The Navatek Fiasco Informs Boaters About the 13-234 Boater Fee Increase Proposal
Recreational boaters will pay for any incident involving commercial vessels that have been allowed to participate in the public harbor system, with money being provided by the Boating Special Fund. The Navatek fiasco, for example, will be funded by monies in the Fund bolstered by proposed recreational boating fee increases.
We have been told by DLNR representatives that when commercial vessels, such as the Navatek – the 82’, 149 passenger commercial cruise ship, dumped in the Ala Wai public recreational boat harbor via authorization from DoBOR Administrator, Ed Underwood – that RECREATIONAL BOATERS will be liable for the damages.
Recreational boating fees are used to fund the Special Boating Fund which is used to maintain the boating system throughout Hawaii. When the fund begins to run dry, mainly, as it turns out, due to administrative mess-ups on the part of the DLNR and DoBOR, boaters are then asked to pay still higher fees to cover for the bungling.
Almost no one has a problem with paying higher fees, if they can see improvements in the State’s harbors. But, in Hawaii, higher fees do not translate into better facilities and services. Case in point: under the disastrous tenure of DLNR Chair, Laura Thielen, seven years ago, there was a huge boater fee increase. Since that time, the harbor system has dramatically DECLINED, mainly as a result of repeated DLNR bungling which left the fund without monies for harbor maintenance, improvements, or much needed better services.
Dan Dennison, the DLNR’s senior communications manager, and chief snow machine for Suzanne Case’s DLNR, wants us to believe that it’s the BOATER’S fault that higher fees are being proposed. The boater’s fault. For example, in his latest made-for-media snowstorm, he quote’s talking head, Meghan Statts as blaming boaters for not having salvage insurance on their vessels.
Statts was specifically referring to the commercial vessel, the Navatek, that 82’, 149 passenger commercial cruise ship that was wink-nodded into the Ala Wai’s recreational boat harbor, by Ed Underwood. The repeated sinking of this vessel, the lack of response by the DLNR, and the ridiculous final solution – dragging this monstrosity up over the top of a seawall with a bulldozer, damaging the seawall and the vessel bottom – all to be paid for by Hawaii’s recreational boaters.
Boaters are asked to vigorously protest the DLNR’s proposal for more money from innocent recreational boaters.
The name of the fee increase rules change is Chapter 13-234, Boater Fee Increase Rules Package. Write to the following people, repeatedly, in protest. Better, call them. And when 13-234 comes up before the DLNR Board, go there in person and oppose the fleecing of Hawaii’s boaters.
Suzanne Case, Chair, DLNR: suzanne.case@hawaii.gov
DLNR Board (BLNR): blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov , dlnr@hawaii.gov and include the following message at the top of your email: PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO EVERY BLNR BOARDMEMBER – PLEASE CONFIRM BY EMAIL THAT THIS HAS BEEN DONE
On another, but not unrelated, topic . . .
In a previous article we cited Lanai's Manele Bay privatization attempt by misguided legislators not paying attention to the will of the people. Below, we ask that you add your name to the growing number of residents who oppose the act of privatization of public lands and assets.
DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR
SUZANNE D. CASE CHAIRPERSON
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 14, 2019
LISTING TWIN-HULLED VESSEL TO BE REMOVED FROM ALA WAI SMALL BOAT HARBOR
State Boating Division Footing the Bill
(Honolulu) - The vessel, Skye, also known as the Navatek is expected to be lifted from the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor tomorrow. The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) notified the boat’s owner some months ago that he would need to remove his vessel as he was $16,000 in arrears in mooring fees and the Skye had become non-seaworthy and could not leave the state’s largest small boat harbor under its own power.
DOBOR officials sought bids from private companies to try and relocate the vessel to the Keehi Small Boat Harbor. A contractor who submitted the lowest bid of $28,000 had started to pump water out of one of the hulls, but stopped work, believing that the hull is filled with mud. Due to the serious concerns DOBOR had as to whether or not the vessel could safely be towed out of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor channel, they decided to reevaluate the removal and have the contractor pull the vessel out at the old haul out area. The same contractor, (Xarbin Industries) will do the lifting work at a new estimated cost of $35,000. Equipment is being mobilized today. Once the vessel is on dry ground it will be surveyed again to determine its current value. If over $5,000 the State is required to hold an auction to dispose of it. If it doesn’t sell at auction, DOBOR will incur the entire cost of disposing of the boat.
DOBOR O‘ahu District Manager Meghan Statts explained, “Unfortunately when boat owners do not keep up with their obligations or lack enough insurance to salvage their inoperable vessels the burden falls to every boater in the state. We’re forced to dip into the boating special fund, which is made up entirely of fees individual boaters pay for the use of slips, moorings, live aboard privileges, etc. Additionally, we have to follow all applicable laws and rules when it comes to notifying owners of late-payments and other actions that impact their vessels and that process often takes much longer than people expect.”
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Media Contact:
Dan Dennison
Senior Communications Manager
(808) 587-0396