Police crack down on personal watercraft
It's amazing how much pwc owners get away with, but I'm not sure going after the people who rent them is the best idea. It's like making a motorcycle manufacturer liable when someone buys a motorcycle and wraps it around a tree.
Police crack down on watercraft renters
(Published: Tuesday, August 19, 2008
)
The citations came without warning, Claudia Garcia said.
Over three different days this summer, the personal watercraft rental business she owns with her husband received 18 summonses - some within minutes of each other, and eight for failure to continuously supervise rentals.
It's illegal for renters to put inexperienced users out for a day of fun on a personal watercraft, or PWCs, without proper instruction and supervision - and State Police are making sure area watersports businesses won't forget.
Nine local renters got big reminders recently, as an undercover investigation within the Atlantic City State Police Marine Station's coverage area cited them for a total 64 violations, Maj. John Hunt, Special Operations commander, announced Monday. Three others had no problems.
This was the first crackdown of this magnitude, Hunt said. The State Police used funding from a grant and were told by the Coast Guard that this is the first they have heard of a unit using funding this way.
While there were no fatal crashes on PWCs in the past two years, Hunt said, accidents have increased, along with the severity of injuries. There also have been the complaints from boaters who encounter riders who don't know the rules of the waterway.
"We will use any means available to us to make sure people are safe," Hunt said.
For the Garcias, it meant losing their license. They no longer can rent PWCs at Lakeview Docks in Wildwood Crest. The summer business that is their livelihood has lost thousands of dollars.
"I don't understand why I had no previous warning," Garcia said Monday
But State Police say all renters receive ample notice. It's part of the paperwork they sign for their rental permits.
"They know full well from the beginning how they should make compliance," Hunt said.
Andrew Barber had heard about the citations. Other owners called his East Coast Parasail in Cape May telling him about the crackdown. He figured the State Police hadn't come to his business yet. They just added Jet Ski to their name - and rental options - this year.
But a reporter's call let him know that the investigation not only had come Barber's way, it cited his business - as a "model of compliance."
"We hope all renters will be like this one day," Hunt said.
Barber attributes that to East Coast's additional rules.
While the law allows anyone 16 and older to drive a PWC, he rents only to those 21 and older who have a valid driver's license. Passengers must be at least 42 inches tall. Even then, it depends who is with the child and their ability to hold on, he said.
"I probably turn away as much business as I take," Barber said of refusing to rent to the carloads of teens who come his way.
He figures the majority of the market is people from 18 to 35. But, the father of three said, "I think it's kind of foolish to let little kids go on something that fast."
East Coast also shows a 10-minute instructional video and has two supervisors in the water with renters at all times, regardless of how many renters or machines are out there, Barber said. The law requires one supervisor for as many as seven watercraft.
The crackdown didn't end with Monday's announcement. West Crest Jet Sports received a visit Monday afternoon, adding three tickets to the nine they already had.
State Police also were at Lakeview after someone reported seeing a personal watercraft leaving the business. It turned out not to be a renter, but an owner who docks there. The Garcias are still allowed to serve those with licenses.
But that's a very small percentage, East Coast's Barber pointed out: "It's a tourist attraction, so most have no boating experience."
The Garcias also can continue to rent boats and kayaks.
"But that's only about an eighth of our business," Garcia said.
She said she agrees with the crackdown's intent, but takes offense that her business was cited.
"I take pride in the way we run our business," she said at the State Police Marine Station in Atlantic City, just before a news conference Monday announcing the investigation's outcome. "We make sure safety is the most concern."
Back in Wildwood Crest, her husband, Claudio, turned away visitors eager to set off on one of the several WaveRunners sitting idle. He said they have always complied with the rules, including having a supervisor in the riding zone. If there are more than seven riders, they add a second supervisor, he said.
But State Police said those supervisors were intermittent and did not stay with renters the whole time they were on the water. Cameras that several places use are also not an acceptable replacement, Hunt added.
Lakeview cannot rent PWCs to anyone without a Safe Boating Certificate for the rest of the year. They may set up a meeting with the State Police to prove their compliance before year's end. If approved, their permit will be reinstated.
Staff writer Trudi Gilfillian and Press photographer Sharon Stabley contributed to this report.
E-mail Lynda Cohen:
LCohen@pressofac.com
Highlights of the investigation:
Four businesses received a total of 16 citations for failure of supervisors to remain in the designated area with rentals.
Eight businesses failed to properly instruct renters.
Casino City Ski Rental in Atlantic City, Wildwood Jet Ski in Cape May Courthouse and East Coast Parasail in Cape May received no violations.
Bayview Marina in Ocean City and Island Watersports in Stone Harbor, along with West Crest Jet Sports and Lakeview Dock's in both in Wildwood Crest, received at least 10 citations each.
Beesley Point Jet Ski in Marmora received five citations.
Wet 'N Wild in Ocean City received four citations.
Sea Isle Watersports in Sea Isle City received three citations.
North Wildwood Watersports in North Wildwood and Mocean WaveRunners in Wildwood received one citation each, both for failing to properly instruct renters.
Lakeview was the only business to have its license revoked. They may not rent personal watercraft to anyone without a Boating Safety Certificate for the rest of the year.
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