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RBAW Secures Big Wins for Recreational Boating in the 2024 Legislative Session!
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The 2024 legislative session concluded on March 7, and RBAW is happy to report that we were able to secure our top two priorities for this session!
- $250,000 in the state operating budget for continued funding of the Lake Union Water Safety Initiative, to inform boaters and Lake Union water users how to be safe on this busy lake in downtown Seattle, which includes various recreational water use and seaplane traffic.
- $206,000 in the state capital budget for continued renovation work at the Lakebay Marina in the south sound. This additional money brings the total to over $500,000 obtained over the last two legislative sessions to continue renovating the Lakebay Marina.
Where customarily short sessions are seen as ‘off’ years where the legislature only passes supplemental budgets (tweaks to the previously adopted biennial budget), RBAW is happy to report that we secured strong wins for recreational boating this legislative session. And to those 32 members who showed up for Legislative Day in Olympia on January 25th, we truly believe your time and support makes a difference! And a huge thank you to our Lobbyist, Trevor Justin, who tirelessly worked our issues 24x7 through the halls and hearing rooms of the state capitol. |
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2024 Seattle Boat Show Results |
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Thank you to all of our volunteers efforts during the February 2024 Seattle Boat Show! You helped RBAW gain 73 new individual members! Thank you to all of our RBAW members that stopped by the booth to show your support of RBAW! Thank you for making this show a success! |
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RBAW is pleased to share with you the video created in partnership with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Partner with a Payer initiative. To fund these conservation efforts, the Sport Fish Restoration Act authorizes a small federal excise tax on certain items — 10 percent on fishing equipment; 3 percent tax on electric boat motors, tackle and fly boxes; import duties on tackle, pleasure boats and yachts; and a portion of the federal gas tax that is attributable to motorboats and small engines.
This video explains the impact of the Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund for recreational boating through programs like the Clean Vessel Act Grant Program.
We are pleased Washington was featured in the first-ever boating specific video for this national outreach initiative. Click here to read more. |
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Thank you to Catherine Buchalski Smith, Washington State Parks Clean Vessel Act Grant Program
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RBAW would like to sincerely thank Catherine (and the Washington State Parks Boating Program and Clean Vessel Act Grant Program) for her great work over the last 5 years. As Catherine moves on to a role with WDFW, we are sad to see her leave but happy that she’ll take her talents to another important state agency. The Washington State Parks Boating Program administers the state’s Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Grant Program. The national CVA Grant Program provides federal funding for the construction, renovation, operation, and maintenance of vessel sewage disposal systems (aka pump-outs) for recreational boaters. Funding comes from the Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund and is provided to the state through a nationally competitive process administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
These partnerships are critical to support recreational boating in our state and RBAW looks forward to the growth of the program going forward. Fair winds Catherine!
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RBAW Director, Dave Willis (Tacoma Yacht Club), is the RBAW representative for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s new Orca Regulations Communications Advisory (ORCA) group. The work the group undertakes this year will be in preparation for the Jan. 1, 2025 rollout of the updated regulations outlined in SB 5371 – and will pave the way for critical whale identification, messaging and communications work needed to ensure recreational boaters are familiar with and able to comply with the new distance rules. The Washington State Legislature enacted these new 1000yd buffer zone requirements in hopes of further protecting the vulnerable SRKW population.
The WDFW has hired the Ross Strategic Consulting Group to manage the SRKW ORCA Group meetings, the first one scheduled for March 13th. RBAW will provide progress updates from the task force meetings in these newsletters – stay tuned.
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BC Marine Parks Forever Society - Stern Ties Program
Posted by Waggoner Guest | Feb 28, 2024
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The Council of BC Yacht Clubs is our northern counterpart in Canada we meet with once a year to exchange information on our respective areas. This years date is set for Saturday, March 23, 2024 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm PDT. Their stern tie program in BC noted in this article has been an inspiration for RBAW lobbying our State Parks to start our own pilot program in the San Juan Islands to allow more boats to stern tie in crowded anchorages and reduce damage when boaters otherwise would tie to trees onshore. Click here to read more.
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Legislative Committee Meeting
March 18, 2024 | 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Held by Zoom only
RBAW & CBCYC Meeting
March 23, 2024 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Held by Zoom only
Membership Committee Meeting
March 27, 2024 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Held by Zoom only
Board Meeting
April 4, 2024 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Held by Zoom only
Finance Committee Meeting
April 23, 2024 | 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Held by Zoom only
Membership Committee Meeting
April 24, 2024 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Held by Zoom only
Legislative Committee Meeting
April 24, 2024 | 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Held by Zoom only |
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NEW Contributing Member Sponsorship Opportunities! Do YOU have a referral for a potential Contributing Member? Support the recreational boater, and what's important to them! Please refer them to our Executive Director, Katie Bohocky, CAE Platinum Sponsor - $10,000
- Educational Speaking Consideration
- Exhibitor Table at Annual Member Meeting
- Ability to Offer Discounts to RBAW Members
- Named Sponsor & Logo on RBAW Website Home Page
- Sponsor Directory Listing on RBAW Website
- 2 Social Media Spotlights with Information of your Choice
- Sponsor Logo on Exhibit Booth Banner
- Sponsor Logo on Annual Meeting Banner
- Named Sponsor & Logo on RBAW Member Communications
- Business Card Ad & Logo in RBAW’s Newsletter
Gold Sponsor - $5,000
- Ability to Offer Discounts to RBAW Members
- Named Sponsor & Logo on RBAW Website Home Page
- Sponsor Directory Listing on RBAW Website
- 1 Social Media Spotlight with Information of your Choice
- Sponsor Logo on Exhibit Booth Banner
- Sponsor Logo on Annual Meeting Banner
- Named Sponsor & Logo on RBAW Member Communications
- Business Card Ad & Logo in RBAW’s Newsletter
Silver Sponsor - $2,500 - Named Sponsor & Logo on RBAW Website Home Page
- Sponsor Logo on Exhibit Booth Banner
- Sponsor Logo on Annual Meeting Banner
- Business Card Ad & Logo in RBAW’s Newsletter
Bronze Sponsor - $1,000 - Named Sponsor & Logo on RBAW Website Home Page
- Business Card Ad & Logo in RBAW’s Newsletter
Click here for a .pdf of these sponsorship opportunities! To learn more about how your business can support what's important to the recreational boater in WA, and get notice by our 7,000+ members contact our Executive Director today! |
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