MN DNR boat landing inspectors.

[DeepCMark58A]

Evidently randomly it seems the MN DNR has people at boat landings to inspect boats. I encountered an inspector at the boat landing yesterday morning. I was putting the boat in for a short test cruise to check some carb work. I don't linger or screw around when I go to launch the boat I get there tip the motor up and back down the ramp, get the boat in the water and get the truck parked and clear the zone.

I pulled up and there is a small pick up parked off to the side with a young lady sitting in a lawnchair, considering the area I live in there was nothing out of the ordinary about this. I back down the ramp and get the boat in the water, I got out of the truck to unlash the bow and all of a sudden this young lady comes up to me with an attitude. She says you are supposed to stop and get inspected, you are supposed to have the plug out etc. I pointed out that if there are expectations of boaters a universal way to covey that message would be signage, or an engaged individual that gets out of the chair and gets a persons attention to stop the person driving the truck towing the boat. Either her training was substandard or her people skills are not good but I have to believe that her example of public interaction is not what the MN DNR had in mind.

They want you to arrive at the ramp with the plug out of your boat. I always do a walk around the boat and trailer before the boat is hooked up to the truck inspecting and checking. One of those steps is to make sure the plug is in the boat. My boat does not have a live well or a bilge it is an old aluminum runabout, after each use the boat is stored in the garage, after each use the boat is tipped up and any water is removed and the back of the boat is dried. I am going to continue to put the plug in and I will be more than happy to show any inspector that the inside of the boat is 100% dry.

 

[dennis461]

Is it legal? In NJ, on occasion I am asked by a person if I want to have my boat inspected.
I thinks they are Coast Guard Auxiliary, did not pay much attention to the sign at their lawn chair.

I simply say no thank you and keep moving.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I have put my boat in that lake close to a dozen times this year, the lake is only 2 miles from the end of my driveway so I often make the quick run to the lake to test tweaks I do to my 57 year old boat motor. I have never seen an inspector at that lake ever, and the vest she was wearing did not make it evident she was with the DNR.

 

[poconojoe]

That woman was as you said either poorly trained or just not a people person. I would make a phone call and complain about her attitude. You'll be surprised, you might get results. My daughter once complained about a P.A. state trooper's attitude. Her citation was removed, the guy got reamed out and had to apologize. There should also be a sign or a person alerting you to the inspection. What are we mind readers? Really!
I do the same thing. Before I leave my driveway I make sure the plug is in. I don't want to leave that step of preparation to be done while I'm quickly trying to get business done at the ramp. I've heard of the most experienced boaters forgetting the plug.
As for law enforcement at the ramp and on the water, I kind of welcome them to some point. There are too many jerks who just buy a boat and don't learn the proper all around use or etiquette. There are other posts discussing this. Most weekend boaters don't know the proper right-of-way, use of lighting, or common sense for that matter. I can't believe I'm saying this (I'm generally not in favor of law enforcement, I've had some bad experiences), but we need more law enforcement around the boating world to weed out these dangerous jerks. I've had a few near misses by cowboy boaters not paying attention or having complete disregard for the rules.

 

[jbcurt00]

Its an invasive species inspection, and is likely NOT optional.

And its also likely the young woman you encountered was fulfilling her assigned duty, which probably was way down the no fun meter on a hot pre-holiday weekend. Although she probably could have been less brash, it wouldnt be how I wanted to spend my DNR shift either.

Should be a quick, painless inspection, since you store out of the water, plug out and have no livewell.

Generally, that sort of mandatory inspections are well published, but yep, signage would be helpful....

Wyoming has mandatory Invasive species inspections at the borders to the state, or did as of 2yrs ago. ALL boats, regardless of tyoe (ie w out livewells) are required to stop and be inspected. Even if you arent planning to launch it in the state. How would they know or trust that?

Have a good holiday weekend all

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I also work for the division of forestry and interface with the public during times of burning restrictions in the spring and fall, she did not receive the same training I have or the refresher courses along the way. I also agree that they have to deal with the general public and that can be a challenge at times but a simple sign would eliminate most potential conflicts.

 

[fhhuber]

No sign and no obvious uniform with badge = tell them to get lost.

 

[gm280]

I really hate to say it, but some times the DNR are merely looking for some increased revenue and really don't are about the boaters or their safety, but just looking for anything to ticket folks about. That is sad to say, but certainly true.

I have met very pleasant DNR people, and some absolutely disgruntle DNR people that have that ego of they are in control and you better snap when they talk to you. We don't need that type in any public venue. But it is what it is. What little power they have goes to their heads sometimes. JMHO

 

[spoilsofwar]

Wyoming has mandatory Invasive species inspections at the borders to the state, or did as of 2yrs ago. ALL boats, regardless of tyoe (ie w out livewells) are required to stop and be inspected. Even if you arent planning to launch it in the state. How would they know or trust that?

When I moved from SC to WA this spring I drove cross country towing my boat. I encountered several of these AIS inspection points when entering some western states. The first one (Idaho, I think) put a tag on my trailer winch stand, and when I got to Oregon once they saw the Idaho tag and I explained I was just passing thru they let me go with no inspection. Washington had an inspection point but IIRC it was not manned that day.

The inspectors I encountered were very courteous and professional, and the whole thing was painless. Sounds like the young lady in the OP was having a bad day or just has bad people skills.

 

[EchoNovember]

Evidently randomly it seems the MN DNR has people at boat landings to inspect boats. I encountered an inspector at the boat landing yesterday morning. I was putting the boat in for a short test cruise to check some carb work. I don't linger or screw around when I go to launch the boat I get there tip the motor up and back down the ramp, get the boat in the water and get the truck parked and clear the zone.

I pulled up and there is a small pick up parked off to the side with a young lady sitting in a lawnchair, considering the area I live in there was nothing out of the ordinary about this. I back down the ramp and get the boat in the water, I got out of the truck to unlash the bow and all of a sudden this young lady comes up to me with an attitude. She says you are supposed to stop and get inspected, you are supposed to have the plug out etc. I pointed out that if there are expectations of boaters a universal way to covey that message would be signage, or an engaged individual that gets out of the chair and gets a persons attention to stop the person driving the truck towing the boat. Either her training was substandard or her people skills are not good but I have to believe that her example of public interaction is not what the MN DNR had in mind.

They want you to arrive at the ramp with the plug out of your boat. I always do a walk around the boat and trailer before the boat is hooked up to the truck inspecting and checking. One of those steps is to make sure the plug is in the boat. My boat does not have a live well or a bilge it is an old aluminum runabout, after each use the boat is stored in the garage, after each use the boat is tipped up and any water is removed and the back of the boat is dried. I am going to continue to put the plug in and I will be more than happy to show any inspector that the inside of the boat is 100% dry.

I live in MN. MN LAW states the plug MUST be OUT of the boat when transporting. All boats have a blige, it's the lowest point of the hull, where that water collects. If you have any water at all that gets in the boat and collects in the bottom, it can harbor invasive species. Whether it is the virus being spread across lakes, or tiny zebra mussels, or a shred of milfoil, that water can be transporting invasive species. You are required to transport the boat with the drain plug removed. If pulled over on the highway for it, it's a steep fine and a judge is unlikely to listen to you or any reason you give for hauling the boat with it in.

Now, as many of us can tell you, you want to make sure the plug is in before backing into the water. That's always a fun mistake to discover when you start wondering why the boat is sitting lower and lower and lower...

MN DNR page about invasive species, including the drain plug.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/preventspread_watercraft.html

 

[EchoNovember]

I really hate to say it, but some times the DNR are merely looking for some increased revenue and really don't are about the boaters or their safety, but just looking for anything to ticket folks about. That is sad to say, but certainly true.

I have met very pleasant DNR people, and some absolutely disgruntle DNR people that have that ego of they are in control and you better snap when they talk to you. We don't need that type in any public venue. But it is what it is. What little power they have goes to their heads sometimes. JMHO

The MN DNR officers I've run into have all been amazing awesome folks. Can't say the same for LEOs or SP.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I drove back from Wisconsin towing the boat, I did not stop at the border to pull my plug in the boat. I will offer any CO to pay double the fine if they find so much of a drop of water or liquid in the bottom of my boat.

 

[briangcc]

In NY on one of the lakes I vacation at they are doing inspections like this....on Saturdays when the rental fleet "turns over" so to speak. My cousin and uncle got stopped when they launched and warned me ahead of time. Usually a non issue for me as I will have driven for the better part of the day followed by unpacking/organizing the cabin so the last thing I want to do is launch the boat after all that. Never saw anyone on Sunday!

So while the goal is admirable, if they really wanted to stop invasive species at the lake I'm at they'd check all days, not just Saturday.

**My boat is a trailer queen and kept with the plug out...drives me nuts if there's seaweed on the trailer when the boat is retrieved so it gets removed immediately.

 

[bruceb58]

I live in MN. MN LAW states the plug MUST be OUT of the boat when transporting.

Likewise for many states including mine which is CA.

At the lake I boat at, initial inspection cost some serious $$.
http://tahoeboatinspections.com/wp-c..._Fees_2017.pdf

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I do transport home with the plug out, then it goes in the climate controlled garage with the fans on. It is a classic boat and it is dried and preened after every use so there is never any residual moisture in the boat.

 

[EchoNovember]

I drove back from Wisconsin towing the boat, I did not stop at the border to pull my plug in the boat. I will offer any CO to pay double the fine if they find so much of a drop of water or liquid in the bottom of my boat.

I'll do it for the cost of the fine. Finding water in a boat is like finding sand at the beach. It's there. Pull the plug, and don't risk it. You haven't had a problem in __ years of boating? Great. You've been lucky. Keep pushing that luck, it will eventually run out, like it did at the ramp. Give it more time, and they'll pull you over and give you a nice fat ticket. The CO or judge won't take you up on your offer. The law is the law, whether you agree with it or not, and they are there to enforce it and will.

MN and WI have serious problems with invasive species, and regardless of what the moisture level of your boat is, they will not go easy on you. I don't get nervous around locals, State Patrol, Sheriff's Deputies, or DOT. I can nervous around DNR because there is no real gray area for them. There is rarely discretion and giving a warning instead of ticket. If you're lucky, you get a ticket. If you're unlucky, fishing/hunting without a license (poaching), or an a-hole to them, say buh-bye to your fishing gear, boat, trailer, sometimes vehicle, and maybe even your cabin.

Btw, I love the poachers wall of shame display at the DNR building at the MN State Fair. One guy lost thousands in gear, boat, etc., for having caught a 48" pike without a license. I loved that idiot. $23 fishing license would have let him keep his gear and fish.

My point is, don't take shortcuts. It takes me a minute or less to put my plug in at the ramp, and I'm by no means fast when it comes to launching a boat.

 

[EchoNovember]

I do transport home with the plug out, then it goes in the climate controlled garage with the fans on. It is a classic boat and it is dried and preened after every use so there is never any residual moisture in the boat.

Btw, you would be hard pressed to prove that you hadn't hit the lake yet when driving with it in. Doubt they would care, either. That's awesome that you dry it out, it really is. I'm just saying all of this would likely be lost on whoever pulled you over.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I work for the division of forestry I know exactly how dysfunctional the state is, I could bring you to a facility that has 5 state of minnesota boats with the plugs in them, enforcement and wildlife.

 

[jimmbo]

In Alberta they are starting the inspection thingy. I was told it is now illegal to tow the boat with the drain plug in. I asked a fish and wildlife officer are I/O and inboard owners now expected to drain the block every time they pull the boat out of the water? He answered yes.

I will assume fisherman will now be expected to throw all their Tackle, nets, etc away too. They could also be harbouring invasive species

 

[bruceb58]

I work for the division of forestry I know exactly how dysfunctional the state is, I could bring you to a facility that has 5 state of minnesota boats with the plugs in them, enforcement and wildlife.

As long as the boats are in the same body of water all the time it's not an issue. My boat gets tagged with a seal everytime I pull it out of a lake and I don't have to get inspected next time I put it into the same lake.

The rule is in place to keep boat from transferring invasive species from one body of water to the other. If a boat shows up at a lake with the plug in and they pull it out and water drains into the new lake, how is that preventing the spread of of invasive species. That's the reason for the plug out rule! Yes...too bad its a rule we all have to follow. Yes...too bad it's a pain in the butt.