Stepped up U.S. Coast Guard patrols on Lake Winnebago this summer have rattled the cages of some boaters and business owners.
A meeting to address complaints about the Coast Guard’s “compliance checks” was held last week at the Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau between the Coast Guard, Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Natural Resources and two business owners.
Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz said the concerns were not so much about random stops, but “the constant boarding of boats” in a certain area. Business owners claimed customers weren’t patronizing their businesses because they didn’t want to go through the hassle of being boarded and undergoing safety checks.
“I think it was a very productive meeting,” Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz said.
Unlike law enforcement which needs probable cause to board a boat, the Coast Guard is allowed to board a vessel without cause.
Scott Engel, fourth generation owner of Jerry’s Bar in Oshkosh and president of the Otter Street Fishing Club, said he hasn’t heard complaints from fishermen, but he suspects those traveling the Fox River or docking their boats may be the ones frustrated with the Coast Guard.
Engel said he was stopped once while operating a boat and another time on a personal watercraft. He said he found it a “little inconvenient” but not a big deal.
During the meeting in Oshkosh, the parties agreed that the Coast Guard will host a Safety Day next spring allowing boats to be inspected at the beginning of the season. A sticker would signal authorities on the water that the pro-active safety inspection was completed. Enforcement would still occur, though, for moving violations or expired registrations.
“I think it was really a great outcome for next year and understanding the impact of enforcement around those restaurants,” Matz said.
Boardings
Since Memorial Day, Coast Guard crews have performed 200 boardings on Lake Winnebago and nearly 4,900 on Lake Michigan. A boarding is a safety inspection that ensures compliance with required federal boating safety equipment. Crew members check that boaters are carrying equipment such as life jackets and flares or some other means of calling for help.
Seven of the 200 boardings on Lake Winnebago resulted in a “boating under the influence” ticket in comparison to 26 for the Lake Michigan sector, according to the Coast Guard.
“Recreational boating safety is our primary mission,” Coast Guard Capt. Amy Cocanour said.
“We’re not sure exactly who the local business owners are,” Cocanour said. “Our goal is not to interfere with their business … but to make sure (boaters) have the right safety equipment.”
And while the Coast Guard doesn’t have to have a reason for boarding a boat, crew members can issue citations for driving a boat while under the influence if they discover that offense once they are on the boat.
It is not illegal to consume alcohol on a boat, but intoxication limits are the same as for automobile drivers: a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent. Cocanour said boaters may exhibit signs of impairment at a lower level because of the impacts of waves and the sun.
“There is definitely a good chance that something bad could happen with drunken boaters on the water,” Cocanour said.
Federal waterway
The Coast Guard does not have a facility on Lake Winnebago but its boats are often brought in during the summer months when boating activity is at its peak. Lake Winnebago is designated a federal waterway through its historical navigation connection to Lake Michigan and is subject to Coast Guard jurisdiction.
Cocanour said Coast Guard boats typically pull up alongside a boat and run through a checklist that takes 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
The Fond du Lac and Winnebago County sheriff’s offices also staff two boats on the lake on weekends and busy summer holidays. During those times, there may be sheriff, DNR and Coast Guard boats working in concert to patrol the water.
A local volunteer Coast Guard Auxiliary operates from Fond du Lac and offers its assistance conducting boat inspections.
Safe season
Officials said the 2014 boating season has been relatively free of serious boating incidents.
Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office boats have responded to a number of “dead in the water” calls this season, said Capt. Rick Olig. The Sheriff’s Office Boat Patrol tows the disabled boat to the nearest port.
He said the majority of boat patrol stops are for expired registrations.
“We do a quick safety inspection of the boat so it’s an educational experience,” Olig said.
Officers strive to make the stop a positive experience as long as they do not discover alcohol abuse or reckless driving, he said.
“We’re not out there picking on anybody,” Olig said.
Contact Laurie Ritger at [email protected] or (920) 907-7925; Twitter: @LaurieRitger
By the numbers
• From 2012 to 2013, there were 16 recorded boating accidents in the Lake Winnebago and Fox River area with two reported deaths and four injuries. Over the entire state over the same time period, there were 35 deaths related to boating activity, according to Boating Accident Report Database.
• Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accident and almost 71 percent of fatal boating accident victims in 2013 drowned. Of those who drowned, almost 85 percent were not wearing a life jacket, according to 2013 Recreational Boating statistics.
• The Coast Guard notes all recreational boats must carry one wearable personal floatation device (PFD) for each person aboard. Any boat 16 feet and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must also carry one throwable PFD.
• In 2014, Fond du Lac County had 9,462 registered boaters, according to the DNR. Last year, there were 615,516 registered boaters statewide, with 189 recorded accidents and 12 deaths related to boating activity, according to Recreational Boating statistics.
• Anyone wishing to contact the Coast Guard to provide feedback online may go to http://tinyurl.com/MarinerFeedback
Source: thenorthwestern.com
