 | In this MMTA ENews Brief: April 7, 2005
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| In this MMTA ENews Brief: April 7, 2005
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The 2005 MMTA Membership Directory has been printed and will arrive in your mailbox shortly. Kudos are due to the Membership Committee, its Chairman Niven Damon, MMTA staff administrator Mary Horan and to Vernon Promotions Janine Wuschke for all of their hard work putting it all together. At the MMTA Board of Directors meeting on April 9th, 2005 the following firm was approved for membership in the Association. By a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors on April 9th, Mr. Tim Moll of Brewer's Plymouth Marine of Plymouth, MA was elected to fill a vacant seat on the Board of Directors. Mr. Moll's experience, business acumen and commitment to the Massachusetts marine industry will be a great asset to the membership and the Board. Please join us in welcoming our newest member Essex Marina and our newest Director Mr. Tim Moll of Brewer's Plymouth Marine. Download Forms & Information at MMTA Members Only Site - username: [MMTA] password: [hightide] For more info contact: EAronson@HaleyAldrich.com or go to: www.HaleyAldrich.com On Sunday, April 2 MMTA Member Captain Lou Gainor of WATD's Nautical Talk Radio interviewed Senator Michael Morrissey on the topic of escalating fees on Massachusetts boaters. To access the audio clip of the interview, click play and wait a few seconds. http://www.massbayboating.com/nauticaltalk/html/nautical_talk_audio_clips.php Captain Lou's headline reads… MMTA member "Nautical Talk Radio" with Capt Lou broadcasts live every Sunday afternoon between 4 - 5 EST on the web at www.959WATD.com or on radio station WATD 95.9FM in Boston and Cape Cod. In 2004 a panel team was assembled to evaluate the mission and efficacy of the Massachusetts Environmental Police. MMTA members and staff participated in focus groups, delivered public testimony and responded to surveys about the agency. The Final Report of the Panel together with a list of recommendations has been issued and is available for viewing at: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/MEPReviewPanelReport.pdf This educational seminar is to let marina and mooring field operators know about the new regulations promulgated by the Department of Homeland Security in July 2004 that governs where certain recreational vessels may be docked or moored. On first glance, some marina operators might think it does not apply to them. As a matter of fact, it very well may apply if you offer dockage and/or mooring services. Any larger yacht flying under a foreign flag of convenience, any SOLAS vessel (which could be a small racing sailboat that carries a SOLAS certificate in order to participate in offshore racing) and certainly many vessels for charter will be subject to the MTSA-ISPS regulations. For some marina operators, the loss of the ability to accommodate these vessels represents a substantial loss of transient dockage income. At this moment, there is NO recreational vessel marina in Massachusetts that has obtained certification as a 105 Facility--only exemptions due to public accommodation e.g., Rowes Wharf and Nantucket Boat Basin. To the best of my knowledge, the ONLY other location in the Port of Boston where a vessel that falls under the definitions of Chapter 104 may be legally berthed is at the Black Falcon Terminal in South Boston. The USCG MSO Boston has generously offered to host an educational seminar with the gurus of compliance specifically for MMTA members. They have offered to assist with developing Chapter 105 Facility Plans for recreational marinas and to explain what is takes to be waived as a location of public accommodation. A similar event in Maine was well attended and received rave reviews. If you offer dockage or mooring services to a single megayacht for a single night each season, you must bne in compliance or risk suspension of operations. Please consider attending or sending a representative to this important event:
The names and affiliations of all participants MUST be provided in advance in order to comply with USCG base security protocols. Spring is here and many of us are venturing offshore for the first time in months. The water is still cold and there are reports that the Sea Serpents lurk at the edges of your nautical charts. Now is the time to remind your new and old customers and employees to BOAT SMART FROM THE START As you prepare, deliver and acquaint new boaters this season, encourage them to Boat Smart from the Start by:
Minimum Age Restrictions. No person under 12 years of age may operate a motorboat, unless accompanied on-board and directly supervised by a competent person 18 years of age or older. Personal watercraft (PWC) users must still be at least 16 years of age in order to operate, with no exceptions. Safety Education Certification. Youth who are between 12 and 15 years of age must complete an approved basic boating course in order to operate a motorboat without adult supervision. Upon successful completion of such a course, students are issued a state "boating safety certificate" which must be in the possession of the certified operator when underway. Personal watercraft users who are 16 or 17 years of age must also complete such a boating course. (Persons less than 16 years of age are not allowed to operate personal watercraft.) As a refresher here is the link to the Massachusetts Boating Law Summary: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/boatinglawsummary.htm This season why not set an example to YOUR customers and employees by Boating Smart From the Start? Retailers, Brokers and Repairers make the first and powerful impressions on new and seasoned boat boaters. You can demonstrate through your own behavior that wearing a PFD and taking a boating safety course IS COOL and that riding in unsafe boats and boating while under the influence IS NOT COOL. For more information on Massachusetts Boating Basics 2005 schedule go to: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/courselist.htm Other organizations offering state and nationally approved boating classes include, alphabetically:
THE BEST PROMOTIONAL VALUE FOR YOUR MARINE BUSINESS! Promote your business on the most visible boating web site in the entire New England region during its busiest time of the year! A record number of visitors continue to visit the BoatMA.com web site. This is THE time to get onboard!
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