Did anyone make it to the meeting? It was a little stormy here today and with it being a four hour drive over and four hours back I decided to catch it next time.
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FAA MEETING ?
- Thread starter cntry141iq
- Start date
cowboy
Moderator
Yeah Cnrty. I went there for the first half.
When we got there the Coatsguard Aux was out there performing the safety checks. There were four of them there to do it, and it's a shame the weather put so many people off. It would be a good thing to see more airboats with the "VSC" decals on there. Every airboat that was there had mufflers on it.
That showed me that the club officers are out there setting a good example.
The first item on the agenda was three FWC Officers from the local district.
Many Brevard Club members were there asking about the Easter Weekend detail.
They wanted to know why they were targeted, and why airboat stops were conducted in open water.
They responded that many of the participating officers were not knowledgable about airboat operation, and that's why they made the mistake of stopping airboats in deep water.
As far as the size of the detail, and targeting airboats with helecopters, they responded with several resons for this:
The fact that many of the local private airboats are way faster than the commission's boats. This was the reason that they needed the air support from the helecopter. This was coupled with the fact that many locals have run from them before, and the fact that they said thay had some boats run from them on Easter Weekend. That was said to hear if it was true.
They said that they had a huge amount of calls regarding the event, and the complaints, and concerns were form the racing while drinking standpoint. They stated that they are tasked with boating safety, and due to the large number of calls, decided to up the scale of the detail.
The officer in charge of the detail aknowledged that he should have discussed open water stops for airboats, and other potential problem operation tactics with his officers. He stated that he would not overlook that again during his operational planning again.
One item that the officers identified as an enforcement target was hull I.D. numbers. They said we had better get them on there, or we will be having problems with them on that issue.
This discussion got a little hot at times, and the FAA chair did a good job of reminding folks that the officers were guests, and that we as airboaters had made mistakes that weekend too. This was a good exchange overall for everyone.
The next speaker was Herggie Huffman, FWC Commissioner. He spoke mostly about the Noise issues, and the Airboat Noise Study being conducted.
His main points were as follows:
The fact that the FWC is getting overwhelmed with noise complaints.
The need for airboaters to get the boats quieter.
The fact that we need to do more to self police the bad apples that are causing alot of the complaints.
Continue to spread the word about these issues through the local club level, and at the airboating spots we frequent.
He stated that the Noise Study should be complete by December. Once that was done, he indicated that the FWC plans to have public meetings, to gain feedback from all sides of this issue. He stated that the FWC would take these into consideration before making it's recomendatons to Tallahassee.
When we got there the Coatsguard Aux was out there performing the safety checks. There were four of them there to do it, and it's a shame the weather put so many people off. It would be a good thing to see more airboats with the "VSC" decals on there. Every airboat that was there had mufflers on it.
That showed me that the club officers are out there setting a good example.
The first item on the agenda was three FWC Officers from the local district.
Many Brevard Club members were there asking about the Easter Weekend detail.
They wanted to know why they were targeted, and why airboat stops were conducted in open water.
They responded that many of the participating officers were not knowledgable about airboat operation, and that's why they made the mistake of stopping airboats in deep water.
As far as the size of the detail, and targeting airboats with helecopters, they responded with several resons for this:
The fact that many of the local private airboats are way faster than the commission's boats. This was the reason that they needed the air support from the helecopter. This was coupled with the fact that many locals have run from them before, and the fact that they said thay had some boats run from them on Easter Weekend. That was said to hear if it was true.
They said that they had a huge amount of calls regarding the event, and the complaints, and concerns were form the racing while drinking standpoint. They stated that they are tasked with boating safety, and due to the large number of calls, decided to up the scale of the detail.
The officer in charge of the detail aknowledged that he should have discussed open water stops for airboats, and other potential problem operation tactics with his officers. He stated that he would not overlook that again during his operational planning again.
One item that the officers identified as an enforcement target was hull I.D. numbers. They said we had better get them on there, or we will be having problems with them on that issue.
This discussion got a little hot at times, and the FAA chair did a good job of reminding folks that the officers were guests, and that we as airboaters had made mistakes that weekend too. This was a good exchange overall for everyone.
The next speaker was Herggie Huffman, FWC Commissioner. He spoke mostly about the Noise issues, and the Airboat Noise Study being conducted.
His main points were as follows:
The fact that the FWC is getting overwhelmed with noise complaints.
The need for airboaters to get the boats quieter.
The fact that we need to do more to self police the bad apples that are causing alot of the complaints.
Continue to spread the word about these issues through the local club level, and at the airboating spots we frequent.
He stated that the Noise Study should be complete by December. Once that was done, he indicated that the FWC plans to have public meetings, to gain feedback from all sides of this issue. He stated that the FWC would take these into consideration before making it's recomendatons to Tallahassee.
Daddy Dave
Well-known member
Boy, Cowboy, you were a Great Listener. very solid recap of what went on.
We are blessed with a FWC Commission Chairman, Herky Huffman, who is an avid airboater and who has spent decades running the marsh around Loughman's Lake Lodge. Comm. Huffman ststed that the FWC and his emails are smoking with individuals complaining about late nigh airboat noise.
Unmuffled airboats will be the anchor that sinks our ship if it is to be sunk.
Just a note: Likely two of the most airboats ever to hit the marsh were on hand Saturday at that FAA meeting. A brand new Diamondback deckover - "Vortex" - fuel injected BBC, dual turbos with aftercoolers, twin 4 blade Powershift prop system - 2,000 hp and the M & M, a beautiful purple Diamondback, also BBC with many goodies - were quiet enough to converse around as they were each computer tuned.
There simply ain't no excuse to run strait pipes. We can all live with quiet airboats.
Great folks nominated for 2006 officers. There's going to be a bit of a political race, I predict. Good.
2nd Saturday in October meeting set with Broward Airboat and Halftrack Club to be the hosts. Ya'll come and taste the Everglades.
We are blessed with a FWC Commission Chairman, Herky Huffman, who is an avid airboater and who has spent decades running the marsh around Loughman's Lake Lodge. Comm. Huffman ststed that the FWC and his emails are smoking with individuals complaining about late nigh airboat noise.
Unmuffled airboats will be the anchor that sinks our ship if it is to be sunk.
Just a note: Likely two of the most airboats ever to hit the marsh were on hand Saturday at that FAA meeting. A brand new Diamondback deckover - "Vortex" - fuel injected BBC, dual turbos with aftercoolers, twin 4 blade Powershift prop system - 2,000 hp and the M & M, a beautiful purple Diamondback, also BBC with many goodies - were quiet enough to converse around as they were each computer tuned.
There simply ain't no excuse to run strait pipes. We can all live with quiet airboats.
Great folks nominated for 2006 officers. There's going to be a bit of a political race, I predict. Good.
2nd Saturday in October meeting set with Broward Airboat and Halftrack Club to be the hosts. Ya'll come and taste the Everglades.
basketcase0302
Well-known member
Cowboy,
Really good info! Wish we could have been there! Any indications of the "auxillary" performing these inspections on a local level? (At various Coast Guard Auxillary bases).
Big Daddy,
Do ya have to be a FAA member to come to any of the meetings?
Basketcase
Really good info! Wish we could have been there! Any indications of the "auxillary" performing these inspections on a local level? (At various Coast Guard Auxillary bases).
Big Daddy,
Do ya have to be a FAA member to come to any of the meetings?
Basketcase
Daddy Dave
Well-known member
Basketcase,
All airboaters are welcome to attend any FAA quarterly meeting. Currently FAA By-Laws require its members be involved in an airboat club, the airboat business or a business related to airboats. There was a clear move to amend the by-laws to allow indivisdual airboaters to become members and I suspect that action might occur very soon. Until then, all are welcome to attend, just not to vote.
Best bet is to join a member club - like CCAA or KRVSA or any of the others, and work to become a delegate or alternate. Many member clubs are extremely active in airboat pro active efforts.
In fact, you can aome to Gardner Marsh this Saturday and join KRVSA.
All airboaters are welcome to attend any FAA quarterly meeting. Currently FAA By-Laws require its members be involved in an airboat club, the airboat business or a business related to airboats. There was a clear move to amend the by-laws to allow indivisdual airboaters to become members and I suspect that action might occur very soon. Until then, all are welcome to attend, just not to vote.
Best bet is to join a member club - like CCAA or KRVSA or any of the others, and work to become a delegate or alternate. Many member clubs are extremely active in airboat pro active efforts.
In fact, you can aome to Gardner Marsh this Saturday and join KRVSA.
Daddy Dave
Well-known member
FAA is an organization consisting of dedicated volunteers from many areas around Florida - all of whom love airboats and airboating. All who serve are doing so - in addition to earning their livings.
There is much room for improvement within FAA and a clear need to evolve so as to better address the current and coming challenges to all airboaters.
Southernairboat.com is providing a great service to all airboaters as well - getting the word out as these new threats pop up.
The truth is we must have a grass roots committment to reduce the noise our boats make AND to be particularly careful how we operate after dark.
If we do not achieve these goals quickly, we will have a very steep and slick mountain to climp.
There is much room for improvement within FAA and a clear need to evolve so as to better address the current and coming challenges to all airboaters.
Southernairboat.com is providing a great service to all airboaters as well - getting the word out as these new threats pop up.
The truth is we must have a grass roots committment to reduce the noise our boats make AND to be particularly careful how we operate after dark.
If we do not achieve these goals quickly, we will have a very steep and slick mountain to climp.
A
Anonymous
Guest
BigDaddy":348rwndn said:
Indeed. I feel priveledged to participate and to perhaps have had some degree of influence on the state of airboating in and around Florida.
SouthernAirboat.com provides us a battlefield where we can win in the war against the anti-airboating crowd by sharing some great ideas as well as passing on the tradition to new airboaters.
I get a very positive feeling from being here! 8)
basketcase0302
Well-known member
Hey ya'll,
I attended the FAA quarterly meeting yesterday as a bystander. A lot of ground covered by the new president (Swampjet) and executive board as well as club member delegates. High fives to the present FAA for getting the re-structuring off the ground and rolling fast with it :cheers:
There are some on here that have said they thought the FAA had a "secret aganda" :roll:
Guess what, they really do! If you think about it for just a micro-second...what kind of positive outcome could airboaters possibly benefit from if pending stradegy was "leaked-out" to all our anti's?
If you think you don't need the FAA you better wake up and smell your exhaust getting cold cause that's what's gonna happen if this organization were to "stand-down" and just give up! I support the FAA through my club the KRVSA and highly reccommend that everyone join their local airboat club which helps the FAA to continue to exist. You do have a voice on what happens to our future airboating through this democratic process!
There are excellent willing and dedicated people in the FAA now but they need all our help to keep us on the water :idea:
Basketcase
I attended the FAA quarterly meeting yesterday as a bystander. A lot of ground covered by the new president (Swampjet) and executive board as well as club member delegates. High fives to the present FAA for getting the re-structuring off the ground and rolling fast with it :cheers:
There are some on here that have said they thought the FAA had a "secret aganda" :roll:
Guess what, they really do! If you think about it for just a micro-second...what kind of positive outcome could airboaters possibly benefit from if pending stradegy was "leaked-out" to all our anti's?
If you think you don't need the FAA you better wake up and smell your exhaust getting cold cause that's what's gonna happen if this organization were to "stand-down" and just give up! I support the FAA through my club the KRVSA and highly reccommend that everyone join their local airboat club which helps the FAA to continue to exist. You do have a voice on what happens to our future airboating through this democratic process!
There are excellent willing and dedicated people in the FAA now but they need all our help to keep us on the water :idea:
Basketcase
