a Teak surfing law going to do If he need to pass a law. Pass a law that says Owners /Operators need to have a Lice showing them the danger of boating and Yes teak surfing can be one of the things taught,

If you were reallying trying to stop usless deaths due to stupid people I cant see how making a law that says you cant do it will get the word out as good as telling showing all boat owners operators the dangers of boating.

How many people are killed on PWC's each year I would think there would be way more than from Teak Surfing

I sent him my thoughts on it. Lets say a rider,tuber,skier, etc falls and you come around to get them the rope...well you are within 20' so there is a $100 fine! And im not even from florida but i did say i supported better boater education and awareness as well as labels on the rear of boats.

It says:"-- make it an infraction, punishable by a $100 fine, to run a marine engine when anyone is swimming or bodysurfing within 20 feet of the boat;"

Does this include wakesurfing? It doesn't sound like it to me.

(Message edited by wakeon on February 20, 2004)

OK,
"At least 504 people are known to have been poisoned by carbon monoxide outdoors, and 102 of these incidents have been fatal, according to Jane McCammon, who has studied the issue for the Denver office of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health"

How long was the study?
How many deaths were behind a boat???

Why should "boaters" be punshed for the deaths of others not related to boating???

Remember ppl, it's an election year!!!

The facts are that only a few people have died from this. The USCG is on the forefront of this. I suggest that the Assemblyman consult the USCG before this law.

The safety issue is this:

Head at exhaust level.
Traveling with wind at approximately the same speed.
Long term exposure - at least 30 minutes.
Inexperienced boater and rider.

His law will do nothing other than harass the experienced boater. The market is already taking charge of this for wakesurfing - Fineline sideswipe exhaust and Trick Boardz exhaust tips.

Offer to bring the Assemblyman and his staff on a fact-finding mission and tow them. Don't confront, but educate and ensure they have a great time (food, non-alcohol drinks until the boat is docked, beautiful people, good gear, MEDIA, etc.). Make this a "boat owner" voter group issue.

Other resources:

USCG
Trick Boardz
Water Sport Industry Association
USA Water Ski

rider@boarditup.com

I vote we actually take the Assemblyman teak surfing (drag him behind the boat) long enough so he can become overcome with fumes...

OK, maybe not...

Just kidding

damn that would really suck if it happened i now think wakesurfing is for fun to do than wakeboarding, not only that people that dont wakeboard wakesurf because it is easier to do and they enjoy it.

I sent an email


Dear Assemblyman Koretz-
I am writing in regards to your proposed Boating Safety Act involving what you refer to as "Teak Surfing". Although I empathize with the relatives of those who have died while doing this unsafe activity, I cannot see your justification for legislating new laws that affect people who are knowledgable and enjoy activities that would fall under your bill. One such activity is wake surfing. This is done 5-10 feet behind the transom of an inboard boat. There is no chance of the participant being hurt by the prop of the boat or the boats emissions. This is because the boat is moving at 10+ mph and the participant is standing on the board. Thus keeping them out of the "Deadly poisonous gas". Please re-think your legislation. I agree with all of it except for the 20 ft law you intend to enact. It will not educate anymore boaters but it will strain an already thin law enforcement group to enforce a vague law. Unfortunatley ignorance cannot be legislated against. I think your law would better be accomplished through the issuing of boating licenses and the education of all boaters and water enthusiasts. Thank You

Justin Rozek
A Concerned boater in Sacramento

You might want to add in your notes to this politician that the deaths are due to drowning caused by unconsciousness...and is there not already a law for some type of floatation device required for anyone towed by a boat...

So I doubt the deaths are caused by CO, the deaths were caused by drowning.

So maybe the argument is that Teak Surfers are not towed... then they are positioning themselves outside of the gunwhales of the boat while in motion and are violating the laws in that regard.

So as you can see, the teak surfing phenonmenon is already "illegal" by one or more laws. Why not just enforce the laws that already exist.

BTW, wouldn't this law also eliminate barefoot booms...someone might want to make sure the barefooters of CA are notified as well.

Good Luck

How about a CATALYTIC converter?

99% of all the carbon monoxide goes away and the problem goes away.

A catalytic converter needs to get really hot to work. It can't do that with the water cooled exhaust on a boat. You'd have to totally redesign the engine area of the boat to accomodate high exhaust temperatures.

Thanks for bringing that to light B.J. The statistics probably include houseboating(Generators) and a multitude of other deaths, but they are running a general legislation, aimed at saving us from ourselves.

Dane, from what I understand catalytic converters are supposed to be required by year?? They bring on a danger of themselves though. In order for a cat to work it must reach 500 degrees, and up to 1000 degrees. Read the warning label on your sun visor that says do not let idle for long periods of time and do not park over flamable substances. Well where are they going to mount a cat in a boat?

Please tell everybody you know to send a message and vote NO on this law!

Here's my post to Koretz:

Mr Koretz,

I sincerely appreciate your attempt to make boating and water skiing a safer activity. However I feel there is a significant misunderstanding leading to a misdirected piece of legislation being proposed. To make an infraction out of swimming or bodysurfing within 20 feet of a boat will do little to improve the safety of California boating. The ambiguous parameters of this law will likely cause irritation and confusion between the boating community and law enforcement. The legislation will make it an infraction to perform many activities currently enjoyed by California boaters safely. To safely retrieve a downed skier on the busy California waterway requires a boat operator to get closer than 20 feet to the skier with the engine running. You may not realize that the engine needs to be running to engage the reverse system that functions as a boats braking system. I believe your law will in fact endanger the lives of water skiers in California. Please remove this clause from your law.

Sincerely,
Michael Jolley
Water skiing safely for 35 years

I just sent my .02 to Mr. Koretz.

Sent him my note.

Dear Assemblyman Koretz,

I am writing to encourage you to reconsider the following detail within your bill targeting "Teak Surfing".

-- make it an infraction, punishable by a $100 fine, to run a marine engine when anyone is swimming or bodysurfing within 20 feet of the boat;

While I agree with the intentions of your bill, your 20 foot restriction seems to overshoot your intentions. This restriction will make Wake Surfing illegal and I don't believe anyone has ever suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning from Wake Surfing.

If Teak Surfing is your target, then I would suggest changes to your bill to discourage Teak Surfing while not eliminating Wake Surfing.

By the way, Wake Surfing a lot of fun. At my age of 40, I really enjoy this low impact sport. If you would like to see photos of my recent wake surfing, at Lake Shasta, click on the WakeSurf thumbnail under the link below.


Thank you for your time.

Call Arnold ,maybe he will help you CA residents now as he was sort of an athlete

It would not be too difficult to put in close-coupled cats just after the header before the riser (keeping it dry and hot).

Thomas, what about the fact they need to be almost 1000 degrees, don't you think that would melt the motor cover even with heat shields?

I sent mine in...

I have read articles like this before and feel bad for the people that have died. But what the articles fail to mention is that those who have died, have not had life jackets on. It helps to get the real story.

The catalyst will start to crap out at ~850°C so I assume you are talking 1000°F (~540°C).

The inside of the cat has to be in this range. But then there is the: Mat (very insulative), the can, and the heat shield. The temp. outside the heatshield is not terribly high. There are lots of plastic and rubber parts close to the exhaust header on cars (with/without CC cats). Heat shields and a little bit of airspace do wonders, even when the car is not moving.

Space might be another issue without re-designing riser.

If any of u read the Chronicle, they had a picture of someone wakesurfing and the idiot reported called it teak surfing. Problem, those in power are in not informed. I'm with the letter to the congress person along with maybe an educational video and futher vids of ski beach on the delta in the summer

This is really is sad.

"teak surfing" - refers to kids/adults hanging-onto the "teak" (swim platform) while under way.

The back of the boat traps a carbon monoxide cloud because of the aerodynamic effects of the boat (like the back of a station wagon).

Unfortunately, bozos can very easily think that "teak surfing" is "wake surfing".

I'm not in CA but I put in my 2 cents since this seems like one of those stupid laws that other states might blindly adopt if passed.

I just sent a message to that assembly man and I will look up the rest of the committee members.

Try sending him this hyperlink and see what he says about it. Also make sure that he knows that some boat companies are already making boats that divert the exuast and the "Deadly high amouts of CO".

Opps I frogot the link
http://www.wakeworld.com/news/2004/freshair1.asp