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Experienced cruisers and long a champion of boaters’ rights, Wally Moran has organized resistance to restricted water rights in the past, especially in Florida. See Anchorage Harassment.
Folks, we need to get upset over the Georgia anchoring situation and kick up a fuss. We can’t count on the SSCA, MTOA, AGLCA etc to get involved here in any substantive way – they’re into negotiating with the legislatures, and it’s now too late for that.
What do we need to do? I wish I knew, I’m thinking about it and would like to hear your ideas.
If the state can be convinced to not enforce these rules because of the damage they’ll cause to the marine business, that would be a beginning. My understanding from someone looking into this now is that at least one major marina in GA is not happy as this will drive people to go around GA.
Also – could this be a violation of the laws regarding interstate commerce?
Any other thoughts out there? Believe me folks, we need to mobilize on this. Can you imagine the damage to our lifestyle if Florida picks up on this? $5 a day to anchor in Florida, and only in state designated locations?
Say goodbye to cruising if that happens.
Wally Moran
Wally, others,
So far, the only explanation I have seen for the actions Georgia has taken is pollution from boats pumping overboard, but I think the issue is broader than that, and is really targeted at the "derelict vessel" problem. There is no question that derelicts are a problem in many places, but this approach doesn't get at the problem and swats a mosquito with a sledge hammer. It's poorly thought out, typical of government bureaucrats. Does anyone actually know what the intent is? It would be helpful in any analysis of the actions being undertaken to know what the result is supposed to be. If it's really pollution for pumping overboard, there are much bigger problems for states to tackle than boaters. How about agricultural runoff, storm overflow from municipal sewage treatment facilities, lawn fertilizers, and the plethora of industrial pollutants in places like Savannah harbor and Brunswick harbor.
Legally, this is an amazingly complex area with literally hundreds of years of Roman Law, English Common Law and US Constitutional law and International Maritime Treaty underlying. There are topics of jurisdiction, administration, Public Trust Lands, Supreme Court precedent and the evolution of public policies. I have an article on my website that tries to summarize the very tip of the subject. Here's a link to the article: https://gilwellbear.wordpress.com/category/cruising-practica/general-cruising/anchoring-rights/. I will assume you will read that instead of having me re-post it here.
The State of Georgia is given money from the federal government for dredging, a public trust responsibility. That money comes to the state through its congressional delegation. The state has consistently diverted that money to other non-waterway uses (as has South Carolina), so we have places like Altamaha Sound, the Little Mud River and Hell Gate that are on the edge of impassible – or actually impassable – at low tide, and worsening. Before the state does something as extensive as what is being proposed, denying the free use of public trust lands to the public, should they not live up to their existing public trust responsibilities?
As with motor vehicle and highway law, should not the maritime laws of the various states be consistent with the laws of neighboring states? If so, we already have a mess on our hands, because there is no consistency from state to state on the A-ICW. This nonsense will just add to that. One wonder if they consulted with their neighbor, Florida, on the history of "derelict vessel" legislation there. Probably not; pride would preclude that reasonable course of action.
I do not object to REASONABLE controls, but a one-night permit for a through-cruiser to anchor on Wahoo Creek overnight which is applied for and received online? Nonsense. There are places in the salt marshes of the low country where no signal is available. And a $240 dollar annual permit? What's that money to be used for? Is it destined for the general treasury of the state, or is it restricted for some waterway development use?
Boaters need to band together with BoatUS and the AIW Association to help manage this.
We must develop intelligent, factual, non-emotional suggested responses to be sent to Georgia legislators and the governor. Someone needs to lead that. Soon.
In the end, Georgia residents must lead this fight on behalf of all boaters. Georgia boaters have by far the most to lose here, because they can't go out on weekends and drop the hook, and of course, they can't go to remote, private locations, either. They'd have to go to "approved anchorages." It was cleaver to single out "estuarine waters." That immunizes the thousands of boaters on fresh water ponds like Lake Lanier. Keeps the noise level from the peanut gallery down. I tried once to write an email to then South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley about the condition of the A-ICW between Charleston to Georgetown (McClellanville, Andersonville). Since I am not a South Carolina resident, the state email system would not allow me to contact their governor's office. How's that for Bovine Excrement? Georgia residents have to own and lead this.
One important issue is, what is Georgia's legal definition of "LIVEABOARD?" When Florida went through this, they had to change the definition in a way that DID NOT include cruising boats that are simply exercising their rights of passage. If cruisers don't fit the definition of "live aboard," then none of this is an issue for us. And frankly, a column in the logbook that gets a check mark when I pump out is pretty simple. I started doing that years ago when North Carolina flirted with a law requiring a pumpout log.
A lot needs to be done here, fast, on behalf of the cruising community. If I can help, I'm happy to do so. But, I'm not a Georgia resident and not in a position to lead the fight. Someone resident in Georgia is going to have to step up. Peg and I are cruising now, so my Internet Access and personal availability are constrained.
Roger Long is an experienced yachtsman and Waterway cruiser. His passion for the freedom offered by the ICW is very evident in his writing. Anchoring restrictions in Florida have dampened the enthusiasm cruisers once had for that state. Georgia appears to be on the same “boating is only for the wealthy” path. Thank you for sharing Roger. See also Anchoring Under Attack in Georgia? and Kim Russo on New Anchoring Restrictions in Georgia.
Larry,
I was shocked to click into Cruisers Net this morning and see NOTHING about the new Georgia anchoring law that was snuck in under the radar. There was a small, easily overlooked item yesterday but it has aged down to page two. Do you not realize that, if this stands, we are looking at the beginning of the end of ICW snowbirding for everyone not wealthy enough or inclined to stay in a marina every night? This will be the formula that FL uses to finally shut down the state. It will likely spread to the Carolinas. There is a comment and rule making process in play. There should be an all stop call for emergency action.
I posted on some social media sites yesterday and am almost as shocked by the reaction of many in our community as the idiocy of Georgia government, comments generally along the lines of:
We always go outside so this doesn’t effect us.
We always stay in a marina so this doesn’t effect us.
If $5.00 a night is a problem for you, you can’t afford boating.
I’m in favor of keeping sewage out of the water.
We can afford one marina stop and get through Georgia in two days so what’s the big deal?
I find this fragmentation of interest disturbing. Do boaters only care about people who cruise exactly as they do? We are a small enough community as it is and such narrow perspectives will leave us powerless.
For us personally, exploring the remote corners of Georgia and anchoring in the many creeks and unspoiled spots is major reason for all the expenditure of time and money to maintain a large boat and take it south. If anchoring in the state is restricted to a few designated areas, which will certainly be only near places convenient for law enforcement to patrol to check for permits, and crowded, we will not be taking our boat south of Norfolk again. I know that we are probably a minority as most of your readers view the ICW as just a speed bump on the way to the Bahamas and Florida but, if our community fragments like this, there won’t be a Cruisers Net or need for it in a few years.
Roger Long
As a 30+ year resident of Georgia this law is the most outrageous I have seen. This is a classic case of legislators voting on bills proposed that they have no idea about and no knowledge of what they are doing. Just trying to cast their vote so they can go on summer break and don't have a clue what they are voting about. Disgusting really. Would like to know who sponsored and introduced this bill? Then who voted on it. They had no lobbying pushback so they voted Yea on a bill they had no clue about. Sickening. This is an embarrassment to the residents and voters of Georgia. Georgia is an afterthought on the east coast ICW and this nonsense will ensure that GA is nonexistent.
Our thanks to Kim Russo, Director of America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association for this summary of Georgia’s new anchoring laws. See also Anchoring Under Attack in Georgia?
The State of Georgia has passed a bill that restricts anchoring and adds some requirements for boaters regarding their marine sanitation systems.
It appears this will mean some new requirements for Loopers, such as keeping logs of pumps outs in Georgia and securing the black water discharge valves, similar to what is currently required in the Great Lakes and Canada. It will also restrict where you can anchor and require you to obtain a permit in order to anchor overnight. Please read below or view the attached bill for more specifics.
At this point in the process, Georgia DNR has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to start the process of implementing this new law. Details can be found here. They are suggesting a nominal fee for anchoring permits, with permits obtained in a number of ways including online. No information is included on what areas will be designated as anchoring areas, other than a notice that those area will be posted on the DNR website.
This is the most restrictive anchoring law I’ve seen pass. Thankfully, the AICW through Georgia is less than 150 miles. AGLCA will participate in the process for the notice of proposed rulemaking as DNR works on implementation. We will let members know what assistance is needed as we continue analyzing the new law and it’s proposed implementation. In the meantime, if anyone has followed the evolution of this bill or has any additional information, please contact me.
The highlights of the bill are:
-The Board of Natural Resources is authorized to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations relating to
overnight or long-term anchoring within the estuarine areas of this state to include the establishment of an anchorage permit.
-The Department of Natural Resources is authorized to establish anchorage areas within the estuarine areas of this state as well as areas where anchoring is not allowed.
-It shall be unlawful for any person to dock or anchor at night any vessel within the estuarine areas of this state unless it is in an anchorage area established by the department and in compliance with all rules and regulations adopted by the board pursuant to this Code section or at an eligible facility. Nothing in this Code section shall prohibit short-term anchoring for fishing or similar activities, nor shall it prohibit the owner of a vessel from docking at a private recreational dock or noneligible facility so long as such vessel is not utilized as a live-aboard vessel.
-It shall be unlawful to operate or float any live-aboard vessel within the estuarine areas of this state, whether anchored in an anchorage area or at an eligible facility, which has located within or on such vessel a Type I, Type II, or Type III Marine Sanitation Device, as defined in 33 C.F.R. 159, unless such device has a secured mechanism which is constructed and installed in such a manner that it can be emptied only by pumping out to prevent discharge of treated and untreated sewage or is equipped with a holding tank, as
such term is defined in Code Section 52-7-3. Examples of secured mechanisms considered to be effective at preventing discharges include, but are not limited to, closing the seacock and padlocking, using a non-releasable wire tie, or removing the seacock handle with the seacock in the closed position.
-Persons operating or floating live-aboard vessels with marine toilets and subject to the requirements of this Code section shall create and maintain for at least one year after creation records which indicate the name and location of pump-out facilities used and the dates of such use. Persons who own or operate pump-out facilities shall also create a record and maintain, for at least one year after creation, records which indicate the name and vessel registration number, the date of pump-out, and verification of pump-out for each vessel for which pump-out services are performed.
Kim Russo
Director
America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association
in georgia it is legal to dump blackwater tanks out side demarcation line. whats so ridiculous is these bureaucrats that made this law haven't got the brains to realize that most demarcation lines in georgia are just outside the mouth of the sounds barely past the beaches of the islands north and south of them. so if you dump here where its legal, (on an incoming tide}, where do you think the waste is going to wind up? MY ESTIMATION IS THAT 40 TO 50% OF CRUISERS PASSING THROUGH GEORGIA COASTAL WATERS ARE AT RETIREMENT AGE. I FEEL SAFE TO SAY THAT MOST ABIDE BY THE DUMPING WASTE REGULATIONS. THE OTHER 50 TO 60% TRAVEL OFFSHORE PASSING WITHOUT STOPPING. THE GEORGIA COASTLINE HAS MINIMAL FACILITIES FOR TRANSIENT BOATERS. THE ONES THAT DO CATER TO TRANSIENTS ARE GOING TO SUFFER DUE TO THIS NEW ORDINANCE.
Our thanks to BoatUS, a longtime advocate for boating safety, for this article.
Boaters Aren’t the Only Ones Getting Heavier: Outboard Engines Catch Up
BoatUS says be careful when repowering
WASHINGTON, May 30 2019 – One year ago the U.S. Coast Guard required new recreational boats to have more floatation to support the increased weight of newer four-stroke outboards if the boat becomes swamped. Now the agency is implementing those changes as reported in the Spring 2019 issue of the U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Circular. Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) advises recreational boaters to be aware of this issue when considering repowering an older model year vessel with a heavier four-stroke outboard.
“Repowering with a newer, more reliable, cleaner, fuel-sipping outboard is one way to get more life out of a good boat,” said BoatUS Foundation president Chris Edmonston. “However, after having gone through the recent repowering of a 22-foot center-console vessel with a heavier four-stroke, and seeing first-hand the resulting loss of freeboard and performance, we want to remind owners to consider engine weight. With a potentially heavier four-stroke motor and resulting lower freeboard at the stern, swamping is a concern and your boat may handle differently than with the old engine.”
If you don’t know the weight of the engine you’re replacing, Edmonston recommends you contact the manufacturer before you repower. A boat dealer or repair facility may also be able to provide that information to ensure that, regardless of horsepower, the engine weights are similar.
Federal requirements mandate that outboard-powered monohull boats 20-feet and under must be built with enough flotation to keep the passenger-carrying area at or just below the water’s surface in the event of swamping or capsizing. The boat must float level. There are no floatation regulations for vessels over 20-feet long.
When these regulations were written in the early 1970s, virtually all outboards suitable for smaller boats were two-stroke models covering a broad range of horsepower, but that’s no longer the case. Four-strokes come in virtually every size now, making them viable candidates for installation on more boats. While recently there have been some two- and four-stroke models with comparable power and weight, by and large four-stroke outboard engines remain heavier. A four-stroke’s more complex valve systems typically add 10% to 15% or more weight than their two-stroke counterparts. Twin engine installations compound the weight problem.
This isn’t the first time the Coast Guard has recognized a growing vessel weight issue and updated regulations. In 2011, the “Assumed Average Weight Per Person” was increased from 140 to 185 lbs., but only for commercial passenger vessels. Existing formulas for weight capacity on recreational boats were considered adequate and did not change.
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About Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS):
Celebrating more than 50 years, BoatUS is the nation’s largest organization of recreational boaters with more than a half-million members. We are the boat owners’ voice on Capitol Hill and fight for their rights. We are The Boat Owners Auto Club and help ensure a roadside trailer breakdown doesn’t end a boating or fishing trip before it begins. When boats break down on the water, TowBoatUS brings them safely back to the launch ramp or dock, 24/7. The BoatUS Marine Insurance Program offers policies that give boat owners affordable, specialized coverage and superior service they need. We help keep boaters safe and our waters clean with assistance from the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. Visit BoatUS.com.
Ben Matthews is an experienced yachtsman and we are grateful for his sharing of his experience with the numerous engine problems possible with a new previously owned boat. Thankfully, it is a story with a happy ending. Westland Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is located on the southeastern shore of Titusville’s semi-enclosed harbor.
We had mechanical issues in Titusville that needed to be repaired. We recently purchased a (too) lightly used express cruiser we are moving from Florida to North Carolina. In Titusville, the starter on one of the engines failed and was fixed by Boater’s Edge which resides in the same building as Westland Marina. Truly a collaborative arrangement. Westland Marina is under new ownership and they are as nice and accommodating as they can be. I pulled the boat in on a Saturday and made arrangements after hours on their emergency call line, and then contacted Boater’s Edge that Monday. When I picked the boat up the next Friday all the work was done and I pulled out. Fuel issue. Came back. Jeff from Boaters Edge fixed it on the spot. Pulled out again. Circulating pump issue. Pulled in again. They had the part ordered and made arrangements to fix on the spot on Saturday – of Memorial Day Weekend no less – and got me up and on my way by 10am. Superb support and friendliness by Kyle and Jeff to get me back on the water again and headed north. I made 480 miles the next 3 days due to their overtime work and fast response! Also they helped with advice after the repair for my maintenance of it days later. Thanks Guys!
Although Westland Marine and Boater’s Edge are separate businesses, they work collaboratively to help boaters. Sean the nice marina manager has a really friendly Labrador who will play fetch while you wait and the lounge, shower, laundry, and restrooms are spotless and comfortable. Westland is generally a DIY yard and very lively with activity. Many useful stores (grocery, pharmacy, fast food) within a 20-minute walk, and a great ACE Hardware (with marine parts) is a 2 mile Uber/Lyft ride in the Florida heat.
Thanks Westland and B-E for a great experience in a challenging situation!
Ben Mathews
Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers Net Marina Directory Listing For Westland Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Westland Marina
Summer heat closed 1 bridge. Could it close more? With a closed vertical clearance of 31ft, Ben Sawyer Bridge is the last bridge before Charleston Harbor when southbound.
Good morning, Charleston
Charleston is known for seriously hot weather, but it reached a new level om Monday.
The Charleston area experienced a high of 100 degrees, with an even higher heat index — hot enough to warp the Ben Sawyer Bridge. “Extreme heat” expanded its steel structure to where it became stuck partially open.
Though other bridges in the state have experienced similar temperatures, Memorial Day marked the first time the Ben Sawyer Bridge bridge was forced to shut down due to the heat, according to the S.C. Department of Transportation. This is a relatively rare occurrence and not a sign of a problem with its structural integrity, state transportation officials said.
The bridge remained shut down to vehicle traffic for four hours during the evening, much to Memorial Day beach-goers’ dismay. It eventually reopened to traffic around 9 p.m., but it remained closed to maritime traffic for most of Tuesday.
“It isn’t common, but it’s not unheard of,” Kevin Turner, a SCDOT construction engineer, said of the bridge’s thermal expansion.
FULL STORY: ‘Extreme heat’ led to Sullivan’s Island bridge closure on Memorial Day, officials say
Post and Courier
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Ben Sawyer Bridge
Experienced cruisers and frequent Cruisers Net contributors Jim and Peg Healy share their ships log and navigation watches as M/V Sanctuary travels north on the FL/GA Waterway. Thank you Jim and Peg!
Jekyll Creek is home to CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, Jekyll Harbor Marina, one of the best, as Jim and Peg discovered!.
We called Jekyll Harbor Marina for local knowledge on dredging status in Jekyll Creek. The dredge is now working in the shallowest area of the creek, and the advice was to stand down and wait for more water. JHM let us tie up on the face dock, and let us hook up to power at no charge. The mid-day heat was brutal, so I considered that courtesy as above and beyond! Kudus to Jekyll Harbor for their welcome! We enjoyed a nice lunch there, and departed northbound at 13h30 with the tide at +2.3 ft. No issues. From the bridge to the dredge, we saw a steady 9.0 ft up to the dredge. North of the dredge, for about 1/4 mile, it was bad; 5.5 ft. Not passable for most cruising boats at MLW. But, within a couple of weeks – and certainly by fall – Jekyll creek should be fine for a change! Around 6.5 to 7 ft, MLW.
Jim and Peg Healy aboard Sanctuary
Monk 36 Hull #132
See also Shallow Depths in Jekyll Creek
Click Here To View the Cruisers Net AICW Problem Stretches Listing For Jekyll Creek
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Click Here To View the Cruisers Net Georgia Marina Directory Listing For Jekyll Harbor Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Jekyll Harbor Marina
Numerous route options to navigate St Andrew Sound, especially in foul weather, have been posted on Cruisers Net. Type St Andrew Sound in our Homepage Search window for those reports. Experienced cruisers and frequent Cruisers Net contributors Jim and Peg Healy share their ships log and navigation watches as M/V Sanctuary travels north on the FL/GA Waterway. Thank you Jim and Peg!
We crossed St. Andrews Sound between 08h45 and 09h15, with the tide at Jekyll Creek at 1.8 ft. We crossed the tip of Horseshoe Shoal with 7.5 ft of water. Conditions were dead flat, so I would not recommend that route near low tide with any significant seas on St. Andrews Sound. With only 5.5 ft, +/-, some cruising boats would potentially have problems, and certainly so with 2 ft seas.
Jim and Peg Healy aboard Sanctuary
Monk 36 Hull #132
See also Comments on St Andrew Sound
Experienced cruisers and frequent Cruisers Net contributors Jim and Peg Healy share their ships log and navigation watches as M/V Sanctuary travels north on the FL/GA Waterway. Thank you Jim and Peg!
Problem Stretch Cumberland Dividings at the intersection of the Waterway and Brickhill River has been a Problem Stretch for several years due to constantly shifting shoals and an erroneous magenta line on many chartplotters.
The Cumberland Dividings were fine as marked. Floating R”60″ has been moved slightly north again. We cleared R”60″ at 08h30, with tide at Crooked River at +3.5. We saw at least 9.0 ft, so at least 6.5 ft at MLW. We did not that we needed to stay north there, close to the shoreline. The south side is shoaling. Creates anxiety, but doable for most cruising boats except at celestial lows.
Jim and Peg Healy
Click Here To View the Cruisers Net AICW Problem Stretches Listing For the Cumberland Dividings
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
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