Boating Season is Underway

Marine patrol officers reported a relatively quiet start to the boating season Memorial Day weekend. And for the most part, they say, boaters appear to have an eye on safety this year.

"Every kid I saw had a life jacket on," says Klamath County Marine Deputy Shawn Richards. "It's really good to see that kind of compliance. It's undoubtedly saving lives."

In Oregon, all youths 12 and younger must wear a life jacket when boating. In addition, each adult must have an appropriately sized life jacket at hand. Marine Patrols were checking specifically for life jackets, intoxicated operators and expired registration tags.

"We noted that the vast majority of boaters this weekend were in compliance and well prepared for time on the Willamette River," said Polk County Marine Sgt. Larry A. Gilmore. "We contacted only two boats that had insufficient numbers of PFDs (personal flotation devices) on board." Gilmore also said that all children 12 and younger he contacted were wearing their life jackets.

Even on the Columbia River, where one boater died, officers reported a generally quiet weekend and well-behaved boaters. "We had some complaints about people ignoring speed limits, that sort of thing. But generally, compliance was good," said Multnomah County Marine Deputy Scott McDowell.

Two boating fatalities were reported during the long weekend - a rafter drowned on the McKenzie River on Saturday, and an angler drowned on Monday in the Columbia after he jumped from a boat that was in the path of a barge. Neither victim had on a life jacket.

"We're at four boating fatalities so far this year - about average for the first major boating weekend of the year," said Marty Law, Education Coordinator for the Oregon State Marine Board. "Three involved manually powered craft, which is unusually high this early in the year. None of the victims was wearing a life jacket. If there is one thing people need to understand, it's that life jackets save lives. Even in a drought year, Oregon's waters are cold and swift. Hypothermia is a big issue this time of year."

The most common violation noted by marine patrols - about a third of the boats contacted - was expired tags. "About 80 percent of people with expired boat registration tags had their temporary permit on board and were legal, they just hadn't received their current stickers yet or put them on," said Richards. "The others faced a citation."

The most common concern among boaters was low water. The Columbia, Willamette, Rogue and other systems are running relatively low for this time of year. Certain Willamette Valley and Rogue system reservoirs are low and have limited access. "There is a lot of confusion on what's accessible and what's not," said Law. "We have current information on our web site, or call the resort, sport store or marine patrol office to find out what ramps are open. Boaters need to be aware of the low water hazards - they're definitely an issue - but we still have a lot of boating opportunity in Oregon," said Law.

On the flip-side, some Willamette Valley rivers are actually running swift with temporary flow increases from dams to augment fish migration. River boaters should check river flows before getting on the river and be aware that conditions can change rapidly. "It's a good idea to carefully scout all unfamiliar rapids and be especially careful of fallen trees, root wads and other debris in the water."

For more information, check the marine board web site at www.boatoregon.com.

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