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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSUP PowerPoint - Final 2017-02-07NEWPORT BEACH HARBOR COMMISSION SUP SAFETY AD HOC COMMITTEE PRESENTATION February 8, 2017 Issue •What should the City of Newport Beach do to insure greater safety for the users of stand up paddleboards, (SUP’s), and other human powered vessels? Approach •Identify the companies renting SUP’s and other human powered vessels in Newport Harbor. •Interview the rental company operators to determine what safety instruction they provide. •Collect anecdotal information from private SUP operators with respect to whether restrictions are needed. •Obtain from industry experts their opinions on SUP safety. Background Information •Navigable waterways in Newport Harbor are under Federal jurisdiction. •Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 defines a “vessel” as a watercraft that can be used as transportation on the water. •Except when operated within the surf line, SUP‘s, canoes, kayaks, and other human powered craft are legally “vessels” and the operators of these vessels must conform to the Federal laws. •Inland Navigation Rules govern operators of human powered vessels in Newport Harbor. •Those operating SUP’s, canoes, kayaks and other human powered vessels should know the basic rules. Activities •Ad Hoc Committee was created to study SUP safety in Newport Harbor. •Committee identified twenty (20) rental companies operating in Newport Harbor with permanent addresses. •Committee attempted to survey each of the rental company operators to determine how SUP safety was addressed. While the focus was on SUP rentals, the operators interviewed in many cases also rented motor boats, sail boats, electric boats, kayaks, and other types of boats and vessels. •Committee obtained anecdotal information from private SUP users. Activities •Committee contacted the American Canoe Association which appears to best represent the interest of paddle boarders and other human powered vessels. •Committee contacted industry experts Rob Casey of Salmon Bay Paddle in Seattle, Washington and Ken Williams of Stand Up Rentals in Long Beach, California, to obtain their opinions on SUP safety. Mr. Williams designed the SUP program in Alamitos Bay at the request of the City of Long Beach and operates Stand Up Rentals. •Committee conducted an “interested party” meeting attended by rental company operators, private parties and Mr. Williams. Rental Company Operators Survey Areas Covered •What is included in the standard rental form? •What, if any, training or instruction is provided? •What verbal, written or video safety information is provided? Findings •Each of the rental company operators interviewed only require a waiver of liability. •Most of the rental company operators interviewed do not offer basic instruction to first time renters or those requiring instruction. •Most of the rental company operators interviewed offer only basic operational and safety tips, the most common of which are “stay to the right of the channel” and “paddle into the wind so that it will be easier to paddle back on your return”. •Only one rental company operator, Newport Fun Tours, presents renters with written safety tips. Findings •The American Canoe Association publishes a pamphlet titled Rules of the Road What Paddlers Need to Know •Pamphlet contains the type of basic information that vessel operators should know before venturing out onto the water. Findings •Only one rental company operator, Southwind SUP Rentals, has the pamphlet available, however, it is not required reading. •Stand Up Rentals in Alamitos Bay has an instruction and safety program that all prospective renters must complete, including an instructional video about SUP operation and safety and an on-water proficiency test. •Stand Up Rentals has created on-land simulators that are used for instruction. Conclusions •Stand Up Rentals instruction and safety program is the model of the industry in Southern California. •With the exception of Stand Up Rentals, the rental company operators do not do an adequate job of instructing prospective renters on basic operation and safety of SUP’s and other human powered vessels. Recommendations for Consideration •Update, print and distribute the safety pamphlet prepared by the Harbor Commission in 2013. •Make the safety pamphlet available on the City of Newport Beach website and social media platforms (Facebook and Instagram). •Prepare a SUP safety video and make the same available to rental company operators. •Make the safety video available on the City of Newport Beach website and social media platforms. •Prepare a safety operation sticker that can be affixed to SUPs and make the sticker available to the rental company operators and the general public. Recommendations for Consideration •Obtain on-land SUP simulators and have the same available at Marina Park. •Create and conduct on a regular basis a SUP safety class at Marina Park. •Create a safety certification program that can be recognized by the rental company operators. •Consider whether some or all of these recommendations should be extended to non-human powered rentals. Recommendations for Consideration •Host an annual meeting for rental company operators at the beginning of the season to discuss safety tips and issues pertinent to the harbor and the rental company industry. •Draft, train and deploy a population of volunteers to act as “harbor marshals” at points of congestion on busy days. SUP Brochure Outside Cover SUP Brochure Inside Panels SUP Safety Ad Hoc Committee Presentation