[Paddlewise] Kayak Registration

I've told this every time the issue comes up, but I'll repeat it:

In Illinois we screamed against having to register our canoes and
kayaks.  It costs all of $13.00 the first time for a title and three
year registration and then $6.00 to renew for three years.

"It's not the money" we said.   "It's the principle - we get nothing
now, we really need nothing.  We can launch just about anywhere."

But the bill passed and now we register.  And now the Department of
Natural Resources listens when we talk and builds us canoe launches when
we make a good case.  I have nine kayaks (yeah, I know, it's a disease)
so I pay more than most. But we paddlers now have a bought-and-paid-for
place at the table when issues that affect us come up.  And, in my
opinion, we are heard.

And for those of you have concerns about appearance on racing boats or
not being able to put stickers on folder and skin boats, there is a
simple solution.  My skin boat and my two folders all have their
stickers encased in plastic and are carried whenever I use them.  I
asked the nice folks at the DNR and they said that would be fine with
them as long as I have the registration card showing that the sticker
goes with that particular boat.  So I have the card on the back of the
sticker.

I haven't raced slalom in a while, but when I did I raced
internationally and NEVER had any scrutineer at the race check-in say
anything about the registration stickers on the bow of my boat.  That's
either a new thing or a misunderstanding on someone's part.

Jim Tibensky
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