North Carolina Anti-Anchoring Legislation by Jim Healy
Lifetime cruisers and full-time liveaboards Jim and Peg Healy are experienced Waterway anchorage users and know full well how local restrictions can be inconvenient and even dangerous for boaters who need a non-marina stopping point. Thank you, Jim for sharing your thoughts on this political issue. See also More on Florida’s Restrictive Anchoring Legislation.
We’re gonna see more and more of this as the years roll by…
The North Carolina Legislature is considering an anti-anchoring bill that would allow four cities to implement local anchoring laws. The footprint of geography isn’t clear, but if it’s the entire “city limits,” it could be greatly larger than the harbors in these places. I have attached the Senate Bill for those interested.
Those of you who live in North Carolina, or those of you who cruise in and through North Carolina, may wish to take keyboard in hand and write letters to appropriate legislators. This is not a “call-to-action,” but if this works like it has in Florida and Georgia, the legislature is responding to local pressure. The real issue is derelict boats, but it always surfaces as anchoring bans. Many of the legislators are, themselves, not boaters, and not familiar with anchoring or anchoring issues.
The problem is, outright bans affect everyone, including the 97% of boaters who are responsible and spend money in the communities they visit. And, different local laws in different cities only makes it difficult or impossible for conscientious, law-abiding boaters to know what is legal and what is not. It only causes loss of revenue to local businesses, confusion for cruisers, and extra enforcement workload on local LEO patrols.
The bill is attached.
Jim
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