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

[Dan Gingras]

A few things to consider…

 

1-      Only applies to NH, not Maine, so boats will just stay north of the midpoint of the river… not sure this will solve anything.

2-      This will affect our launch operation on the NH side. 

 

Dan

 

From: Board [mailto:board-bounces at portsmouthyc.org] On Behalf Of sdemarais
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2015 4:16 PM
To: Board of Directors
Cc: board at portsmouthyc.org
Subject: Re: [Board] NH Senate Hearing - relative to the status of "headway speed only" zones in the Piscataqua

 

Bill,

 

Very interesting.  Thanks.

Steve
Sent from my iPad


On Jan 20, 2015, at 3:23 PM, Bill Pelletier <bill.pelletier.pyc at gmail.com <mailto:bill.pelletier.pyc at gmail.com> > wrote:

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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  <http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs130/1111383006862/img/48.jpg>   

 


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

 

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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