ABOUT THE BoatUS RECREATIONAL BOATING ACCESS AWARD

Over the last several years, whether on inland waters or on the coasts, recreational boaters have been losing access to our country's waterways at an alarming rate. Why? The reasons are many:

• With the rapid increase in waterfront land values, marinas with public rented slips are giving way to residential development where slips are sold instead of leased or removed entirely.

• Working boatyards are being taxed at “highest-and-best-use” rates, dramatically increasing costs and encouraging operators to give up the business and sell the property for another use.

• Burdensome permit processes for construction of new access points hinder expansion of existing facilities and stifle new construction.

• Displaced wet-slip boaters may be forced to downsize their boat and move to dry storage facilities or to trailer boating, thereby increasing demands on public launch ramps, already in short supply and often not designed for today's boats and tow vehicles.

• Local ordinances and property covenants increasingly prohibit boat storage on private property.

In short, many boaters are being shortchanged on waterway access and boating services, and as a result, are being tempted to leave the boating lifestyle altogether.

The Boat Owners Association of The United States believes that boating is a healthy lifelong recreation that should be widely available to all and we are extremely concerned with this loss of waterway access. It is encouraging to note, however, that, individuals, communities and organizations across the country are finding new ways to preserve and even expand access. Thus, the BoatUS Recreational Boating Access Award is designed to draw national attention to innovative solutions in the hope of sharing success stories so that others may put such experiences to work in helping to solve their own waterway access challenges.