THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 27, 1995 TAG: 9510260220
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JENNIFER BENNETT
LENGTH: Long : 191 lines
Recreational boating on local waterways has eased as cooler temperatures have arrived, but some personal watercraft enthusiasts are hoping to warm state legislators to the idea of increased regulation.
Several states already have passed laws to stem the swelling tide of recent accidents on the nation's waterways, and some local residents would like to see Virginia follow suit.
Waterfront property owners, boaters and beach-goers across the nation are fuming about the mushrooming number of personal watercraft - both stand-up versions like the Kawasaki Jet Ski and sit-down models like Yamaha's Wave Runner - that are packing the shores each summer. Many complain that personal watercraft riders, often young, operate the craft without caution or consideration for others in and on the water.
Although local numbers aren't available, personal watercraft registrations increased 170 percent in Virginia between 1992 and 1994, according to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, which facilitates boat registration and other inland activities.
At the same time, personal watercraft accidents also have increased. Nationally, the number of accidents jumped from 376 to 650 and fatalities quadrupled from five to 20 in just one year, Coast Guard statistics show.
``This is a real dilemma that all states are facing,'' said Jeff Curtis, boating education coordinator at the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in Richmond.
A Virginia Beach group has taken some action of its own and would like to see state lawmakers get more involved.
The Tidewater Personal Watercraft Club (TPWC), based in Virginia Beach, is comprised of about 50 jet ski owners. It was formed in 1988 to combat legislation that would severely restrict the use of the small boats, said Mike Kelly, former club president. They aim to work closely and continually with local representatives to ensure safety on local waterways, which they stress is not observed by a growing number of operators.
The group now advocates mandatory licensing of all boaters.
As regular riders, club members said they realize ``bad apples'' can be found operating recklessly on the water, but TPWC members say a shortage of knowledge is at the root of many dangerous situations.
``We find most people that break the rules do it out of ignorance as opposed to meanness,'' Kelly said.
The TPWC issues wallet-sized laminated cards with boating safety guidelines to members and personal watercraft dealers. Most members of the group have attended formal boating safety courses.
``We just want to enjoy ourselves and be safe,'' said Marilyn Dorsey, current president of the club. ``(Personal watercraft) are very safe as long as you operate them correctly and you know the rules of the river.''
Dorsey explains that it's not legal to operate an automobile without some training and proper licensing, so why, she asks, would you put someone on a motorized watercraft without similar instruction?
Virginia legislators addressed the dilemma almost five years ago, according to Del. Howard Copeland of Norfolk. Between legislative sessions, local citizens, law enforcement officials and businesses affected by the use of these vessels voiced their concerns at two public hearings, Copeland said.
In response, a state law restricting the operation of personal watercraft was enacted. This law mandated that personal watercraft users must:
Be at least 14 years of age.
Wear a Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device.
Attach the lanyard-type engine cut-off switch to his/her person, if so equipped.
Not operate a personal watercraft between sunset and sunrise.
Carry no more passengers than the number for which the craft was designed.
Despite these statutes, concerns over personal watercraft remains an issue for many users, who contend that the growth of the support demands a new look by lawmakers.
Some state officials already are taking steps to meet those needs. Charles Sledd, boating and resource education manager for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, explained that the department's primary focus is to address three groups: personal watercraft dealers/manufacturers, owner-operators and secondary operators, like renters.
This year, the department produced and distributed safety fliers with the five personal watercraft rules to dealers, he said. They received such a ``positive and immediate reaction'' from dealers, that additional copies were made.
Despite the growth of personal watercraft on Virginia's waterways, state accident/fatality rates per 1,000 have remained ``fairly level,'' Sledd said. About 7,000 to 8,000 Virginia boaters receive formal training, Sledd said, and three times that many receive informal training. That compares to about 220,000 boats that are registered in the state.
``I think we're on a good course to continue with voluntary education,'' Sledd said.
Some TPWC members say more needs to be done.
``The only way they're going to get a wake up call is if something drastic happens,'' said club member David Gaskins, 37.
That was the case in Alabama, where the deaths of two young girls spawned the passage of the country's first mandatory boater licensing law there.
On a boating trip with their parents, the girls, ages 5 and 9, were killed in a head-on collision between their vessel and a boat that was steered by a 19-year-old boater who said he ``just didn't see them.'' Subsequently, Their parents founded the Alabama Better Boaters Association.
The organization's efforts led Alabama legislators to pass a law in April 1994 that requires boaters to pass a 25-question examination on boating. The state police administered the test at the driver's licensing site. To cover administrative costs, applicants with a valid Alabama driver's license pay a one-time $5 fee. A ``v'' on the driver's license denotes vessel operation privileges.
Citizens are encouraged to apply for a boater's license when they renew their driver's license, said William B. Garner, director of the Marine Patrol Division in Alabama.
After that law took effect, officials from 20 states, including Virginia, requested copies, according to Garner. Currently six states have mandatory education laws.
Sales figures for personal watercraft show no signs of slowing.
Because the watercraft sell for $5,000 to $9,000, someone can buy ``two jet skis for the price of one boat,'' said Michael Monti of Cycle World in Virginia Beach.
Cycle World's business has grown about 15 percent annually for the last 10 years, Monti said.
Nationally, personal watercraft sales rose from 79,000 in 1992 to about 185,000 in 1995 nationally, according to the Personal Watercraft Industry Association.
Personal watercraft is defined as a type of motorboat that uses an outboard or inboard motor powering a water pump as its primary source of motive power and is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing or kneeling on the vessel, rather than the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside.
Contributing to the watercraft's popularity is its maneuverability and ease of operation, said Monti.
While fun and relaxing, the watercraft reach speeds of up to 40 mph and can be dangerous to the inexperienced driver.
``You get more information from a used car salesman on a used car than you will get from a dealer on a Jet Ski,'' said Ed Caylor, a 46-year-old rider.
But Monti, of Cycle World, explained that his company provides buyers with basic instructions along with the owner's manual. A free video accompanies some brands.
Elliot Furman, vice president of Wave Runners on Lynnhaven Inlet, said his clients are given an overview of vessel operation, then led into the water by an experienced rider like ``a mama duck with her chicks behind.'' Once riders are into the water, they remain in a designated area and are supervised by someone on a ``chase boat'' that provides assistance as needed.
Rudee Inlet Jet Ski Rentals runs similarly, and provides a more protected riding environment, said David Parker, owner/manager of three locations. He added that out-of-town personal watercraft owners hold responsibility for much of the reckless behavior.
``People with their own skis go out and break the rules and people automatically assume it's me because we run a lot of skis,'' he said, ``I get blamed for everything, but it's not always me.''
Detective Chris Bradshaw of the Special Operations Division of the Virginia Beach Police Department said owners, not renters, have caused more disruptions because they are more autonomous than renters.
The idea of mandatory licensing unsettles both Parker and Furman. They assert that it would essentially kill their tourist-driven business.
In Alabama, rental operations were made exempt from licensing for that reason. Instead, rental owners must agree to educate each client before allowing them on the water.
A study on personal watercraft, conducted by the Boating Safety Advisory Council in November 1994, concluded that public education and improved law enforcement are the best defense against boating accidents.
But local law enforcement officials say they are short-handed. Virginia Beach police have only eight boats and two personal watercraft to patrol local waterways. Like highway officers, they can cite or arrest boating offenders only when they visually observe infractions. Detective Bradshaw said he prefers education of boaters over citations, which mostly carry a $250 fine.
The Coast Guard also plays a major role in both education and enforcement.
Petty Officer Gregory C. Garrison, the Coast Guard's boating safety director, said they use the ``biggest weapon'' they possess: the Coast Guard Auxiliary marine and boating safety classes.
Dominick Rosnato, 51, said the education is definately needed. As a TPWC member he already has that training.
``I've never seen so many personal watercraft on the water as this year and last year,'' said Rosnato. ``Somebody has to do something to let them know what's right and wrong.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Members of the Tidewater Personal Watercraft Club ride down the
North Landing River during an activity last weekend.
Paul Nill and Terri Richar of Virginia Beach prepare for a Sunday
afternoon ride.
John Francavilla of Virginia Beach heads out from Mercer's Boathouse
on his personal watercraft.
Cameron Ruyg races in the Novice 550 class and is currently ranked
No. 1 in the region.
Marilyn Dorsey says personal watercraft ``are very safe as long as
you operate them correctly.''
KEYWORDS: PERSONAL WATER CRAFT JET SKI by CNB