$185 fine for traveling with the drain plug in your boat

[abhunter8]

Originally Posted by burbotman

What is stupid is having to pull the plug on my 10' Jon boat transported upside down...... I questioned fish and wildlife at the sportsman show in Calgary and they stated I would be ticketed if I did not have it out. I guess good info as I hadn't pulled the plug before when transporting it upside down on my truck rack. No room for descretion or common sense in the application of this law. (For the record I do not disagree with their efforts)

I agree. I have a 12' aluminum that i flip upside down to transport in the back of my truck. All water drained out when i flip it over... isn't that the point of the drain plug! My boat is older and the drain plug is permanent and not removeable. If i get a ticket for this i will fight it, again the purpose to drain all the water and flipping the boat over accomplishes this!

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by abhunter8

I agree. I have a 12' aluminum that i flip upside down to transport in the back of my truck. All water drained out when i flip it over... isn't that the point of the drain plug! My boat is older and the drain plug is permanent and not removeable. If i get a ticket for this i will fight it, again the purpose to drain all the water and flipping the boat over accomplishes this!

Permanent? What kind of boat is this?

You think common sense would prevail in your case and you would not be ticketed if the boat is drained.

[petecatch]

Ironic, many here now whining were the same who thought the program was great due to the cute inspectors, free stickers / freebies given out and no fines early on.

It's an ineffectual program to search your private property and harass you multiple times in a day without a warrant at any time and any place, owning a boat is now considered a privilege, even the family with the kids inflatable in the car get harassed.

The boat dogs are also drug trained, they are also trained at the same place. The program is run by a couple of dog loving environmental liberals who have the ear of the minister. They created their own jobs and infrastructure around the premise they can stop invasive species, which they've already shown they can't. They figured that if they introduced it gradually with a positive spin at first, that no-one would complain. If they were serious about it, they would have provided free washing stations at lakes (like Parks Canada does).

They have less rights to search you vehicle than your boat. Seriously, what did you expect when you rolled over and welcomed this program?

[BiggieB]

Everyone freaking out about these boat check stops need to just relax, they are just trying to prevent/prolong the inevitable they don't want to invade a persons space or take away rights... put the tin foil hats away.

Have any of the people saying the dogs that sniff for zeebra mussels can also sniff for narcotics have first hand proof (Aka have YOU been caught or have YOU seen it happen at a boat check station?) Until such time its just hear say so please don't spread propaganda..

Yes these programs have problems but its a work in progress, just like all programs were at one point. I personally have no problem pulling over and having them check me and all i ever have is a canoe, kayak, or a small 12ft tinner on the top of my truck, and my dad is the same and he has a 15ft Timothy eaton...

Are people in such a rush that you can't take at most an hour (check stop is usually about 20 minutes) out of your day so that we can help try and protect what of our environment we have left.. i can understand for truck drivers who are driving for a living being annoyed but people who are pulling personal recreational watercraft whats the rush?

[Okotokian]

I have found the inspectors I've dealt with to be really nice and helpful, and they haven't pulled the boat apart trying to find a drop of water so they can write a ticket. It seems to be almost more a strategy to talk to boat owners and give them information than any huge enforcement and ticketing campaign.

[Unclerj]

We have three kayaks and a paddleboard. One kayak has a drain plug, but as Ravyak said, it is above the water line. The other two yaks do not have plugs.

I transport two of them on my roof rack, one on a J rack and my fishing kayak sits flat, cockpit up on a Thule rack. When it rains, both fill up with rain water.

I've been inspected many times without issues, the last being about a week ago.

But with the drain plug rule in effect, does anyone know whether I'm expected to install plugs in my two yaks that don't have them?

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by Unclerj

But with the drain plug rule in effect, does anyone know whether I'm expected to install plugs in my two yaks that don't have them?

Yes you must. And also drill a hole in your paddle board and install a plug in it too. I'm getting my canoe done next week.


I'm kidding.