By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
DavidsonNews.net
The Lake Norman Marine Commission is working to standardize rules governing boat rentals on the lake, and is inviting volunteers to give input. At its meeting Feb. 13, the commission appointed Catawba County Marine Commissioner John Marino to chair a committee of volunteers charged with developing a set of standard rules and guidelines for renters and rental companies.
“The concern is that there is no consistency on the lake as far as basic standards go,” Commission Chair Ron Shoultz said Thursday.
The issue of rental safety came into question last season following a boating accident in June that left a Charlotte woman severely inured. At the Marine Commission meeting Sept. 12, several boat rental company owners addressed the commission in support of better enforcement of safety rules but worried that too many additional requirements could hurt business.
“All of the responsible companies on the lake are just seeking to do what we’re already doing,” rental company owner Dustin Keith told CorneliusNews.net. “Common sense says (rules are) necessary for everyone’s safety and for us to be able to continue our industry.”
In January Mr. Keith, with the help of three other rental company owners and input from several more, crafted a letter to the Marine Commission requesting some action be taken to standardize and enforce certain boat rental rules.
“It’s not about adding rules, it’s about ensuring certain rules are followed,” he said.
Mr Keith, a former law enforcement officer, said excessive requirements could kill business, as weekend renters and repeat customers are not going to want to spend hours in boater safety classes. On the other hand, requiring rental companies to follow certain basic safety rules is necessary for the industry to survive, he said.
“We can’t let one person’s mistake ruin it for everybody,” Mr. Keith said.
The Marine Commission hopes to establish the rental standards committee in the next two weeks, Mr. Shoultz said, and invites anyone interested in participating to attend the commission’s March 12 meeting. Already a strong “core group” has expressed interest in participating, he said.
“We are looking for people with intimate knowledge of the business and the industry,” Mr. Shoultz said, such as rental company owners and law enforcement officials.
There are no hard deadlines for the committee’s recommendations at this time, but the hope is that the committee will have something to present to the commission in early summer, Mr. Shoultz said. Then, the commissioners will review the recommendations and if a change in ordinance is necessary, will proceed to plan a public hearing – possibly in later summer / early fall, he said. After the hearing, the recommendations would be put to a vote.
RELATED LINKS
Jan. 23, 2012: “Woman hurt in Lake Norman accident files suit”
Sept. 13, 2011: “Boat rental companies oppose idea of local rules for renters”
July 12, 2011: “Marine Commission to explore licenses for boat renters”
2010 NC Boater Safety Education Requirements
