# Kayak Registration and Safety



## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

I have noticed tons of unregistered kayaks lately. 3 just today in the short time I was by the water. Kids and adults. Never any enforcement around. I see Dicks Sporting Goods has pelicans for 179.00. Most of the boats I am seeing are the cheep kayaks like that. 20 people in a week rescued off the cuyahoga river. People geting in the way of close quarters operation. All kinds of stuff. I rescued 8 people myself down at Mohican in 2 days.

Granted, I teach boating and paddling classes and trips for a living. So I am on the water more than most.

Bit anyone else noticing this?


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## SConner (Mar 3, 2007)

Yes, wish they had a basic safety class required to operate. Lots of people with good intentions and no skills. Warned a couple of and upcoming strainer and they looked at me as if I was speaking Chinese.


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## Tazmanme (Jul 5, 2017)

I raft not kayak, I don’t mean to be politically incorrect, but yakers , I guess I should say new yakkers are about the dumbest people on the river, I almost only float Wva, but like you said you’ll say something about a strainer, and they’ll say something to ya about how they know how this or that and then go right to it, and I think now I have to endanger my self cause they might be drowned , then ten minutes later you say to one you want to get River left or right cause it gets shallow and they look at you and scowl and the come to an abrupt stop as you float past and look at you like you made th River shallow their to spite them , just saying


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

fishingful said:


> I have noticed tons of unregistered kayaks lately. 3 just today in the short time I was by the water. Kids and adults. Never any enforcement around. I see Dicks Sporting Goods has pelicans for 179.00. Most of the boats I am seeing are the cheep kayaks like that. 20 people in a week rescued off the cuyahoga river. People geting in the way of close quarters operation. All kinds of stuff. I rescued 8 people myself down at Mohican in 2 days.
> 
> Granted, I teach boating and paddling classes and trips for a living. So I am on the water more than most.
> 
> Bit anyone else noticing this?


I read a article in the record courier today about the Kent fire department having 3 kayaks they got out of the river from last months water rescues, and want the owners to come get them, only problem none are registered. They bought those Walmart cheapies and went right to the river then fell in. I saw about a dozen kayaks at Walmart about that time and not long after that they were all gone. The DNR could of had a field day sitting by the river.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Longhorn (Oct 26, 2014)

Just curious, do any of y'all know any other states besides Ohio that requires kayak registration? We only have to do it if you add an electric motor like a Minn Kota system.


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## PatSea (Oct 10, 2004)

There are seven states that require registration of kayaks. See this link:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Wiki/stewardship:boater_registration


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

With the combination of state parks and watercraft registration funds may be the only thing keeping the parks open and maintained. 

At least some what.


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## Longhorn (Oct 26, 2014)

fishingful said:


> With the combination of state parks and watercraft registration funds may be the only thing keeping the parks open and maintained.
> 
> At least some what.


If our registration funds went to Texas Parks & Wildlife, I'd be fine with registration. Unfortunately, it would go to the general funds and I have no desire to pay registration on my kayak to help fund the millions of illegals we have in my state. I already give enough of my taxes for that.


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

Not the same in every state. Our state parks were going under. They were leasing parks to county park districts to maintain. Because they don't have the funds/man power to maintain and patrol them.


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## BadgerYaker (Jul 27, 2019)

The same guys without the registrations are also the ones I see on the water without a pfd.

Why chance it?

I see a lot of it at La Due and Lake Medina when I go to those places. 

The only time I ever see the ODNR is:

Opening duck day
Holidays on lake Erie 72nd street ramp

I see soooooo much illegal **** when in hunting and fishing. I personally know a few guys that waterfowl without a plug and just pump lead all day.

The list can go on.

I donate a lot to the ODNR, get stamps, get Wild Ohio Magazine and do everything to stay legit so my kids can grow up and enjoy it all. And when folks choose to do it the wrong way my ass is chapped heavily.

Rant over.


fishingful said:


> Not the same in every state. Our state parks were going under. They were leasing parks to county park districts to maintain. Because they don't have the funds/man power to maintain and patrol them.


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## Tazmanme (Jul 5, 2017)

Yep it’s kinda “almost “ funny that people think they will put the PFD on when they hit the water or something, like putting on your seatbelt during the accident, , but what do I know maybe that works , kinda like when they throw the beer cans over board cause they don’t want the ranger to see how drunk they are


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Why do you think they are not registered? Kayaks have a 3 year sticker placed on the back end and are not required to have OH numbers or the Ohio sticker. It is called "alternative registration" for hand powered vessels. To those who are not aware of this option, they may appear to be unregistered.

http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/alternative


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## ducknut141 (Apr 26, 2017)

Hey badgeryaker if you know these guys are using unplugged guns and lead you are just as bad as they are by letting them get away with it *TURN THEM IN!!!!!!!!!! *


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## BadgerYaker (Jul 27, 2019)

ducknut141 said:


> Hey badgeryaker if you know these guys are using unplugged guns and lead you are just as bad as they are by letting them get away with it *TURN THEM IN!!!!!!!!!! *


Good point.


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

Lewzer said:


> Why do you think they are not registered? Kayaks have a 3 year sticker placed on the back end and are not required to have OH numbers or the Ohio sticker. It is called "alternative registration" for hand powered vessels. To those who are not aware of this option, they may appear to be unregistered.
> 
> http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/alternative


I teach paddlesports for a living. We put 5,000 people on the water per year between rentals and programs. I am also a Ohio Boating Education Instructor. 

They do not have either form of registration on the kayak. I try to educate people and strike up a conversation. Most have no clue they need registration or PFD's.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

> They do not have either form of registration on the kayak. I try to educate people and strike up a conversation. Most have no clue they need registration or PFD's.


I'm surprised the division of watercraft isn't kicking these people off the lakes. They sure do a lot of inspections on us fishermen, especially in the spring either on the water or launching our boats.


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

Lewzer said:


> I'm surprised the division of watercraft isn't kicking these people off the lakes. They sure do a lot of inspections on us fishermen, especially in the spring either on the water or launching our boats.


Watercraft officers have a large area to patrol. There are 2 guys in one boat that patrol the entire lake erie islands area at any one time. They can't be everywhere. Most local pd don't know or don't care because its not part of their job. Wildlife officers are 1 per county. There are a bunch of empty possitions so some of them are covering multiple counties. They are focusing on the big stuff. I get checked more because I am out fishing year round when others park their boat for the year. Depending on the lake and day there can be a lot of boats on the water. They can't check them all. But in the spring if there are 5 on the water they could. Most of the time they spend 5 min with me because they can tell I have my stuff together. They won't even check my safety equipment or just glance in the hatch. 

Helps standing there talking to them with a PFD on also.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

For many years watercraft officers were kicking people off the water for having script OH numbers rather than block letters on their fishing boats. I wouldn't consider that big stuff.
If they can see that and take the time to worry about that, they obviously can whether tell a kayak is or is not registered and take the time to rectify that situation.


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

fishingful said:


> Not the same in every state. Our state parks were going under. They were leasing parks to county park districts to maintain. Because they don't have the funds/man power to maintain and patrol them.


*That's the problem! *The state keeps cutting. Why? ........Cities, schools, roads, and parks. 
Where is the money going? ..........I think we both know.........and it ain't you & me.--Tim


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

Sorry to tell you, but your kids are risking everything with their jackass friends.
Thank God, mine are past that stage.
In May, on the Mohican I watched a paddleboarder and an overloaded canoe capsize 100 ft. away, at a strainer, in hypothermic water. All were wearing cotton clothing, no PFD's in site. Recent rains made the water high and fast.............They all survived.
thankfully, it was shallow enough.
They left without learning a single lesson. I have little confidence in their future.
Lessons & experience may help them, but I'm skeptical.
In Ohio, dozens of paddlers were rescued on rivers this June, and several drowned.
2019 will likely break recent drowning records, while paddlling.
Experience, not the pricepoint of their boats, had everything to do with it.--Tim


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## Osmerus (Dec 5, 2012)

Its def been a problem. At least half of the kayaks i see out there have no registration stickers on them. I have told people they do need them just to get confused stairs back. Ya quite a few of our state agencies that deal with state regs and parks are way underfunded. Plus law enforcemant can't be eveywhere all the time. Esp with all the kayaks that are on the water now. Everyones selling yaks now. I just try to educate people through small talk when im out paddling. Most people just dont know. The state should have it set up so theres something like an online safety video and quiz for new paddlers that enables you to get a registration sticker.


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## dhf125 (May 5, 2014)

Osmerus said:


> Its def been a problem. At least half of the kayaks i see out there have no registration stickers on them. I have told people they do need them just to get confused stairs back. Ya quite a few of our state agencies that deal with state regs and parks are way underfunded. Plus law enforcemant can't be eveywhere all the time. Esp with all the kayaks that are on the water now. Everyones selling yaks now. I just try to educate people through small talk when im out paddling. Most people just dont know. The state should have it set up so theres something like an online safety video and quiz for new paddlers that enables you to get a registration sticker.





Osmerus said:


> Its def been a problem. At least half of the kayaks i see out there have no registration stickers on them. I have told people they do need them just to get confused stairs back. Ya quite a few of our state agencies that deal with state regs and parks are way underfunded. Plus law enforcemant can't be eveywhere all the time. Esp with all the kayaks that are on the water now. Everyones selling yaks now. I just try to educate people through small talk when im out paddling. Most people just dont know. The state should have it set up so theres something like an online safety video and quiz for new paddlers that enables you to get a registration sticker.


I was at alum today and there was a heavy set woman in a small kayak paddling down the middle of the lake south of 36/37 heading south. The lake was very busy with boat traffic and she was paddling between the boats as they flew by. There were even a couple of big cigar boats hauling it up and down the lake. And, of course, she was not wearing a PFD. I venture in that area on a busy weekend, but stay close to shore so I can fish the coves and shoreline. I did see her an hour later heading north so nothing happened but man oh man is that asking for trouble. Some of those boats, especially the ski boats, kick up a very big wake.


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## Longhorn (Oct 26, 2014)

We had a guy in a kayak killed a couple of months ago at Aransas Pass. No lights, no PFD. Paddling across the Lydia Ann channel just before dawn and got whacked by a bay boat.

https://www.caller.com/story/news/l...kayak-struck-boat-tragic-accident/1304866001/


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