Coast Guard responds to HPWA request for vessel reclass w/ back of hand

[surf monkey]

Tim

You have done a great job. i am stoked someone like you has taken on the fight glad to see you didn't let it get you down and it fired you up.

now take your new 8'3" X 27" vessel, your life jacket, don't forget a whistle and catch some waves before that next storm Jackie is reporting.

also to help you with the navigation stuff remember Red Right Returning

Thanks again.

[Distressed Mullet]

Mike,

I understand that the individual involved is not amendable to such persuasion as Mr. Fry had spoken with him on several occasions and understood that he was on board with our concerns... just as the knife was being thrust into Mr. Fry's back.

Instead, I have prepared an FOIA request to determine just exactly what documents, statutes, case law, federal regulations, or whimsy the USCG relied upon in reaching its decision as Mr. Hoedt did not have the common (or professional) courtesy to share this information with me. 

The FOIA request is going out tomorrow.

Thanks,

Tim

The way I understand it, there's a better chance of getting the exemption like surfskis, windsurfers, etc. But it's important to exhaust all possible avenues. Nothing is going to be easy and I truly appreciate all your hard work on this. I know my USCG friends are the guys doing the work. They're not the ones that set policy. I'm sure they'll be happy when they don't have to hear about this issue again. Same with the wildlife officers who are the ones in NC that enforce the law and give tickets. Although, I've only heard of a few warnings and never an actual ticket. I know that's not how it is in other areas.

I'll share the info on the HPWA again and keep on trying. Again, thanks for the hard work. If it was easy, it would have been done 3 years ago. Keep the faith.

[Sup-position]

Thank you Tim!
Let's keep the heat on!

Sup-position
Huntington Beach, California, USA

[rcfa]

Tim... Great work !

Please let us all know what and how we can help.
For sure on the "Legal" front you are already doing a great job... but maybe there are things you can suggest or recommend we can do to help with the cause.

Great Thanks !
Ren

[PonoBill]

also to help you with the navigation stuff remember Red Right Returning

That's been updated. It's now "Red, Returning, Randy goes Right" because, well, Randy goes right.

[teach]

it appears that the USCG has taken a stand based upon the consistent high  risk level shown by the general SUP community as they interact with the other parts of the ocean community i.e.: bathers, surfers, fishermen, prone paddle boarders, and fishermen.    it will be fun ( in a dark sense), to observe the SUP community as they react to the bound to happen serious injury caused by some idiot trying to ride a wave beyond his ability level.  the future of SUP is to be found in lakes, rivers, and parking lots.

[Strand Leper]

Weren't you promoting a race earlier this year... in the ocean... in Jersey ... involving standup paddleboards?

Yeah, I just checked... that was you...

In that case, your morbid wishes seem oddly out of place.

But if I were a prone only surfer suffering through yet another New Jersey winter, I would be bitter too.

I hope that the "fun" injury that you wish for is not visited upon anyone that you know or care for.

Best wishes,

Tim

[pdxmike]

it appears that the USCG has taken a stand based upon the consistent high  risk level shown by the general SUP community as they interact with the other parts of the ocean community i.e.: bathers, surfers, fishermen, prone paddle boarders, and fishermen.    it will be fun ( in a dark sense), to observe the SUP community as they react to the bound to happen serious injury caused by some idiot trying to ride a wave beyond his ability level.  the future of SUP is to be found in lakes, rivers, and parking lots.

This doesn't make sense.  I don't see any evidence of "consistent high risk level shown by the general SUP community...".  Plus, the main impact of the regulations (the pfd requirement) doesn't apply within the surf zone, where conflicts with "bathers, surfers, fishermen, prone paddle boarders (as opposed to surfers?) and fishermen (as opposed to the earlier fishermen?) would occur. 

Plus, the regulations are unrelated to ability to ride waves, and the pfd requirement doesn't apply in waves, either, nor would it protect the "idiot" or anyone around him even if it did apply. 

Plus, even if it is true that "the future of SUP is to be found in lakes, rivers, and parking lots", where the USCG's regulation requiring a pfd to be on board does apply, that regulation does not provide equivalent safety to the HPWA's request to replace that with a leash requirement. 

[Strand Leper]

Mike,

The clear flaw in your response is that you addressed his concerns with "logic."  I, on the other hand, went the Chris Cote letters to the editor TransWorld Surf route... ad hominem... something that the bitter scratchers are generally more accustomed to.

Tim

*No offense intended to Cote as I understand that he is a pretty cool guy.  Just needed a good example.

[highsierrabear]

it appears that the USCG has taken a stand based upon the consistent high  risk level shown by the general SUP community as they interact with the other parts of the ocean community i.e.: bathers, surfers, fishermen, prone paddle boarders, and fishermen.    it will be fun ( in a dark sense), to observe the SUP community as they react to the bound to happen serious injury caused by some idiot trying to ride a wave beyond his ability level.  the future of SUP is to be found in lakes, rivers, and parking lots.

A)  I see people trying to prone surf waves beyond their experience level regularly.  I see inexperienced surfers drop in really late on someone already up on a wave.  I also see those same surfers wide-eyed and making no move to get out of another surfers way.  Your comment makes no sense whatsoever.  I'd bet $1,000 right now, that just on pure statistical numbers alone, there are way more "bound to happen serious injury caused by some  [prone surfer] idiot..." accidents caused by prone boarders.

B)  Those "bound to happen serious injury caused by some idiot trying to..." can be extended to anything-  skiing, snowboarding, bike riding, motorcycling, driving, etc.  The notion that SUPers (or any class of people) are idiots on death machines is ridiculous.  Didn't we just go through this with snowboarding 20 years ago?  (Which is ironic, since I bet there are more surfers who snowboard than ski).

C)  Sorry, but those "idiots" you speak of are going to be idiots no matter what they are on.  Skis, snowboards, bikes, cars, motorcycles, tiddlywinks, etc.  It's not about the tool, it's about the attitude of the person using the tool.

D) Frankly, where I surf, the SUPers are almost always more mellow, less aggressive, and know the surf rules of the water.  Most of them are experienced surfers who made the move to SUP and haven't looked back.  I see way more prone surfer/ prone surfer close calls than I ever have SUP morons.  I see way more BS attitudes in prone surfing than SUP too.  (In fact I've only seen one SUP asshole- a guy who would have been dangerous on a pogo stick, and who was dangerous on his prone board as well).

E)  On flatwater (lakes), I see way, way more dangerous and risky behavior by motorboats, ski boats, jet skis, and PWCs, than any SUP (or kayak), could ever even hope for.  But hey, drunk driving your boat is a way of life, right?

[teach]

gee, this was fun...too bad my previous comment was deleted upon posting, here on the right coast SUPs Have caused numerous accidenst due to the generally low clue level.   however, naa, i got nothing else...have a great day

[Strand Leper]

I guess that was you promoting a race involving SUP's on the ocean right here on the Zone earlier this year...

Maybe I misread your earlier promotional posts... and the SUP race was in the parking lot...

Be well,

Tim

[Chan]

Hey let’s not be so defensive on this.  I think SUP still has miles to go in terms of surf etiquette and education and yes, SUP’s do cause problems in surf lineups, East coast, West coast and everywhere in-between.    That is not the all of it, but it happens.  On the other hand the “they’re going to kill us all with those things” hasn’t played out.  To date, it’s a fallacy.  As far as injuries go, other than the occasional stress headache, it just hasn’t been the case (unlike in snowboarding, where a rise in collision injuries actually occurred) that SUP’s pose much of a physical danger to themselves or others.    Kooky, at times sure, but dangerous…..no.

The injury claim reminds me of something that happened with ski/snowboard helmets.  The thought was that wearing a helmet would drastically reduce serious injury or death in those sports, but after a decade where helmet use more than doubled, the fatality rate remained virtually identical.  
Not everything that seems true, is true.
On a positive note, here on Maui, center of the rebirth of this sport, things have mellowed.  Most SUP stay away from the contentious crowded surf breaks and some of the spastic newbieness has faded. .  At any rate, life vests, boating licenses and race restrictions won’t benefit anyone, just more BS bureaucracy.

[Strand Leper]

Chan, spot on.

I still can't get over the irony of the anti-authoritarian surfer relying on big brother to clear his break of the surf craft that does not meet his measure..

Really... think of the history of the sport and the related sports of skating and snowboarding ... (think hard if you know your history... yeah, ironic, isn't it) ... and look at the continued celebration of the fake rebel lifestyle celebrated in the clothes catalogues... I mean surf mags... and (some of) these guys want to rely on the government to keep their breaks SUP free.  It does not get too much more ironic than that! 

"You can't make me wear a helmet... Skateboarding is not a crime... Get out of my face and let me... smoke dope, spray graffiti, destroy public property doing axle grinds, act like a drunken fool in public, assault people that try to surf in my break, destroy the property of people who surf at my break... but please make sure that SUP's can't surf at my break lifeguard McCool... okay because they are dangerous... gee thanks."

I am calling bullsh*t on this fake - rebel - surf - idea ... because the groaners asking lifeguard McCool to clear the water are just a bunch of p*ssy turf-protecting wankers selling a fake lifestyle that they don't have the balls to live.

You want me out of the water?  Get me out of the f*ing water.  I am the guy in the Isurus wetsuit (or in just trunks), on the orange and white 8'3"... you can't miss me because I am standing... and I have been in the water since before the sun came up.  By the way, you can't damage my car... because I walked...

I am NOT advocating SUP invasion of crowded prone spots... that would not be cool... I am just noting the irony... and noting that I do not care for "turf protecting wankers selling a fake lifestyle that they don't have the balls to live."

Sorry, just needed to vent a little... as teach brought back some recent unpleasant memories...

[SoCalSupper]

deep breaths Tim!
lets put on our Tap-out wetsuits and go to Trestles tomorrow and really cause a stir!