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Welcome to the RBAW Web Site

Our web site pages continue to be full of pictures, anouncements and updates.
Please scroll down the entire page to view all that is happening with RBAW and its members.


RBAW ACTION ALERT!
Please Take Action to Oppose House Bill 2444 & Senate Bill 6264
Call or Email your Representative and Senator

While the first public hearings were held during the inclement weather on January 18 and 19, there is still time to make your voice heard. If you haven't already done so, please contact your Legislators today!

House Bill 2444, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Morris (D-Anacortes) takes $150,000 from the Recreation Resource Account (RRA). The RRA is the un-refunded gas tax money boaters pay and funds grants for boating infrastructure around the state such as launch ramp expansion and repair. The $150,000 would be used to study development of a Marine Innovation Center at Skagit Valley College.

Senate Bill 6264, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Ranker (D-Anacortes) adds $1 to various types of vessel registration fees to develop a Marine Innovation Center at Skagit Valley College.

Tell your lawmakers that…Read More

Download a Sample Letter for contacting your Senator or Representative...


Come Visit Us at the RBAW Booth...

Washington Boating Alliance 3rd Annual Conference
Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The Washington Boating Alliance is conducting its 3rd Annual Conference in conjunction with the Seattle Boat Show. The Conference will be February 1, 2012 from 9am – 1pm inside the Seattle Boat Show. This year’s keynote speaker will be Rob McKenna, Attorney General and potentially next Governor. The Conference hosts speakers covering many areas of boating and recreation policy in Washington. The Conference is open to anyone interested in boating issues. Attendance includes free admission for the day to the Boat Show. Download the complete program. Registration is free. Signup for the conference by emailing Steve Greaves at sgreaves@portagebaysystems.com and information will be sent to you with the specifics on how to attend.

LEGISLATIVE DAY is an excellent opportunity for face-to-face meetings with your elected representatives. Since this is a short legislative session, we have decided to schedule RBAW Legislative Day on February 7th. Please contact our Lobbyist Doug Levy (levy4@msn.com) or 1st VP Steve Greaves (sgreaves@portagebaysystems.com) to coordinate the meetings with your representatives. There will not be a legislative reception this year due to scheduling issues with the legislative calendar.


National Boating Federation
Safety Brochures Now Available Online...

The U.S. Coast Guard disseminated a Marine Safety Bulletin on 9-1-11 regarding recreational boaters and commercial mariners obtaining a MMSI number to go along with their Digital Selective Calling (DSC) radios. In response to their urgent safety warning the National Boating Federation in conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard developed a new brochure, "DSC – Digital Selective Calling – Today’s SOS”. This brochure provides simple instructions on the requirements to enable boaters and mariners to be compliant with the new Rescue 21 program. Most importantly, it enhances the Coast Guard’s capability to more effectively respond to a DSC distress call.

NBF has also authored another brochure which points out the advantages of having a VHF radio on your vessel, however, if a cell phone is your only means of communication, there are specific instructions that should be followed.

The National Boating Federation is requesting that you download our "DSC - Digital Selective Calling - Today's SOS" brochure and our "Cell Phone Brochure - Only You Can Take the Search out of Search and Rescue!' and invites your use and dissemination of the information in our brochures for purposes of promoting marine safety in classes, public affairs and group presentations.

Click to Download the Brochures:

"DSC - Digital Selective Calling - Today's SOS" Brochure

"Cell Phone Flyer/Brochure - Only You Can Take the Search out of Search and Rescue"
 

RBAW and the Watercraft Excise Tax

The State of Washington has unfairly saddled recreational boaters with an excise tax that is not collected in a similar manner from any other “users group.” Annual vessel registration fees include a tax equal to ½ of 1% of the market value of any recreational boat. These taxes are simply absorbed into the general fund of Washington State, and are in no way earmarked for improvements to boating infrastructure.
Other owners of recreational conveyances are not asked to pay a tax based on market value. For example, private aircraft pay a very small flat fee based entirely upon the type of aircraft. Excise taxes for aircraft are generally under $200 per year, and any private helicopter (regardless of value) pays a flat $90 renewal charge. A private helicopter worth $3-million pays a $90 excise tax, while the owner of a $3-million yacht would pay $15,000 annually.

Motorhomes are treated like automobiles, which the excise tax replaced many years ago by a $35 “tab fee”. In a few counties, motorhomes are subject to some transit taxes that do not apply to boats, but even in those cases the owner of a new $700,000 motorhome will never be asked to pay close to the $3,500 it costs to pay the excise tax for a boat.

RBAW advocates repealing the watercraft excise tax in Washington State.  Boaters should not be singled out for punitive taxation.

Click here for other Legislative Issues...

  
 
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