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From: flabahskipper (no email)
Date: Sat Apr 30 2005 - 21:37:11 EDT
Rick,
I have written to all of the politicos you cited. What I want to
know is what has happened to the boating Political Action
Committees? Boat US and the like. Would it be synical to believe
that all those membership dues have simply provided marble floor
offices for the Pres. and CEO?
Regards,
Ron Breen
s/v DAnces With Wind
(SW Florida)
--- In , Rick Bradshaw <rbradsh2 at s dot dot dot >
wrote:
> This just came across my screen and is in reference to what I
alluded
> to a while ago. I know that some may consider this political but
it
> is good information and for those of you that may be Florida
> residents, _may_ be something that you want to respond to. That is
> your call completely.
>
> However, I am extraordinarily curious as to how this compares to
the
> situation in Europe, Central and South American, NZ, Australia,
> Africa, and the other places in the world. Is this the coming or
> current thing or is this just the U.S. being the U.S.? those of
you
> out there with any knowledge, p-l-e-a-s-e respond. I'm sure I'm
not
> alone in my desire to know what is happening around the world that
> pertains to cruisers.
>
> TIA.
>
> Rick
>
> >Date-----Original Message-----
> >From: SSCA Office Manager [mailto:office at s dot dot dot ]
> >Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 3:05 PM
> >To: office at s dot dot dot
> >Subject: URGENT FROM THE SSCA BOD
> >
> >Miami Beach 72-hour Anchoring Ordinance
> >
> >On April 20, 2005 cruising sailors suffered another blow to their
anchoring
> >rights when the Mayor and City Commissioners of Miami Beach,
Florida
> >unanimously passed a bill prohibiting anchoring within city
limits for
> >periods longer than 72 hours. The last hurdle before the bill
becomes law
> >is a second public reading that will take place on Wednesday, May
18, 2005
> >at a public hearing in Commission Chambers at Miami Beach City
Hall.
> >Miami Beach has become a favorite staging and provisioning
location for a
> >large percentage of the estimated 100,000 boaters bound for the
Bahamas, in
> >addition to boats headed for the Caribbean and Florida Keys each
year.
> >Businesses in Miami Beach that serve the cruising community were
not
> >consulted regarding the economic impact of the action. However,
one
> >commissioner was somehow able to determine that "the amount of
money spent
> >[by these boaters] was miniscule."
> >For cruising boats crossing the often turbulent Gulf Stream,
concerns are
> >larger than where to provision. While another commissioner
claimed with
> >authority that "72 hours was sufficient" time to wait for
weather, those of
> >us who have made the crossing know that small craft warnings are
often
> >posted for weeks at a time during the winter months, making the
passage
> >dangerous for many. This extremely brief window will undoubtedly
create a
> >situation that will force captains to decide between harassment
and fines or
> >subjecting their boats and crews to seas neither were meant to
handle.
> >Fortunately, there is an exception to the 72-hour limit during
periods when
> >hurricane warnings are in effect or when members of the crew are
sick.
> >The reason most often cited by the eight or so residents who
spoke in favor
> >of the restriction was the visual intrusion associated with
vessels anchored
> >near their expensive waterfront homes. Also cited were theft,
trespass, and
> >pollution. Dr. Morris Sunshine, Chairman of the Miami Beach
Marine
> >Authority, an advisory group on marine matters, testified before
> >Commissioners that the Commander of the Miami Beach Marine Patrol
was
> >questioned by the Authority and could not cite a single case of
theft
> >attributable to the cruising community. The Commissioners
ignored Dr.
> >Sunshine's request to firmly instruct the City Manager to start
planning to
> >install a mooring field and to designate a legal anchoring area.
> >In contrast to cities like Vero Beach, Florida where forward-
looking leaders
> >implemented well-thought-out plans that cleaned up derelict boats
from the
> >harbor, accommodated seasonal boaters, and brought revenue to the
city and
> >local businesses, the Miami Beach leadership's plan is to spend
$1.75
> >million over the next two years to enforce a legally questionable
ordinance
> >that chases legitimate boaters and their business away while
leaving the
> >real problems behind.
> >After last year's hurricane season, the Florida Legislature is
being
> >pressured to allow marina operators to force boat owners out of
the marinas
> >during major storms. Therefore, it makes far more sense to spend
money to
> >provide a harbor with safe, heavy-duty moorings that will protect
residents'
> >boats during hurricanes in the summer, and accommodate transient
boats year
> >round. The City can then prohibit anchoring elsewhere,
protecting the
> >seabed and eliminating derelict boats, if it so chooses. It's
ironic that a
> >city that spends millions each year to attract tourists, and
hosts the
> >largest boat show in the U.S., is trying to pass a law that will
chase a
> >large and responsible group of boaters out of local waters.
> >This ordinance is full of holes and could be defeated by a
coalition of
> >boaters who are losing their rights, local businesses whose
profits will
> >suffer, and residents who will bear the $1.75 million enforcement
price tag
> >that benefits a handful of Miami Beach's wealthiest residents.
Local
> >regulators rely on the assumption that sailors have little
interest in
> >waging political/legal battles; so in addition to local action,
we must also
> >address this issue through the state legislature and courts.
> >The marine industry is one of Florida's largest - it's time for
businesses
> >to realize that they must persuade lawmakers in Tallahassee to
protect
> >boaters' right of access to safe haven before there are no
boaters left to
> >buy their products. The two primary marine trade associations
that may be
> >able to achieve a workable solution to this situation are listed
below.
> >WHAT YOU CAN DO
> >Write or e-mail the people or associations below. Tell them
about your
> >boating habits - where you cruise, how much you spend, what your
safety
> >issues are, that you're a member of SSCA and what clean wake
cruising means.
> >You will also find links to other representatives of the marine
industry and
> >to your Florida legislators on the Seven Seas Cruising
Association website,
> >www.SSCA.org. Tell anybody you think might be affected - other
boaters,
> >merchants, local law enforcement agencies, community leaders -
and direct
> >them to the same resources.
> >. Visit www.SSCA.org for links to representatives of the marine
industry as
> >well as information about the organization itself.
> >. Attend the May 18 meeting at Miami Beach City Hall, 1700
Convention Center
> >Drive, Miami Beach FL, 33139
> >. Follow movement of the bill at www.miamibeachfl.gov.
> >. Find your legislators at www.myFlorida.com.
> >. Email or write to:
> >Mayor David Dermer: mayordermer at m dot dot dot
> >City Staff Attorney Gary Held: garyheld at m dot dot dot
> >City Manager Jorge Gonzalez: jorgegonzalez at m dot dot dot
> >Commissioners:
> >Matti Bower: matti at m dot dot dot
> >Jose Smith: jose at m dot dot dot
> >Saul Gross: saul at m dot dot dot
> >Richard Steinberg: richard at m dot dot dot
> >Simon Cruz: simon at m dot dot dot
> >Luis Garcia: luis at m dot dot dot
> >. National Marine Manufactures Association (NMMA), Thom Dammrich,
President
> >200 Randolph Drive, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL 60601-6528
> >(312) 946-6200, (312) 946-0401-fax; www.nmma.org and
www.discoverboating.com
> >The NMMA sponsors the annual Miami Boat Show, held simultaneously
in three
> >venues in Miami Beach and two venues in Miami. Relocating even
one of the
> >sites out of Miami Beach and into Miami would send a significant
economic
> >message.
> >. Marine Industries Association of South Florida, 2312 S Andrews
Blvd, Ft
> >Lauderdale, FL 33316
> >(954) 524-2733, www.miasf.org
> >MIASF is a marine trade association lobby group.
> >
> >
> >Richard Blackford
> >Vice President, at the direction of the SSCA Board of Directors
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