Washington boaters urged to take boating safety class

NMTA and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission are urging boaters to take a boating safety course and get their card this winter.

Boater safety education is required by law in Washington state. In 2011, all boaters under age 35 are required to take a boating safety course and get their boater safety card. By 2014, the safety course and card will be required for everyone born after 1954.

There are many ways to take a boater education course. Boaters can choose to take it in a classroom, online, hands-on or through a home study booklet. There also is an equivalency exam for experienced boaters. Once the boater has completed the course or exam, he or she needs to complete an application and pay just $10 for a Boater Safety Card that is good for a lifetime. To apply for the boater card or for more information on boating in Washington, visit www.boatered.org.

“Currently, more than 68,000 boaters have their Boater Safety Education Card,” said George Harris, Northwest Marine Trade Association president.

The best time to take a course and get the card is during the winter. More classes are offered and boaters have time to complete the class, take the test and order the card. Boaters cited for not having the card face an $87 fine. “Waiting until boating season could mean a delay in getting your card. The Washington State Parks Boating Safety Program usually gets a flood of applications the first few days of spring. It will save you time and frustration if you do it now, during the winter,” stated Washington State Parks Director Don Hoch.

Boaters have several options to qualify for the boater card. “The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadron and the local marine law enforcement officers offer interactive classroom training,” explained Douglas County Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal Boaters should visit the State Parks website for a current listing of classroom courses in their area, as well as online and home-study offerings. Boaters also may call the Boating Safety Program at (360) 902-8555 for more information on classes.

Members and electeds gather for NMTA's Meet Your Legislator Event

Special thanks to Reps. Judy Clibborn and Marcie Maxwell who met with NMTA's members, staff and our friends from the Recreational Boating Alliance of Washington on Dec 8. Of the many issues discussed, we spent the most time strategizing with them on how to best demonstrate the overall economic impact (i.e. jobs, jobs, jobs) of recreational boating for our state's economy. As the legislative session gears up, we will take this advice to Olympia.

NMTA's staff was joined by members Martha Comfort (NMTA's Chair of Government Affairs), Brooke Stabbert (Political Action Committee Chair), Nate Bahner (Marina Committee Vice-Chair), Cliff Webster (NMTA's lobbyist) and RBAW's Steve Greaves and their lobbyist Doug Levy. Jim Hebert rounded out the conversation, providing economic info to bolster the jobs message. Stay tuned for more of these feature events in 2011.

Christmas hours for NMTA

NMTA will be closing early today, Dec 23 and the office will remained closed through Monday, December 27. We will re-open on Tuesday, Dec 28 at 8:30 AM.

Happy Holidays to all.

New tax levied at the worst possible time

Recently, the Department of Revenue (DOR) has issued a new tax on dry-stack moorage. Previously, dry-stack and wet moorages were treated equally, meaning both were exempt from B & O taxes. That apples-to-apples comparison all changed, however, after a recent audit of one of our members.

Recognizing that this tax at this time would hurt our members, NMTA hired a well-regarded tax attorney and lobbied DOR directly. The good news (thanks to our effort) is that this tax will not be retroactive. Also, DOR had originally wanted to charge dry-stack operators a rate of 1.8%, which is the serviceable classification. Additionally, public ports will no longer need to charge the 12.84% leasehold tax. The bad news is that dry-stack will be treated like warehouses and will be subjected to the warehousing rate of .484%.

Here's more info on this development:

o Dry-stack moorage is not exempt from B&O taxation as the rental of real estate because DOR is unable to find the necessary dominion and control where boat owners cannot physically access the spaces where their boats are held.

o As “warehousing” includes all of the services typically provided by dry-stack moorage, dry –stack moorage is not considered a “bundled transaction.”

o DOR’s decisions will be formalized in an Excise Tax Advisory by the end of the month.

o DOR will delay enforcement until the beginning of 2011.

Clean Boating Foundation receives first major investment

The Clean Boating Foundation (CBF) received a $60,000 check from The Russell Family Foundation yesterday. This investment will be used to fund a staff person who will then help certify boatyards as clean and green. Similar to the Clean Marina Program, which was started with considerable help from NMTA, the Certified Boatyard Program is a voluntary, market-based approach to showcase boatyards that have gone the extra steps to ensure clean water and boating practices. There will be more information in the next President's Report, but we did want to thank Russell for their buy-in at the highest level and considerable support of this new organization.

It should be noted that CBF is an independent organization apart from NMTA. While NMTA has provided the overhead and staff time to get this idea off the ground, CBF will have its distinct 501 C3 status and staff.

NMMA sues over E15 approval

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) today filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging an Oct. 13 decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to partially approve E15 for a subset of on-highway motor vehicles.

(Click Here to Read More)

Meet Your Elected Official event is tonight

Boaters, meet your elected officials!
Tell them what’s important to you as a boater
Hear the priorities for next year’s legislative session


What: The Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA) invites all boaters and constituents from the 41st and 45th legislative districts to meet your elected officials, discuss what’s important to you as a boater, and hear from the NMTA about their legislative priorities and how they’re representing boaters in Olympia.

Meet newly-elected Senator Litzow, Representatives Clibborn and staff from the NMTA.

When: Thursday, December 16, 2010, 6:30-8:30 pm

Where: Kirkland Public Library, 308 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033-6221

Map: http://tinyurl.com/2bxf9v7

Cost: Free. Complimentary beverages and snacks provided

Who: The NMTA is the country's oldest regional marine association and one of the most active. It was founded in 1947 to fight a proposed special tax on boaters, and has continued to represent and advocate tirelessly for the interests of boaters in the intervening 63 years. In addition to putting on the Seattle Boat Show every year, the NMTA Government Affairs Program advocates on behalf of the recreational boating industry and lobbies the legislature in support of boating.

Priorities for next year’s legislative session (as reported in Three Sheets Northwest) include:

Recreation and Resource Account (RRA) - The RRA is a dedicated account aimed at improving boating access throughout the state. Funds from the account have been used for items such as installing boat ramps and improving bathrooms. During the 2009-2010 legislative session, the legislature swept $9 million from the RRA to the state’s general fund.

Trade-in allowance – Legislators have proposed getting rid of the deduction that allows boaters to offset the value of their trade-in boat when they purchase a new boat. The bill associated with those efforts did not pass last year, but could come up again next session.

Sales tax cap – In Florida, sales and use tax for vessels is capped at $18,000. The cap is low enough to entice boat owners to homeport in Florida and pay the tax instead of registering their vessels in tax-haven states and countries. The NMTA wants to see a similar measure adopted in Washington to encourage more vessels to homeport here.

Cruising permit – Vessels cruising in Washington state are subject to a tax of almost 10 percent of their value unless owners obtain six-month or one-year cruising permits. The policy discourages yacht owners from staying in Washington waters and prompts them to keep their boats in Oregon or British Columbia.

Other issues include: the stormwater runoff treatment permitting process; a new tax on dry boat storage facilities: excise taxes applied to sales of boats (but not RVs and off-road vehicles): phasing out copper-based bottom paint: restoring funding to the state Boaters Activity Account: piloting requirements for visiting yachts: and establishing a state Office of Boating, among others.

Contact:
Peter Schrappen
NMTA Director of Government Relations
206-634-0911
peter@nmta.net

Our link to the Forgotten Children

The Super Yacht contingent within NMTA has adopted the Forgotten Children's Fund as their official chairty. And, wow, talk about an impact this charity makes in the lives of children throughout the area. Just this year, volunteers are busy wrapping some 20,000 gifts, toys, jackets and bicycles to deliver to 700 families at Christmas, complete with Santa’s and elves.

“We spend months buying new toys, books, winter coats and stocking stuffers so that families who might otherwise go without, can have a happy holiday,” said Dan Wood, President of the Forgotten Children’s Fund and an active member of NMTA. “Our volunteer Santa and elves distribute all these gifts at Christmas to families and their children who aren’t receiving aid from other organizations.”

The giving doesn't stop when the holiday season ends. Santa and his elves can help determine whether the family needs help beyond the holidays, such as additional food or money to buy the heating bill.

Right now, more donations and volunteers are welcome to create holiday cheer for families who otherwise would have little to celebrate. FCF is run entirely by volunteers, and because of supplier contributions and purchasing relationships, each dollar donated is stretched to its fullest.

Forgotten Children’s Fund volunteers deliver toys to families in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Island, Whatcom, Skagit and Chelan counties. To support the Forgotten Children, please visit: www.forgottenchildrensfund.org