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Mark Freeman Commentary Area dry-dock inspections begin Friday By MARK FREEMAN Jackson County sheriff's marine deputies will hold their first of two weekend dry-dock inspections beginning Friday in White City to check boaters for safety and registration equipment. The inspections will be done from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday and 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Jackson County Marine and Search and Rescue Headquarters, 620 Antelope Road, White City. A similar set of inspections will be held at the same times Feb. 11 and 12. The inspections are a chance for fishing guides and other boaters to get their crafts' safety features verified with the boat on the trailer instead of during an impromptu inspection by police on a river or lake this summer. Boats should be taken to the inspections with all the required safety and registration materials as if they were about to be launched for a day on the water, deputies say. Boat owners can then get their needed inspection sticker without risking a citation for not having the necessary personal flotation devices, whistles or other requirements for being on the water. Boats that fail inspection at the patrol office are simply told what items they need -- such as better life jackets or a new state registration -- and sent home. Those failing the same inspection on the water face receiving a ticket on the spot. Last year's two weekends of dry-dock inspections led to 140 boat exams, up from 100 the previous year. But county marine deputies inspected about 3,400 boats last year, so the lion's share of the inspections are still done during on-the-water contacts, marine Deputy Wally Ramsay says. Boats that pass dry-dock or field inspections get a red 2000 sticker showing they passed. Boats on rivers and lakes without those red stickers will be stopped and inspected when seen by marine deputies. For all boats to be legal on Oregon waterways, the operator needs a life jacket for each person on board, and the boat must be equipped with one whistle or air horn. The jackets are not required to be worn -- but they must be Coast Guard-approved, in good condition and be accessible to boaters while on board, Ramsay says. The exception is for children under 13, who must wear a properly fitting life jacket while on most boats. Boaters are encouraged to bring their life jackets so they can be inspected for usability. Beyond the basic equipment, more specific rules apply to boats with motors. If a motor is used, the boat must have updated Marine Board boat registration on board and properly affixed numbers and tag on the side of the craft. Boats over 16 feet must adhere to the same requirements and carry a throwable flotation device. Oregon law does not require all motor boats, with most outboards less than 26 feet fitting that category, to carry fire extinguishers. However, a fully-charged fire extinguisher is recommended. The safety requirements are listed in the boaters' handbook supplied by the Oregon State Marine Board. The dry-dock inspection sessions also will be staffed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary who can do the Coast Guard-required inspections for boats used in coastal waters. For those who miss the dry-dock inspections, deputies have enacted a by-appointment program so boat owners can schedule dry-dock inspections before hitting the water. The special appointments will be scheduled as time allows, but only through March 31, Ramsay says. The inspections can be done at the marine headquarters or at the boat owner's home. For more information and to set up appointments, contact Ramsay or fellow marine Deputy Joe Puckett at 826-5548. (Staff writer Mark Freeman covers the outdoors for the Mail Tribune. Call him at 776-4470, or e-mail him at: [email protected] ) Outdoor Journal Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Mail Tribune � 2000 -- Medford, Oregon USA