Is A Boat On Your Gift List? (Photo) - 12/10/25

If you’re planning to gift a boat to a friend or loved one, remember there’s more to boating than just a boat, such as required equipment, including a life jacket and whistle.

Purchasing paddlecraft such as a kayak, canoe, raft, or stand up paddleboard (SUP) is made easy through many retail stores, big and small.

Recreational boating is a great way to connect with the outdoors, stay fit, and give the mood a lift. And human-powered paddlecraft offers a unique experience to be near the surface of the water, to feel every riffle (shallow place in a river where water flows quickly past rocks) and the flow of the current. Wildlife viewing and being fully present are added benefits.

Boats come in all shapes and sizes and have associated required equipment for your safety out on the water. Paddlers need to have on board a properly fitting US Coast Guard-approved life jacket and a whistle, but it’s more practical to just wear them. If paddling at night or during periods of reduced visibility, then paddlers also need to display a white light source, like a flashlight.

So, what does it cost for the additional required equipment? That depends. A comfortable, inherently buoyant vest-style life jacket can range in price, with inflatable belt packs being on the higher end. A whistle costs a few dollars, and a light source varies depending on the model and brand.

The other requirement is having a Waterway Access Permit, which all paddlecraft operators will need in 2026 when using the boat on the water. Permits are transferable to other paddlecraft, and youth under 14 do not need to have one.

Waterway Access Permit options cost $6 for a 7-day permit, $20 for an annual permit, and $35 for a 2-year permit. Your boating dollars are returned to you through improved or new non-motorized access and will help expand boat inspection stations for aquatic invasive species through the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Then there’s the gear needed for the activity! Kayak and SUP fishing are booming, as is wing foiling. Just remember, you’re a boater first. Take the time to plan ahead, learn the skills you’ll need for the type of waterway where you plan to boat, and always communicate or write down a float plan with family and friends. Education, planning, and preparation go a long way for you to have a safe and enjoyable experience.

The Marine Board also offers FREE online paddling courses to help newcomers learn the basic skills and techniques to stay safe. Want to learn how to get started? Visit Boat.Oregon.gov and let your water recreation adventures begin!

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Marine Board Seeks Written Public Comment On Petition For Ana Reservoir - 12/03/25

The Oregon State Marine Board received a petition on October 24, 2025, regarding the administrative rules (OAR) affecting Ana Reservoir in Lake County. Petitioners are asking the Marine Board to update OAR 250-020-0211: “Ana Reservoir:  A person must not operate a motorboat in excess of a slow-no wake speed.”

The comment period closes December 31, 2025, at 11:59 pm. The Board will consider the petition during its January 29, 2026, board meeting, being held in Salem. If the Board votes to accept the petition and initiate rulemaking, there will be additional opportunities for public comment and engagement prior to adoption of new rule language.

Written comments can be submitted by email to jennifer.cooper@boat.oregon.gov or by U.S. mail to: Jennifer Cooper, Administrative Rules Coordinator, Oregon State Marine Board, 435 Commercial Street NE, Salem, OR 97301.

To view the petition, visit the Marine Board’s Rulemaking and Public Notices page.

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“Respect The River” Signage Posted On The Siletz River (Photo) - 11/21/25

The Oregon State Marine Board’s staff recently installed new signs on the Siletz River to raise awareness of the significant cultural, ecological, and social values that exist for the local community. The “Respect the River” campaign encourages boaters to be mindful of their boat operations and share space with other recreators, especially during periods of heavy use.

Signs are posted at the following boating access sites:
 

• Strome Park
• Jack Morgan Park
• Ojalla Bridge Slide
• Old Mill Park
• Hee Hee Illahee
• Twin Bridges Park Ramp
• Moonshine Park Ramp

The Marine Board traditionally directs staff to work with boaters in local communities by spreading awareness through education campaigns, signage, and marine law enforcement contacts with a period of evaluation before implementing new rules for boat operations.

Last July, the Oregon State Marine Board convened a rule advisory committee (RAC) in response to a petition submitted in February 2025 by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. The petition asks the Marine Board to consider prohibiting all motorboats upstream of Jack Morgan Park to protect the riverbanks from motorboat wake, protect native fish habitat, and improve mixed-use boating safety.

The agency continues to gather data from subject matter experts and will evaluate the education and outreach efforts through the fall and winter fisheries. Marine Board staff will update the board and ask for further direction during its next quarterly meeting, scheduled for January 29, in Salem.

Find more information on the Siletz River rule advisory committee activities: https://www.oregon.gov/osmb/info/Pages/Rulemaking-and-Public-Notices.aspx.

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Marine Board Seeks Written Public Comment On Renewing Permit For Rowing Racecourse On Dexter Reservoir - 11/21/25

The Oregon State Marine Board received an application to renew a Special Use Device Permit, which was issued to the Oregon Association of Rowing for a buoyed racecourse on Dexter Reservoir in Lane County. The renewal proposes dates for installing and removing special use devices (cables and buoys) for the 2025 and 2026 rowing seasons.

Description of the Buoyed Racecourse

The raising and lowering of the entire course includes the installation of:

• Large orange buoys mark the course every 500 meters (a total of 10 buoys)
• Lateral cables cross the course at the start and finish and every 500 meters
• Lane lines consisting of cables suspended 4 feet below the surface of the water.
• Small can buoys are attached by wires to the lane lines. These consist of red can buoys first 250 meters at the start and last 250 meters to finish, and white “can” buoys the 1500 meters between the start and finish.
• Medium-sized red buoys are located at the eastern and western ends of the lanes. 

When the full course is up, it consists of 8 racing lanes, 13.5 meters apart, and 2,000 meters long.

The course extends from the Covered Bridge on the east to the non-motorized watercraft dock near the dam on the west. Installation occurs in phases, beginning December 6 – 21, 2025.

The Marine Board is soliciting written public comments exclusively relating to the 2,000-meter buoy course as it relates to the size of the waterbody, season of use, impacts to adjacent properties, potential for user conflicts, and other factors as they relate to public health, safety, and welfare.

The comment period closes December 5, 2025, at 11:55 pm. Following the closing of the comment period, the agency will evaluate the application and consider the public comments in deciding whether to issue a permit.

Written comments can be submitted by email to jennifer.cooper@boat.oregon.gov or by U.S. mail to: Jennifer Cooper, Administrative Rules Coordinator, Oregon State Marine Board, 435 Commercial Street NE, Salem, OR 97301.

To view Public Notices, visit: http://www.oregon.gov/OSMB/info/Pages/Rulemaking-and-Public-Notices.aspx.

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