 |
 |
|
|
|
August, 2005
Conversation with Michelle Bolanger
Maine Warden Service Whitewater Specialist
Interview by Nick Callanan
NU:So Michelle, is there anything you’d like to clear up for commercial rafting guides about the new pfd law?
MB: Actually, the law was approved in the Step 3 council meeting as Type III for guides. Well, the Type III is not approved by the Coast Guard unless it is 15.5 pounds of flotation or above. But in the copy of the law signed by the governor’s office, “16 pounds” was used instead of “Type III.” I think they may have gone back to an earlier draft and mistakenly used that information. Type III is what was approved and that is defined by the coast guard as minimum 15.5 pound flotation.
NU: Can you clear up an issue surrounding private raft trips: Am I allowed to organize and guide a private raft trip and have my friends on the trip pay for my gas?
MB: Whether it’s the guide or an assistant, no one can keep any money or other remuneration for a private raft trip. If people are chipping in for renting a raft, if people are chipping in for food, for camping, for beer, for gas, that’s fine. But no one can keep an extra $50 as in ‘here’s a little something for your hassle.’ That goes for the guide as well as a trip organizer. Because the definition of a whitewater outfitter is not in taking the people rafting, but organizing the trip. No one can keep any money for profit from the trip.
The reason we do this is our focus on safety for the rafter. The commercial outfitters have liability insurance which protect rafters.
I should note that this summer we do plan on holding details to check for illegal trips.
NU: Will you be on the river?
MB: Yes.
NU: What color raft will your detail crew be in?
MB: [hesitates] …If we see you on the river we’ll commandeer yours![laughs].
NU: Fair enough. Anything else you’d like to let guides know about … bad habits on the river, good habits, lunch sites…?
MB: Actually, last fall Shane Nichols from [Maine Forest Service] and I went down the Kennebec and he checked out the lunch sites from his perspective. We checked out every lunch site and he said they all looked really good except for a few small exceptions, and he was able to find guides from all the companies that day, and all the changes have since been made.
We also checked out all the overnight sites on Indian Pond and those all looked pretty good. There might have been a tree or two to cut down because of it being a fire hazard, but everything looked clean. On the Penobscot, we don’t bother with the lunch sites because that’s the PRC [Penobscot River Corridor, a part of Maine’s Parks system]. We’ll probably be doing those [Kennebec lunch site inspections] again … probably make it annual thing.
Email nick [at] noumbrella [dot] com with your questions, comments and concerns.
Design and Content © 2002 to 2006 No Umbrella
