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I have mentioned several times about the stepped up enforcement of the laws regarding towing trailers (and boats). The Highway Patrol held their first-ever public forum at the Warwick Center at UNC Wilmington on April 21 and tried to explain all the provisions of the laws and what was needed to be legal. There was a lot of information, some of which was a bit confusing, but the bottom line is they will be enforcing the existing regulations dealing with width, weight, towing restrictions, licenses and license plates as they pertain to trailering personal boats. The Highway Patrol spokesmen pointed out these laws have been in place for years and were established for safety purposes. Unfortunately, there is no provision in the N.C. code for boats as recreational vehicles and they are being held to the same standards and restrictions as commercial trucking. This makes it difficult to impossible for many owners of mid-size and larger boats to transport them for a weekend of fishing or cruising. Don't make the mistake of thinking this only affects folks with large boats. It starts with skiffs over 8-1/2 feet wide and goes up. The current regulations prohibit trailering a boat more than 8-1/2 feet wide at night, on Sundays and for a period 12 hours prior to and after a holiday. If your skiff, pontoon boat or any boat is 8 feet and 7 inches wide or wider, you can't take it to the ramp during any of these times. This isn't just a coastal issue as some see it, but it affects all boat owners across the entire state. Many pontoon boats cannot be legally moved at night or on Sunday, which is a primary day for using them on lakes and rivers in interior N.C. Larger boats also require special drivers licenses and license plates based on weight. This information is available in the Drivers Services and Vehicle Services sections of the Department of Motor Vehicles web site at http://www.ncdot.org/dmv. The information, requirements and permit applications for boats exceeding 8-1/2 feet wide are available at the Oversize / Overweight Permits Unit web site at http://www.ncdot.org/doh/operations/dp_chief_eng/maintenance/permits/. Several legislators, including Representative Pat McElraft of Emerald Isle, Senator Julia Boseman of Wilmington and Representative Bonner Stiller of Oak Island were present and promised there were bills aimed at changing some of the regulations in place and waiting for the Short Legislative Session in May to be introduced. Boaters need to contact their legislators and let them know how they feel. A composite of the trailering regulations can be found at www.northcarolinasportsman.com and a listing of the phone numbers, e-mail and mailing addresses of all N.C. legislators can be found at www.ncleg.net. |
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