Chris,
As a State with no mandatory education, Arizona actually has more students completing a NASBLA approved paddlesports course than the powerboat courses. We are now offering three classes a month all across the State and cannot begin to keep up with demand. Although putting on a paddlesports course is more labor/staff intensive, we find our instructors are more engaged and having fun in teaching.
If we go down the road to mandatory education for paddlers, we will need to find a stable revenue source for the NASBLA membership. In Arizona, we can only use USCG funds for our paddlesports activities, no funds from our watercraft revenue stream, and this funding source is very limited. The Paddlesports Committee would love to have you or one of your staff members join our merry band of paddlers to continue this discussion along with other paddlesports issues.
Happy Paddling,
Kim
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Kim Jackson
Boating & OHV Safety Education Program Manager
AZ Game & Fish Dept
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-03-2021 07:59 AM
From: Chris Edmonston
Subject: Paddlesports life jacket messaging
I wonder when we'll start requiring mandatory education for paddlers?
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Chris Edmonston
President
BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety & Clean Water
Original Message:
Sent: 07-08-2021 11:35 AM
From: Scott Eveland
Subject: Paddlesports life jacket messaging
A local City Park lake gets a lot of paddlesports traffic with very little life jacket compliance. The health department and city parks and rec are thinking of putting up a couple of basic signs promoting lifejacket use specifically for paddle sports. Has anybody done something similar and have any designs and or wording they want to share?
Something along the lines of: "Attention paddlecraft users, as a vessel you are required to carry life jackets and anybody under 13 must wear there's per state law."
Obviously that's a pretty dry message, anybody do something similar that can jazz it up a little bit?
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Scott Eveland
Nebraska Game & Parks Comm
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