NASBLA Roundtable

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  • 1.  State Boating Law Handbooks

    Posted 01-29-2022 08:30 AM
    Good Morning All

    I am a member of the US Power Squadron and I have been teaching our Boating Course for over 5 years, I am also a Volunteer Boating Instructor for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and I teach their class also.  I am a working mariner and usually log around 270 days on the water.

    I teach boating classes as a volunteer to promote the boating.  I am often asked in our classes about boating in other states and what the rules are.  I go over reciprocity and explain how to go to a state's department of natural resource web page and search out and download the boating guides.

    I was recently asked by our Assistant National Education Officer (Power Squadron) to research the state rules regarding the enforcement of capacity plate compliance for the states of Illinois and Indiana.

    I went to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources web page and clicked on the tab for boating rules.  This tab took me directly to a Boater - Ed webpage with a picture of the Indiana Boating Safety handbook with a "BUY" button.  Clicking on the buy button takes you to a Kalkomey bookstore webpage which will sell me a pdf file that I can download for a $1.99.

    I am hoping that this community of boating safety advocates can help me understand how charging someone to who is interested in finding out the regulations before they go out boating promotes boating safety!

    Now I realize that the Department of Natural Resource agencies area generally underfunded and it has been somewhat difficult to obtain printed copies of the Boating Rules Digest in Illinois and I have actually printed them my self for classes.  But at least I have never been charged for the download.  I also do not like the fact that the states are allowing kalkomey to plaster the BOATER-ED logo all over official state materials, but it is even worse when you charge your citizens.

    Scott Harmon

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    Scott harmon
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  • 2.  RE: State Boating Law Handbooks

    Posted 01-30-2022 04:53 PM
    Scott-
    The IDNR website may be hard to navigate. However, the Indiana Boating Law Handbook is available online to view, download and print at no cost if desired.
    Regards,
    Lt. Kenton Turner-BLA
    IDNR-LED

    Sent from my iPhone




  • 3.  RE: State Boating Law Handbooks

    Posted 01-31-2022 08:49 AM
    Scott -

    Kenton is correct that there is a Handbook available for free download. When you reach that Handbook page, though, you do have to scroll down (below the "start the course" link) and you'll find a Free Version section with a link to download a PDF copy.

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    Deb Gona
    NASBLA Research Consultant
    Gona & Associates
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  • 4.  RE: State Boating Law Handbooks

    Posted 01-31-2022 09:40 AM
    If you go  to this page,  and scroll down to the bottom, 


    This link will let you download a free PDF of the entire guide.

    https://assets.kalkomey.com/boater/pdfs/handbook/indiana-handbook-entire.pdf

    At one time I had a manual for each surrounding state for use on Lake Cumberland in KY when boaters would argue that "Thats not Illegal in  my state"