DATE: Wednesday, August 13, 1997            TAG: 9708131025

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY TONI GUAGENTI, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   75 lines

PROPOSED WATERCRAFT BAN FIZZLES - FOR NOW

The much-talked-about temporary ban on personal watercraft fizzled Tuesday.

Instead, the City Council agreed to form a committee of people associated with and affected by personal watercraft - usually referred to by the trade name Jet Ski - to study statewide safety issues and additional regulations.

Findings by the committee would be forwarded to the Beach's General Assembly delegation to Richmond before the lawmakers convene in January. Recommendations then could be considered for legislative action.

``The General Assembly is not going to respond favorably to only a Virginia Beach problem,'' said Councilman Harold Heischober. ``There has to be statistics from all over the state to show what the problems are.''

Faced with mounting complaints about the reckless behavior of some personal watercraft operators, Vice Mayor William D. Sessoms Jr. last week called for a temporary ban on their use. The Beach has had at least 16 accidents involving the jet bikes this year, none of which involved a fatality.

In the meantime, City Manager James K. Spore announced that the Virginia Beach Police will dispatch four additional officers to its Marine Patrol to enforce boating laws. The patrol enforces all maritime laws in and around the city.

``There are things we can do, short-term, to beef that up,'' Spore said. But anything long-term would require additional funding, he said.

In Virginia Beach, 64 of 172 boating violations issued last month were given to personal watercraft operators, or 37 percent. The city's Marine Patrol recently started separating these violations and accidents from all boating statistics because of the concern with the craft. Most personal watercraft violations carry a maximum fine of $250.

Warnings were issued to 92 personal watercraft operators out of 447 to all boaters last month, the statistics showed.

Sessoms asked to table a resolution Tuesday that would have asked the Virginia Board of Game and Inland Fisheries for a temporary ban while more restrictive legislation on personal watercraft operations would be considered by the General Assembly.

``I'm just so frustrated because we're so limited in what we can control with Jet Skis,'' Sessoms said.

City Attorney Leslie L. Lilley said the Beach has done all it legally can to regulate water scooters traversing the city's waterways. All other regulations must come from the state, which controls and regulates boating.

Many people associated with the personal watercraft industry came out in full force to Tuesday's meeting, not knowing the issue had been tabled.

David Gaskins, a former president of the Tidewater Personal Watercraft Club and competition manager for the International Jet Sports Boating Association, said he'd be happy to serve on the committee.

But, he added, the main problem is being ignored.

He pointed out that while about 35 percent of all boating accidents statewide involve personal watercraft, the remaining 65 percent are still caused by other boats.

According to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, personal watercraft account for 6 percent of all boat registrations.

The personal watercraft club advocates mandatory education for all boaters, not just personal watercraft operators.

``It's not an issue of the responsible rider being a problem,'' Gaskins said.

``Educate, regulate, enforce, don't discriminate,'' said Howard Park, who traveled from Washington to speak on behalf of the Personal Watercraft Industry Association.

Sessoms said he hopes to have information about the committee when the council formally meets again in two weeks.

The council said it hopes to have representatives from law enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, the boating industry, legislators, personal watercraft owners, operators and renters, general citizens and City Council members on the committee.

Del. Glenn R. Croshaw and Del. Harry R. ``Bob'' Purkey have already weighed in. Both said they would be willing to serve on the committee and push for tighter regulations in the legislature. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Harold Heischober

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu