From the Boathouse: Clear skies — and new laws — as 2015 starts

Ahoy!

This time of the new year in Southern California usually offers good weather to go boating, and this weekend is no exception.

The anticipated midweek storm slid past us and left sunny skies. I predict very small swells and a mixed set with very light winds — thus tiny, if any, wind waves on the ocean. The air will remain a little chilly, but at least we are not chipping ice off our boats.

I like to look at any new boating laws that go into effect after Jan. 1 in California, and there are two affecting recreational boaters. I wrote about SB 941, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed Sept. 18, in a previous column, but I did not mention SB 1162, which was signed into law last June.

SB 941, co-authored by senators Bill Monning and Mark DeSaulnier, requires almost every recreational boater to have a state-issued vessel operator card. The law is effective as of Jan. 1, and the program must be finalized by California Division of Boating and Waterways by Jan. 1, 2018.

The law stipulates that vessel operators must successfully pass a boating test to earn a vessel operator card administered by Boating and Waterways. This applies to all vessels propelled by an engine, regardless of whether the engine is the principal source of propulsion. Keep in mind that there are exceptions, and I will elaborate further on the details in an upcoming column when the regulations are further developed.

Additionally, under SB 1162, Sen. Tom Berryhill has reclassified some boating violations from misdemeanors to infractions. As of the new year, if you exceed the 5 mph speed limit within 200 feet of a marina, tie to a buoy that is not for securing vessels or fail to have a spotter while towing a water skier, you’ll be marked for an infraction.

I will keep looking for any new laws affecting the recreational boater, and if you know of any new laws, let me know so I can report it in this column.

On another topic, I received an email from a Newport bayfront resident who actually complained about the larger charter boats blocking his view of the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade. The reader wrote that from his house on Lido Island, his view across the Lido reach of the bay was blocked by the larger commercial boats in the center of the channel.

What views were blocked? A charter boat or for that matter any boat that is not in the parade is supposed to stay in the center of the channel so as not to impede the parade flow and viewing of the parade participants’ starboard side.

The boats in the parade are mostly decorated on their starboard sides, since you travel with your starboard side nearest the shoreline for those watching from homes, parks and restaurants. So how do the vessels in the middle of the route block the view?

I have skippered in the parade for decades aboard charter boats and private yachts, and believe me, this planning works when the waterways are congested. Twenty years ago, the parade was much more popular, and you could barely navigate anywhere in the harbor. So how about some constructive feedback and thanks to all the volunteers who help make the parade happen every year?

Tip of the week is to check your GPS, which might be preloaded in your GPS or on a removable SD card. Frequently, I find the GPS’s charts out of date on many older yachts that I skipper, and this is a major concern of mine for the inexperienced boat owner, who tends to rely thoroughly on the GPS chart plotter for navigation.

The nautical charts are updated and revised continuously, especially the electronic versions, and if you purchased your GPS a few years ago, it is probably out of date. Check with your GPS manufacturer’s website or swing by your local marine electronics store to find out if you need an update.

I have been on a few older boats, and installing an updated chip can make the old unit become like new again. Or maybe it’s time for new equipment. The new handheld GPS units have more advanced features and accuracy than what was aboard the first rockets that carried man into space.

As always, just keep an eye to the weather for any changes. Please be boat smart and boat safe. Lastly, please boat responsibly and look behind you before you turn the wheel at the helm.

The original boating program, “Boathouse TV & Radio Shows,” has stretched from coast to coast for more than two decades. See the details at https://www.boathousetv.com, https://www.facebook.com/boathouseradio and https://www.twitter.com/boathouseradio.

Safe voyages!

MIKE WHITEHEAD is a boating columnist for the Daily Pilot. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to mike@boathousetv.com or go to https://www.boathousetv.com.