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New Cali Law:
Mandatory CO-Warning-Stickers Law Takes Effect
Thursday, May 12, 2005
LOG NEWS SERVICE - Effective May 1, any new or used motorboat sold in California must bear two stickers warning of the danger of carbon-monoxide poisoning.
For a motorized vessel sold by a dealer, the law - Section 683 (b) of the Harbors and Navigation Code - requires that the dealer ensure that both warning stickers have been affixed prior to the completion of the transaction.
A motorized vessel sold by an individual Section 683 (c) requires that the new owner affix the stickers to his vessel. The stickers will be included in the registration material provided to the new owner by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The DMV will also include an informational brochure and warning stickers, including instructions on where to place the stickers, in the registration renewal materials mailed to current vessel owners.
The law requires that the small sticker be placed in the interior of the motorized vessel where it is immediately visible to the operator and that the larger sticker be placed facing out on the exterior of the vessels stern or transom.
The important thing about these decals is making sure that people are aware of the danger before the unthinkable happens, said Department of Boating and Waterways Director Raynor Tsuneyoshi. Everyone on a boat needs to know that there is a cloud of carbon monoxide at the back of the boat anytime the engine or generator is running.
In developing a decal that meets the intent of the law, we collaborated very successfully with industry, boating associations, and the U.S. Coast Guard to develop a single label that will be used nationwide rather than having different labels for different states, explained Tsuneyoshi. Having all of the affected parties represented in this process allowed us to share knowledge, experience, ideas, and concerns that contributed to developing a more useful decal.
Acting Deputy Director David L. Johnson said that individuals and dealers may obtain stickers by calling the department toll free at (888) 326-2822 or by writing to the Department of Boating and Waterways, 2000 Evergreen St., Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95815.
The sticker requirement is the result of legislation - Assembly Bill 2222 - introduced last year by Assembly Member Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood. It was signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last September.
Effective January 1, another provision in the same bill banned teak surfing or platform dragging, a nationwide fad that involves pulling a person through the boats wake while the person holds on to the back of the boat. Anyone who operates a vessels engine while someone is holding on to or occupying the swim platform, swim ladder, or swim step on a boat can be fined up to $100.
The law provides exceptions for briefly assisting with the docking or departure, exiting or entering the vessel, or engaging in law-enforcement or emergency-rescue activity.
Nationwide, there were 571 reported boating-related carbon-monoxide poisonings, including 113 deaths, between 1990 and 2004. Forty-three of the poisonings occurred in California, the department said in a release announcing the sticker requirement.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas in motor or generator exhaust.
The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include severe headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, and fainting. The symptoms can be similar to the effects of intoxication or too much sun. Unfortunately, most victims will not recognize the danger before it is too late.
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WOW!!
Mufflers..stickers.. What next? Catalytic converters?
:rolleyes:
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I'll never need one of those on my boat. My sticker shoould read:
WARNING! HANGING YOUR DUMB ASS OFF THE BACK OF THIS BOAT WILL RESULT IN YOUR FEET BEING CHOPPED OFF BY EIGHT RAZOR-SHARP BLADES! STAY ON BOARD YOU DUMB ASS!
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WOW!!
Mufflers..stickers.. What next? Catalytic converters?
:rolleyes:
Actually yes. Not that far off. :frown:
