[Board] NH Senate Hearing - relative to the status of "headway speed only" zones in the Piscataqua

[Bill Pelletier]

Received this from Great Bay Marine earlier today...

The language being removed from the RSA would be (highlighted):

 "VI. (a) To provide full visibility and control and to prevent their wake
from being thrown into or causing excessive rocking to other boats, barges,
water skiers, aquaplanes or other boats, rafts or floats, all vessels shall
maintain headway speed when within 150 feet from:
          (1) Rafts, floats, swimmers.
          (2) Permitted swimming areas.
          (3) Shore.
          (4) Docks.
          (5) Mooring fields.
          (6) Other vessels.
       (b) These requirements shall not apply when:
          (1) Starting skiers from shore, docks or floats, as long as
neither the boat nor the skier is endangering the life or safety of any
person.
          (2) A vessel is in the federal deepwater shipping channel of the
Piscataqua River between navigation buoys R2, Wood Island at the mouth of
the river and R12, opposite the Sprague Terminal.
       (c) The operator of a towing boat shall be responsible for
compliance with this paragraph.
       (d) The requirements of RSA 270-D:2, VI(a)(3) shall not apply to a
vessel in the waters of the Androscoggin River from the Errol Dam to
Umbagog Lake or in the waters of the Magalloway River within the state of
New Hampshire. "


And adding a new Piscataqua specific section:

270:133 Piscataqua River. No person shall use or operate any vessel in
excess of headway speed in the federal deepwater shipping channel of the
Piscataqua River between navigation buoys R2, Wood Island at the mouth of
the river and R12, opposite the Sprague Terminal. Any person who violates
the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation.

Since the 150 foot rule still applies to section VI.(a)(1)..(6), this means
most of the river from my limited chart view...


Bill Pelletier

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[image: gbm]
IMPORTANT -

A hearing is scheduled for New Hampshire Senate Bill 87.


This Bill proposes to repeal an exemption from headway speed requirements
applicable to a certain area of the Piscataqua River.
It would establish a headway speed zone from the mouth of the river to the
Sprague Terminal.

Specifically -
     *270:133 Piscataqua River.  No person shall use or operate any vessel
in excess of headway speed in the federal deepwater channel of the
Piscataqua River between navigation buoys R2, Wood Island at the mouth of
the river and R12, opposite the Sprague Terminal.  Any person who violates
the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation.*

Here is a link to SB 87 in its entirety:

*http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2015/SB0087.html
<http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2015/SB0087.html>*

The hearing on this NH Senate Bill will be held:
January 27, 2015 @ 1300hrs
The Legislative Office Building
33 North State Street
Concord, New Hampshire 03301

Those of us potentially affected should attend this important hearing.

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