On Watch

On Watch By Peter Schrappen

Right before our very eyes, 28 uniformed and commissioned members of the Seattle Harbor Patrol are patrolling 147.52 miles of freshwater and 53.38 miles of saltwater shoreline for a grand total of 200.90 miles. Stationed near Gas Works Park, these officers ensure that Seattle’s waters are safe from boating-under-the-influence operators. What’s more, they are typically the first responders to distressed boaters and swimmers, and also first in line to keep trespassers from hanging around where they shouldn’t be. What’s not to love? Unfortunately, the Seattle City Council doesn’t see it that way. They have given this sector of the Seattle Police Department an unwanted haircut by not filling two open positions that are key to the Seattle Harbor Patrol efforts. Seattle City Councilmember Alex Pedersen, representing District 6 (Wallingford, University of Washington area and its environs), did his best to bring some sanity to this Council. Losing these two open positions is not the stuff that makes for a crisis, but Seattle City Council seems to be taking it a step further by moving the Seattle Harbor Patrol under the Seattle Fire umbrella. “What’s the big deal,” you might be asking? As it stands, the Seattle Fire Department cannot arrest people for drunk boating, and this move could significantly impact boater safety. In response, my employer, the Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA), is teaming up with the Recreational Boating Association of Washington, the Lake Union Liveaboard Association, and the Floating Homes Association to make the rounds with Seattle City Council. Our goal is to make them aware of what these changes might mean to the boating public. Stay tuned on this one, as it’s just starting to heat up.

PFD Debate State Parks and Rep. Cindy Ryu (Democrat-Shoreline) are working on a bill for the next legislative session to require personal floatation devices (PFDs) be worn on all human-powered craft, including kayaks, canoes, and standup paddleboards (SUPs). The idea is to adopt the same mindset that we saw around compulsory seatbelt laws. Looking ahead, I would not be surprised to see a bill introduced that requires a life jacket be worn on all vessels that are 21 feet or less. Keep in mind that bills get introduced all the time for all sorts of reasons. Last year, 3,683 bills were introduced in Washington State, but only 769 of those made it through the process to become a law signed by the Governor. All it takes to start the legislative dance is an idea that has been co-signed by a lawmaker, and then it becomes part of that 3,683 number.

Taxing Visiting Superyachts Also coming up in the next session, there’s some momentum building to improve boating access for yachts looking to visit the state of Washington. Currently, if a skipper and crew bring a $1 million yacht to Washington for a two-week vacation, they are taxed on the value of their yacht; in the case of the million-dollar yacht, that would be $100,000. You are reading this correctly. I’m working with the Port of Port Angeles, Superyacht Northwest, which is the superyacht committee of the Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA), to upend this super strange law and replace it with a tax on the cost of the vacation and not the vessel’s value. Stay tuned!