U.S. Coast Guard, boating organization seek boats to crash

By: ERNIE COWAN - For the North County Times | Wednesday, May 16, 2007 11:21 PM PDT ∞

Are you willing to donate to science?

They don't want to study your body or a rare disease, they want your boat.

In a study funded by the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) wants to help the nation's waterway accident investigators improve training and better understand boat collision dynamics. They need boats to do that.

Owners who wish to donate their boats will receive verification of the craft's fair market value and can claim an IRS tax deduction.

A variety of watercraft from bass boats, open runabouts and pontoon boats to small cabin cruisers and personal watercraft are being sought. Boats need to be in operating condition and include a trailer.

Donated boats will be used in test crashes and then the remains will be taken to the National Transportation Safety Board's training academy where they will be used to train boating accident investigators.

To donate a boat, contact NASBLA at (859) 225-9487 or e-mail info@nasbla.org.

Sierra report

Summer-like conditions are coming to California's Eastern High Sierra more than a month ahead of normal. Temperatures have been in the high 70s the past two weeks, and many highways are open that aren't normally until late June.

Jim Kellett at the Mammoth Visitors Bureau said the popular road from Mammoth Lakes down into the San Joaquin River Basin and Red's Meadow should be open May 29 with visitor shuttle service beginning June 9. Last year, the road was not opened until late June because of a heavy snow pack.

Other routes that are now open include Highway 12, Tioga Pass into Yosemite from the east and Lake Mary Road that accesses the Upper Lakes Basin of Mammoth Lakes. According to Kellett, Twin Lakes is ice free, but Lake Mary, Mamie, George and Horseshoe are still covered with snow and ice.

Patti Apted at Lake Sabrina in the Bishop Creek Basin reports spectacular fishing and daytime temperatures in the high 60s at an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet. The U.S. Forest Service has also opened the road to North Lake and adjacent campgrounds.

"But the skeeters are starting to show up and these are big! Don't forget the bug juice," Apted said.

Lake schedule

According to Shannon Reed with the San Diego City Lakes Department, San Vicente Reservoir has returned to a summer operating schedule. It's open Thursday through Sunday until September.

Water contact sports will be allowed daily Thursday through Sunday. Fishing will be allowed Thursday and Friday.

Parking or lining up is not allowed for vehicles, boats, or trailers on the marina access road or the staging area until after 4 p.m. on Wednesdays during the summer schedule.

Surf fishing

The big halibut bite along the Southern California coastline has turned on with several 30-pound flatties being reported, according to Hugh Cobb at Pacific Coast Bait & Tackle in Oceanside.

Wayne Neikirk of Oceanside nailed a 30-pound halibut in Agua Hedionda Lagoon this week and is now the leader in the PCB&T May Halibut Derby. Neikirk tossed a live sardine to attract the halibut. Carlsbad's Ben DiRuscio fished Huntington Harbor in Orange County this week and used Krocodile lure to entice a 30-4 halibut to bite.

And, if North County anglers need additional proof that now is a good time to test the surf, Cobb offers as evidence the catch by Jeff Kuntz of Oceanside on Monday. Kuntz was following his usual early morning routine at South Carlsbad where he fishes plastic swim baits for halibut when he nailed a 26-2 striped bass, his second big one from that area this year.�

-- Ernie Cowan is the outdoor writer for the North County Times. If you have an outdoor story of interest, call (760) 518-8050, or e-mail to ernie@packtrain.com.