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.

Seattle Police Department Harbor Unit and Kvichak Marine Industries invite you to an open house to welcome their new 45' Response Boat Medium, Patrol 9, to their fleet. Join us for a vessel tour and enjoy a barbeque. View the flyer...

When: May 19, 2012
Time: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Where: Seattle Police Harbor Patrol Station, 1717 N. Northlake Place, Lake Union


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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