Government Gone Wild

Now that a generation of helicopter parents are becoming government officials, boating is getting caught in the cross hairs. We don’t know if Maryland Senator James N. Mathias, Jr. had challenging children, but the water is worrying the bejesus out of him.

Mathias has authored Senate Bill 1147 to ‘protect’ people from sailing in a manner that is totally normal. The law would be…

• An individual may not operate a vessel on the waters of the state while another individual is riding on or suspended from the vessel’s bow, gunwale, or transom in a dangerous manner.

• An individual who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $300.

Can you imagine the skippers meeting at the 5O5 World Championship this year in Annapolis when crews are told they cannot use the trapeze and instead have to hike off the strap?

The law doesn’t say anything about climbing the mast while underway, because you know, you can’t drown from falling onto the deck of a boat.

To read the bill… click here.
To contact Mr. Mathias… click here.