|
 |
|
|
Date: Wednesday, August 18, 1999 |
For Immediate Release |
Marine patrol deputies from seven counties converged on Malheur County's Lake Owyhee on Aug. 13-15 to enforce boating laws and promote safe boating in Oregon.
By the end of the weekend, deputies had boarded 131 boats to perform routine safety and equipment examinations. The majority of boats passed the exams - 85 in all, but 42 warnings and 12 citations were issued for various infractions.
"This effort was requested by Malheur County to gauge law enforcement issues on Lake Owyhee," said Pat Rowland, Training and Enforcement Coordinator for the Oregon State Marine Board. "What we found was generally good compliance - a well educated group of boaters and relatively few, and generally minor, infractions."
Boardings and citations were lower than other saturation patrols in other areas of the state this summer, due in part to cool weather on Saturday, Aug. 14. "There were scores more boats out during the hot weather. Not as many people will camp or boat when it's cool and cloudy."
Two boaters were arrested for Boating Under the Influence of Intoxicants. Of the other 10 citations issued, eight were for life vest violations, one for expired Certificate of Number, and one for lack of a fire extinguisher. Warnings included discharged fire extinguishers, lack of sound producing device, lack of throwable flotation device, no Certificate of Number on board, speed and wake violation, identification number improperly displayed, and wrong-sized life vest.
Another saturation patrol is planned Labor Day weekend. The location will not be disclosed in advance. "We want people to be prepared when they're on the water," said Rowland. "And we want people to operate their craft responsibly. Unfortunately, it takes this type of enforcement effort to get some boaters thinking about safety."
 |
|
|
