For Immediate Release

Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2003

Boater Education Card Compliance at 80%

More than 80 percent of Oregon’s 30-and-younger boaters are playing their cards right this year. That’s the group that must, under Oregon's Mandatory Boater Education Law, carry their boater education card when operating powerboats greater than 10 hp.

“We’re right on target with our goal of 80 percent compliance," says Ashley Massey, Mandatory Boater Education Coordinator for the Oregon State Marine Board. “We estimated that 16,000 boat operators fell into this age class, and we’ve now issued nearly 14,000 cards to boaters 30 and younger.”

Marine patrol officers confirm the numbers, reporting that three-quarters or more of younger boaters are in compliance. “Officers have so far this year issued more than two hundred citations to people who aren’t complying with the law,” says Massey. “The largest segment in this age group that aren’t complying are personal watercraft (PWC) operators, and primarily those operators who have borrowed a PWC. Under this law, you must have your own boater education card to operate a PWC or you will be cited. PWC owners need to explain that requirement before loaning out their craft.”

In 2004, boaters 40 and younger will need to carry the card, so Massey is ramping up outreach efforts to encourage that group to get their cards early. “We estimate there are 33,000 boat operators in the 31- to 40-year-old age group. We’ve already issued nearly 9,500 cards so far. We want to encourage more people to take a course earlier so we avoid a big rush of applications next spring,” said Massey.

Massey estimates that the board will issue 280,000 cards by 2009 when the law is fully phased in. “We’ve issued 63,000 cards overall. We still have 217,000 to go.” Massey encourages people to call the marine board if they have questions, or visit their website at www.boatoregon.com for specific information on the law, local classroom courses, internet course and equivalency exams.

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