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Welcome
Aboard
Boating Safely On Lake Tahoe
By Katherine Hill
 Ahoy, and
welcome to our inaugural boating column. I’m a water
person at heart, having grown up with summer vacations
on the Barrier Islands off North Carolina where I
learned to swim in the Atlantic, as well fish, hunt for
sand fleas (for bait) and bury my feet in the sand on a
hot summer’s day.
When I was
27, I arrived in Tahoe City for a job interview, took
one look at Lake Tahoe and heard its siren call. Since
then, I’ve reveled in spending many summer days on Lake
Tahoe. I enjoy everything about Lake Tahoe and learning
about her many secrets has been an adventure.
Any local
that spends time on the Lake has probably been stopped
countless times and asked directions, asked about gas
docks and restaurants, swimming spots and hidden beaches
and everything in between. I’ve long thought that all
boaters from experienced mariners to first-time visitors
out on a boat rental for the afternoon, could use more
information about Lake Tahoe. So, the idea for this
column was born.
Boat
safety issues and classes, inspection fees, wooden
boats, hidden beaches, boat camping, sightseeing and
dining, these are just some of the many topics I plan to
cover in this column.
I’m by no
means an experienced boater, and most of my adventures
have been done with a drink in one hand and the other on
my hat while someone else did the driving. I’ll be
learning many new things over the course of the summer
and look forward to sharing them. Also, check out the
companion blog for this column at
www.tahoeboating.blogspot.com for additional
information.
May brings
warmer, longer days and everyone wants to get out on the
water. While you’re getting your boat ready and planning
a day on the water, it’s also time to be vigilant about
boating safety.
The U.S.
Coast Guard Auxiliary has long been an excellent
resource providing free vessel safety checks boat safety
classes, outreach programs and lending a hand to the
Coast Guard, stationed in Lake Forest (outside Tahoe
City). The Auxiliary will offer a free Vessel Safety
Check on May 23 at Meeks Bay (don’t worry, they
don’t report the results to anyone) and will come to
your home or any other location to provide you with this
free safety check.
Minimum
safety requirements for power boat under 25’ include:
Numbers and registration; PFDs (life jackets); one
throwable cushion; one fire extinguisher; working
ventilation system; installed backfire flame arrester;
work sound-producing device; working navigation lights;
and visual distress signals.
The
Auxiliary offers a series of one-day boat safety classes
including Suddenly In Command, taught by and for women,
About Boating Safely and Kayak Safety. The classes fill
up fast, so register early.
About Boating Safely covers a
variety of boating topics from an introduction to
boating, boating laws, safety equipment, navigation,
boat handling, knots, handling emergencies and much
more. The class is offered May 16 at Tahoe Forest
Hospital in Truckee, June 27 at the Incline Fire Station
and July 25 at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings
Beach. The class is $40 per person, or $30 each for two
or more.
Suddenly In Command is a
special class on June 6 designed for women who are not
typically at the helm of a boat. This course is unique
to Tahoe and helps prepare women in case of a boating
emergency. Trailering, line handling, knot tying,
launching, first aid, communication, required equipment
and basic boating operating principles will be covered
in this female-only class. The class is $30 per person.
Kayak Safety, offered Oct. 10,
will include an introduction to kayaking, selecting a
life jacket and protective clothing, recommended safety
equipment, cold water hazards and more. This class also
is $30 per person.
For more
information on the Auxiliary, call division commander
Dee Dee Kincade at (775) 831-7192. For information on
classes or to register, call Jerry Gilmore at (530)
587-3334. To receive a free Vessel Safety Check, call
Joe Harris at (650) 279-9159. You also can visit
www.northtahoecgaux.org.
The
Emerald Bay Boat Camp will be closed most of the summer
while a new pier is being built at the Boat-In
campground. The camp will reopen when construction is
complete. For details, call (530) 525-3340.
Boaters
launching at Lake Tahoe will have to pay a fee to help
fund an inspection program aimed at preventing the
introduction of aquatic invasive species such as the
quagga and zebra mussel beginning on June 1.
Boaters
can have their vessels inspected at certain locations
free of charge through the end of May; boats that stay
in Tahoe need only be inspected once if an inspection
seal is kept intact.
When a
vessel comes out of the Lake, an inspection seal will be
attached to boats so that they do not have to be
inspected or pay a fee again as long as the boat returns
with the seal intact. For more information, call the
TRPA hotline at (888) 824-6267 or visit
www.protecttahoe.org.
Non-motorized vessels & vessels with intact inspection
seal – No charge
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Vessels up to 16’ - $10
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Vessels over 16’ & up to 25’ - $30
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Vessels over 25’ & up to 39’ - $40
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Vessels over 39’ - $60
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Vessels with ballast tanks, bladders & live wells -
$10 additional
Katherine E. Hill loves
being on the water and is always looking to hitch a ride
on the Lake. If you have any ideas, suggestions or are
planning an outing on any of our beautiful lakes and
need a deck hand, e-mail
editor@tahoethisweek.com or visit
www.tahoeboating.blogspot.com.
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