FLW DQ

http://www.fishfactory.com/view.tpl?...90814863790247
Here I go again on my favorite subject of distrust. You can fish without a
license, weigh your catch and win a tournament as long as you are in the
right boat. Maybe use the wrong boat (don't know if that is fact) and you
are DQ'ed for no horsepower rating plate. Joe Z.

"Joe Z" wrote in message:
"http://www.fishfactory.com/view.tpl?STORYID=10990814863790247
Here I go again on my favorite subject of distrust. You can fish without a
license, weigh your catch and win a tournament as long as you are in the
right boat. Maybe use the wrong boat (don't know if that is fact) and you
are DQ'ed for no horsepower rating plate."


What is wrong with using a boat with no horsepower rating plate? I own
three boats and none have a plate. Would this mean if I decided to fish a
tournament, I could not? All my boats do not have a horsepower rating plate
because they were all custom built aluminum boats. Many of the local boat
builders built there boats according to commercial USCG laws and not
recreational thus not horsepower rating plate is needed.

Sarge

Are you referring to the BFL disqualification of a 20'1" boat because it did
not have a US Coast Guard Max HP plate, which can not legally be placed on a
boat over 20' because the Coast Guard does not rate boats over 20'?

Actually the Coast Guard does not rate any boats. They have a published HP
calculation table for boats 20' and under which a boat manufacturer is
supposed to use If the boat complies they are supposed to provide their own
data plate which says "Coast Guard Max HP Rating of XXX".

Some boats like Blazer actually put a plate in their boats which says,

The Coast Guard Does Not Rate Boats over 20'
The Maximum Horsepower for This Boat is Unlimited

Its stupid, and if the BFL is going to claim to honor their own rule in
black and white they must disqualify every boat over 20'. Their rule says
Coast Guard max rating, not just manufacturers rating. No boat over 20' has
a Coast Guard rating.

Of course, what is not clear in original article I read was whether or not
the disqualified party had any rating plate in their boat at all. Many
manufacturers of 20' boats do not put any rating plate in them. My 20'
Baker has no rating plate anywhere on the boat. It was licensed as a home
built so I could technically and legally create my own data plate for it,
but that's not the point. The point is the whole thing has gotten spun out
of control by both sides, and they are ruining fishing because of it.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com





"Joe Z" wrote in message
...
http://www.fishfactory.com/view.tpl?...90814863790247
Here I go again on my favorite subject of distrust. You can fish without a
license, weigh your catch and win a tournament as long as you are in the
right boat. Maybe use the wrong boat (don't know if that is fact) and you
are DQ'ed for no horsepower rating plate. Joe Z.

Joe Z wrote:
http://www.fishfactory.com/view.tpl?...90814863790247
Here I go again on my favorite subject of distrust. You can fish without a
license, weigh your catch and win a tournament as long as you are in the
right boat. Maybe use the wrong boat (don't know if that is fact) and you
are DQ'ed for no horsepower rating plate. Joe Z.


To me this is such a load of crap I can't stand it. Granted they may
put these ratings in the boat for safety. The problem I have with it is
why wait until the guy fishes for 3 days and WINS to disqualify him.
Why not have a pre-tournament boat check????????? I can't imagine how
angry I would be if this happened to me, or even someone I knew. To me
FLW could have taken a more proactive approach to avoiding these kinds
of things, and whether they intended it this way or not it makes them
look like they are only enforcing certain rules when it benefits them.

Chris

Directly from the Coast Guards Safe Boating Website:

"It is not a violation of Coast Guard regulations to install or use an engine
larger than specified on the capacity label, but there may be state regulations
prohibiting it, and restrictions from your own insurance company regarding
this.
There are no Coast Guard regulations against exceeding the safe loading
capacity, however, there may be State regulations or restrictions from your
insurance company which prohibit this. There is a Coast Guard regulation that
gives Coast Guard Boarding Officers the power to terminate the use of a boat
(send it back to shore) if, in the judgment of the Boarding Officer, the boat
is overloaded. There is no fine for this, unless the operator refuses the
Boarding Officer's order. We certainly hope that you will abide by the rating,
as overloading may lead to capsizing or swamping of the boat.

NOTE: The Coast Guard Capacity Information label is required only on monohull
boats less than 20' in length. The label is not required on multi-hull boats,
pontoon boats (catamarans), or on any sailboats, canoes, kayaks, or inflatable
boats, regardless of length."

So, if the state in which the tournament was held or his insurance carrier has
their own restriction that requires the plate to be there, the DQ is legit.
-Jim Jr.
www.teamhornerfishing.com

For what it's worth this is Rule #9 from the FLW 2004 Rulebook:

"9. Boat and horsepower regulation

All boats must be a minimum of 17 feet in length and have a rear deck. All
boats must be equipped with wheel steering; no other steering device will be
permitted. No barges or similar cumbersome crafts will be permitted. Each boat
must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. Boats must contain a
properly aerated livewell space to maintain alive a limit catch of bass by both
contestants.
Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will be 250
HP, not to exceed the horsepower limitations as set by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Each boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the
boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not exceed
the rating specified on this rating plate or the 250 horsepower maximum set by
FLW Outdoors. By signing the entry form, each pro agrees to submit their boat
and/or motor to an inspection by factory trained personnel. Falsifying
information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or
rating plate will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and may
result in ineligibility to compete in future FLW Outdoors events. Fuel may be
carried only in factory installed (built-in) fuel tanks. Any additional fuel
used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility open to
the public"
-Jim Jr.
www.teamhornerfishing.com

"Jim Jr." wrote in message
...
For what it's worth this is Rule #9 from the FLW 2004 Rulebook:

"9. Boat and horsepower regulation

All boats must be a minimum of 17 feet in length and have a rear deck. All
boats must be equipped with wheel steering; no other steering device will
be
permitted. No barges or similar cumbersome crafts will be permitted. Each
boat
must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. Boats must
contain a
properly aerated livewell space to maintain alive a limit catch of bass by
both
contestants.
Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will
be 250
HP, not to exceed the horsepower limitations as set by the U.S. Coast
Guard.
Each boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to
the
boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not
exceed
the rating specified on this rating plate or the 250 horsepower maximum
set by
FLW Outdoors. By signing the entry form, each pro agrees to submit their
boat
and/or motor to an inspection by factory trained personnel. Falsifying
information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor
or
rating plate will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and
may
result in ineligibility to compete in future FLW Outdoors events. Fuel may
be
carried only in factory installed (built-in) fuel tanks. Any additional
fuel
used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility
open to
the public"
-Jim Jr.
www.teamhornerfishing.com

BUT, and it is a big BUT! Over 20' boat and there is no capacity plate
required. My boat (21') just states that the boat is made to CG
regulations.

"Jim Jr." wrote in message
...
For what it's worth this is Rule #9 from the FLW 2004 Rulebook:

"9. Boat and horsepower regulation

All boats must be a minimum of 17 feet in length and have a rear deck. All
boats must be equipped with wheel steering; no other steering device will
be
permitted. No barges or similar cumbersome crafts will be permitted. Each
boat
must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. Boats must
contain a
properly aerated livewell space to maintain alive a limit catch of bass by
both
contestants.
Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will
be 250
HP, not to exceed the horsepower limitations as set by the U.S. Coast
Guard.
Each boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to
the
boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not
exceed
the rating specified on this rating plate or the 250 horsepower maximum
set by
FLW Outdoors. By signing the entry form, each pro agrees to submit their
boat
and/or motor to an inspection by factory trained personnel. Falsifying
information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor
or
rating plate will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and
may
result in ineligibility to compete in future FLW Outdoors events. Fuel may
be
carried only in factory installed (built-in) fuel tanks. Any additional
fuel
used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility
open to
the public"
-Jim Jr.
www.teamhornerfishing.com

BUT, and it is a big BUT! Over 20' boat and there is no capacity plate
required. My boat (21') just states that the boat is made to CG
regulations.

"Jim Jr." wrote in message
...
For what it's worth this is Rule #9 from the FLW 2004 Rulebook:

"9. Boat and horsepower regulation

All boats must be a minimum of 17 feet in length and have a rear deck. All
boats must be equipped with wheel steering; no other steering device will
be
permitted. No barges or similar cumbersome crafts will be permitted. Each
boat
must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. Boats must
contain a
properly aerated livewell space to maintain alive a limit catch of bass by
both
contestants.
Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will
be 250
HP, not to exceed the horsepower limitations as set by the U.S. Coast
Guard.
Each boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to
the
boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not
exceed
the rating specified on this rating plate or the 250 horsepower maximum
set by
FLW Outdoors. By signing the entry form, each pro agrees to submit their
boat
and/or motor to an inspection by factory trained personnel. Falsifying
information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor
or
rating plate will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and
may
result in ineligibility to compete in future FLW Outdoors events. Fuel may
be
carried only in factory installed (built-in) fuel tanks. Any additional
fuel
used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility
open to
the public"
-Jim Jr.
www.teamhornerfishing.com

BUT, and it is a big BUT! Over 20' boat and there is no capacity plate
required. My boat (21') just states that the boat is made to CG
regulations.

Joe, is there a link to an article that gives the specifics of this
incident? I'd like to know alot more than the fishfactory article states...

Warren

"Joe Z" wrote in message
...
http://www.fishfactory.com/view.tpl?...90814863790247
Here I go again on my favorite subject of distrust. You can fish without a
license, weigh your catch and win a tournament as long as you are in the
right boat. Maybe use the wrong boat (don't know if that is fact) and you
are DQ'ed for no horsepower rating plate. Joe Z.