Boat Trailering and Invasive Species

F

Foggy

New member
Having a trailerable boat is special to me for multiple reasons. To others, it is a mechanism to spread undesirables into pristine marine areas to have invasive species take hold to displace our favored indigenous species of crustaceans, fish, mollusks and plants. Much blame in my area has centered on contamination from incoming foreign vessels. Recreational trailer boaters are also under scrutiny.

Our Great Lakes and tributaries are especially affected. We have Rusty crayfish, Gobys, Snakehead fish, Asian carp, ruffe, zebra and quagga mussels, sea lamprey, white perch as well as numerous invasive plants.

What measures, restrictions or requirements have you encountered in trailering your vessel to destinations that we, as readers and fellow boaters, should be aware of?

Aye.
 
In Oregon there is a fee built into the boat registration tarriff. Boaters with an out of state regristration have to purchase an aquatic invasive species permit. And, you may be subject to inspection as you enter Oregon. More details here: http://www.oregon.gov/OSMB/Clean/pages/ ... spage.aspx

Oregon coordinates with Washington for boating on the Columbia River, but you will need a permit on other Oregon waters.
 
It can be a real issue, and glad to hear the concern about spreading these species. A dry bilge is number one caution. If there are any of the species on the out drive, outboard lower unit, or running gear or even hull, these need to be removed.

Our experiences include visual inspection and inquiry at Lake Powell. If the boat has been in suspect waters, I think in a month--they want to steam the boat. Here are the current states which are suspect:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Ontario, Quebec If the boat was properly drained, dried, and no muscles etc seen over 5 days ago, you are good to go.

"Was your boat and trailer thoroughly washed and allowed to completely dry for at least 5 days since you last launched? You must have removed all dirt, plant and animal material, or grit from the boat. You must have drained and flushed all live wells and bilge areas. The boat must be allowed to dry for at least 5 days."

If not then you have to be Professionally certified.

I have been stopped and pulled aside at Calif. border--and inspected with a mirror under the boat!--never looked in the bilge or bail tank! Go figure.

In Oregon I have had to go thru several inspection stations.

Some states are now requiring an annual inspection and sticker--of course a fee is included.

These things seem to change monthly--so it is best to check the states web sites that you will travel thru.

So far we don't have the problem in Florida--but many inspectors don't realize that.
 
In Idaho an inspection is required, at Lake Powell likewise, Oregon requires at least an inspection. One place people tend to forget is their rode and anchor locker (if they've anchored). I'm told by inspectors that zebra and quagga mussels cannot live in salt water but can seal themselves off for up to a week.
 
We just went through this process when we towed our CD22 from Wisconsin to Blaine, WA. We had the boat in our slip in Sturgeon Bay, WI for about a month. When we pulled the boat out, the Wisconsin DNR had a voluntary "wash down" station with two college kids doing the wash downs. Our CD22 was quite covered in weeds and zebra mussels ( we have a cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan with piles of dead zebra mussels shells lining the shore) - more than normal. They took about 30 minutes washing the boat with hot water.

We took the boat home and did another pressure wash of the top sides and a bit of the bottom. The boat sat in our driveway for 2 weeks before we left. On the way into Montana they had a mandatory boat inspection stop. Pulled in expecting all to be good. Very nice college kid did the inspection and was very excited to find a couple dead zebra mussels (first time they ever saw them on a boat). This prompted him to have to call his boss to see if we would need to leave the boat there and have a second team do an inspection. We explained that we would not put the boat in the water in Montana. The boss instructed him to do another wash down and they nicely said we could leave but to stop in Idaho for another inspection.

On the way to Idaho they called us on the phone to see when we would be at the inspection station. When we arrived they had the college kid plus 3 other "higher level" guys ready to see the problem boat. They spent about 5 minutes inspecting the hull and came back to the truck and asked if we always kept the hull so clean. Gave us the thumbs up and off we went.

Launched the boat in Blaine, WA - the next day the Washington DNR called on the phone wondering if we had launched and where. Told him that Idaho gave us a thumbs up and also now in saltwater and he said have a nice trip.

I was very impressed on the cooperation between the states and glad to see it.

I was certainly embarrassed that we even had a dead zebra mussel on the hull but I also didn't realize that other states did not have our problem. We have trillions of dead zebra mussels shells on the shore lines, just figured this problem was all over (maybe just not as bad). Our problems came from the ocean ships dumping their hull water into our great lakes.

So, next time I will double triple check the bottom before we leave Washington and head to our next destination. I don't care about any fines, I care about other folks waters and certainly don't want to add/start a problem.
 
Mussels is the main reason I am going to get another trailer as my trailer has steel tubes for the frame with no way to know what is inside.

I have had the boat in Lake Erie so know I could have mussels in the tubes.

Bill Kelleher
 
In May of this year:he National Park Service recently identified 14 adult quagga mussels attached to moored vessels and dock structures at the Wahweap Marina in Lake Powell. None of the adult mussels were close enough together to mate for successful reproduction. All of the mussels were physically removed from the lake. OK if there were 14 in this instance, and 4 on another boat--It makes me think that there is a very good chance of the muscles getting a start at Powell.

Since 2009--there is supposed to be an "inspection"--our experience is that you told the ranger that you boat was OK--and they gave you a certificate to put on the dash of the car--maybe it is different this year?

They certainly are more attuned to boats registered outside of AZ.I January 2007, quagga mussels were discovered at a marina in the Nevada portion of Lake Mead, and two other lakes on the Colorado River, Lake Mohave and Lake Havasu. Hard to think that Powell escaped this long--with other nearby lakes on the river affected.

Wonderful we have some good citizens who do want to prevent the spread of the invasive species. I understand that the various species can cause plugging of water passages both on boats and in power station intakes. (up to an economic loss as up to a billon dollars a year. Those of us with outboard boats are less affected than perhaps inboards are. I noted that in one study that warm summer conditions, quagga mussel veligers (larval stage) survived approximately five days while under cooler autumn conditions they survived 27 days. So I wonder if bait tanks and bilges are properly inspected? They were no on my boat.
 
Water ballasted sail boats and wake boats are a big concern to me. No real way to inspect ballast tanks nor to dry them out. I suspect they would need to be filled with a chemical invasive species killer for an hour or two. I watched a hunter 23.5 go through an inspection station with a clean inspection. No one seemed to know that it was a water ballasted boat, or didn't care.
 
Bill,
Do you think that a quick dunk in the lake is enough to allow mussels to establish? The larva will not live in the lack of moisture. Do the tubes drain? Interesting thoughts about a trailer being a vector.
 
potter water":2yjr016u said:
Water ballasted sail boats and wake boats are a big concern to me. No real way to inspect ballast tanks nor to dry them out. I suspect they would need to be filled with a chemical invasive species killer for an hour or two. I watched a hunter 23.5 go through an inspection station with a clean inspection. No one seemed to know that it was a water ballasted boat, or didn't care.
Click to expand...

Harry-

Should we add bass boats which each have several live wells to the list?

Joe. :sad :thup
 
thataway":3tcihhu2 said:
Bill,
Do you think that a quick dunk in the lake is enough to allow mussels to establish? The larva will not live in the lack of moisture. Do the tubes drain? Interesting thoughts about a trailer being a vector.
Click to expand...
I believe that is a real concern. Lots of places for water to pool in mine. Dunno how long they can make it without immersion.
 
Maybe not Bob, but a couple of blogs I have read where the people drove through western states from the East said that the inspectors were really picky and when they found a couple of dead mussel shells almost went nuts.

Since you can't see all of the inside of the tubes without a camera of some kind I don't want to take the chance and have to come all the way back home to Ohio.

There are a couple of other reasons to change trailers also.

Bill Kelleher


thataway":3d0t9rfd said:
Bill,
Do you think that a quick dunk in the lake is enough to allow mussels to establish? The larva will not live in the lack of moisture. Do the tubes drain? Interesting thoughts about a trailer being a vector.
Click to expand...
 
Sea Wolf: I'm sure there are lots of boats that have little compartments here and there that can get "contaminated" water in them that are not necessarily on the list of checkpoints at the contam stations. But, ballast tanks on boats are clearly bad actors if not also decontaminated. If you consider just the number of ballasted wake boats that move from water to water, that should be a major decontamination concern. It may be that the owners and decontamination techs have it all figured out so no contamination of "clean" waters occurs. We can only hope.

Yes, if you get contaminated water in your bait well or fish well, then it would be good sportsmanship to make sure that those locations are on your list of decontamination procedures. I'd think that a good draining or emptying at the bad lake after pull out, then a good wipe down with some clorox or the like and then leaving or pinning the doors open during the tow home would be a pretty responsible and good way to deal with them.
 
I recently came back from a round trip from Madison Wisconsin area to the San Juan Islands. Towed the boat out I94, then came back I90, via Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore & Badlands national parks. I'll upload the following correspondence I had in regards to what I considered an overbearing inspection by Wyoming. Apparently Wyoming does not want Wisconsin boaters in their state! Read and enjoy. P.s. BTW, to my knowledge, none of the inspectors really spent much if any time inspecting my trailer.... Colby

Thanks for your reply. I did also mail a copy of my email to the main office, due to the "automated reply" msg from my email. Yes, I am very aware of the issue with invasive species. Wisconsin does a lot of public education in regards to that. None the less, I do not feel the kind of inspection given was warranted. Apparently Montana and Idaho did not feel it necessary either. I will share your reply with my fellow boaters.
Sincerely,
Colby Smith

On 7/15/2014 2:55 PM, Beth Bear wrote:
> Mr. Smith,
>
> Thank you for contacting me regarding the inspection of your watercraft
> at the Wapiti check station just west of Cody, WY. While I regret that
> you were dissatisfied with the inspection process, it is necessary to
> keeping Wyoming's waters free from harmful aquatic invasive species.
> Being from Wisconsin I am sure you can appreciate the devastating
> impacts of zebra/quagga mussel and are desire to keep them out of Wyoming.
>
> In reading your account of the inspection I would agree it sounds like
> our inspector did what we call a high risk inspection. I am assuming
> this was conducted because the boat had recently been used in a
> Wisconsin water. Because of the high number of mussel infested waters in
> Wisconsin, we conduct a high risk inspection on any watercraft recently
> used in Wisconsin waters.
>
> I agree that perhaps a high risk inspection was not warranted as your
> boat was last in Washington waters. However we do give inspectors
> leeway to err on the side of caution with any boat if they feel a high
> risk inspection is warranted. I am not sure why the inspector indicated
> it was a standard inspection and actually conducted what we'd consider a
> high risk inspection but we will make sure he is clear on the difference
> for the future.
>
> Again I apologize for any inconvenience this inspection caused and thank
> you for contacting me.
>
> Thanks!
> ~ Beth
> --
> Beth Bear
> Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator
> Wyoming Game & Fish Department
> 528 S. Adams, Laramie, WY 82070
> 307-745-5180 Ext. 256 <tel:307-745-5180%20Ext.%20256>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: *Colby Smith* <mcs2442@gmail.com <mailto:mcs2442@gmail.com>>
> Date: Mon, Jul 14, 2014 at 8:21 AM
> Subject: Complaint
> To: wgfdwebmaster@wyo.gov <mailto:wgfdwebmaster@wyo.gov>
>
>
> Please pass this to the appropriate manager.
>
> I am writing in regards to a State of Wyoming Invasive Species
> watercraft inspection I received while traveling eastbound between the
> East entrance of Yellowstone National Park, and Cody. This inspection
> was on 6/29/2014 at approximately noon. The inspectors ID listed on my
> report is 744. While the inspector was polite and respectful, I feel
> his inspection was unreasonable going beyond what what was required,
> both slowing the inspection, and leaving me with a very bad taste for
> your fine state. I had trailered my boat from home here in Stoughton,
> Wisconsin, to the San Juan Islands of Washington via I94, but was
> returning via I90 and the National Parks. Prior to my departure on June
> 11th, I had used the boat in my home area waters. It had been washed and
> dry prior to leaving on my trip. It was launched at Anacortes Washington
> on June 17th, and then retrieved on June 24th. It was not launched
> again until I returned home. I had gone through several other
> watercraft inspections in Montana and Idaho on the way out, all much
> quicker and reasonable. I shared all this information with the
> inspector, who more than once stated I was fortunate I was returning
> from salt water or he would have to do a high risk inspection. His
> inspection took 25 minutes, while he used a small mirror to look into my
> outboard water intakes, trim tab hinges, anchor locker drain hole, etc.
> He also looked into my bilge and other areas. Other than road grime
> on the boat, it had a clean hull and one should have been able to easily
> see that no invasive species were attached. I also had mentioned that I
> had pressure washed my boat at my brothers in Washington after pulling
> it from the Sound. The only other water my boat had seen was from rain
> and road drainage. I was respectful and polite to the inspector, and
> only followed him around to answer any questions he had and to monitor
> his actions. He also continued to talk to me about the program and we
> discussed the boat and my travels. I did not discuss my dissatisfaction
> with him regarding the inspection, as didn't feel that would be the
> appropriate time. I did thank him for being more thorough than the
> other inspections. While the seal receipt shows this as a standard
> inspection, I don't know what else would be inspected in a "High Risk
> Inspection". I also note that the inspector did not have any form of
> wash station with or near him, and he did say if I would need to be
> decontaminated I would be directed to a Fish and Game office. I was
> stopped at one more Wyoming inspection station as I entered I90, but the
> inspector there looked at my receipt, checked the seal and let me go.
> I have already shared much of this information with other boat owners
> at www.c-brats.com <http://www.c-brats.com>. I would be happy to
> provide any additional details you can provide to my fellow boaters at
> this group to help them know about your state policies in regards to
> invasive species inspections.
> Thank you for your time.
> Respectfully,
> Colby Smith
> Stoughton, Wisconsin
 
Sounds to me like he did a thorough inspection based on the fact that your boat is registered in Wisconsin. It seems entirely reasonable to me. 25 mins is a relatively long time, but if I were an inspector, I wouldn't necessarily take what the boat owner told me at face value. I'd listen politely and do the inspection as I had planned. Seems like the only issue is that he marked a "high risk" inspection as "standard" inspection. Personally, I don't see the reason for you being upset.
 
What "seal" was applied--and were you given any instructions about launching the boat in Wyoming waters? We drove those same areas summer before last and did not see a single boat inspection station in Wy. We spent a delightful week in Cody.

Thanks for the information--if we get up this way, I wonder what they might think of a 10 foot inflatable, which was stowed in the under compartment of the RV?
 
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