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63 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, March 18, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 2, 2004 Officials hope online safety course benefits watercraft operators By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune State marine enforcement officials hope a new online safety course designed for personal watercraft operators will curb a rash of violations of Oregon’s boater-education requirements. During this year’s boating season, operators of Jet Skis, Wave Runners and other personal watercraft accounted for half of the 587 citations issued for boaters not carrying a boater-education card, according to the Oregon State Marine Board. The hefty percentage of tickets come despite the fact that the watercraft make up just 7 percent of Oregon’s registered boats, according to the Marine Board. Most of the citations were issued to people who borrowed the craft, said Tony VanMeter, the Marine Board’s law-enforcement training coordinator. New operators statistically present the highest risk for accidents. Marine Board statistics show that most personal watercraft accidents occur during the first 10 hours of operation. Advertisement The Marine Board recently has approved a new Internet course specifically for watercraft operators. The new course, along with other Marine Board-approved courses and general boating information, can be found at www.boatoregon.com , the Marine Board’s web site. Oregon is phasing in requirements for boaters to earn one-time cards certifying their knowledge about powerboat operation. This year, the cards are required for people 40 and younger who operate boats with motors rated at 10 horsepower or higher. Beginning Jan. 1, the cards will be required for powerboat operators 45 years and younger. A private pheasant-hunting ranch in Gazelle, Calif., is offering a free pheasant hunt Dec. 19 for juvenile hunters from Oregon and California. G&G Pheasant Shoot’s 20th annual Junior Pheasant Hunt is limited to the first 80 kids who register by mailing a postcard to the ranch at 1715 W. Louie Road, Gazelle. Oregon residents who wish to participate will need to buy California’s non-resident junior hunting license, which costs $8. The bag limit for each participant is two pheasants. A non-hunting adult 18 years or older must be in attendance, and adults can supervise no more than two juvenile hunters. The event is sponsored by several Northern California businesses and outdoor-related groups. To register, mail a postcard or letter to G&G Pheasant Shoot, P.O. Box 116, Gazelle, CA 96034. The postcard should include the hunter’s name, complete address, telephone number and current junior hunting license number. Ranch owners will telephone registered hunters to give them a time for their hunt. For more information, call 530-435-2309. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoo Advertisement s