Oversize Trailering in NC could cost you BIG BUCK$!

[OakIsland]

I cut and pasted this response I made to another query as a new thread because of the gravity of the situation. If you are towing in or through NC you need to know that anybody trailering a boat is a HUGE RED FLAG for being stopped.

There is a meeting between interested boaters, manufacturers, etc. and the NCDMV/NCHP in Wilmington, NC on April 21 at UNC-W to discuss this crazy situation.

I don't know how they enforce laws with respect to out-of-staters, but I can assure you that if you have a NC license and you don't have all of what they are looking for you are in really deep doo-doo.

For example, if you are over 102" with either the boat OR the trailer(including guide-ons), and the mentioned boats ARE, then you will need to pay a $100 tribute to acquire the requisite "oversize permit." That having been accomplished, you must display the appropriate flags, banners, escort vehicles as required by whatever width you measure. THEN, you MUST NOT TRAVEL on holidays, after dark, or on Sundays.

Obviously, if you have an over 102" boat OR trailer you can forget about all of those weekends that you thought you'd go to the water.... you can't drive Friday night to get there and you can't even crank the truck on Sunday.

Don't even THINK about getting near a fishing tournament if you don't have everything you need.

Here's a few more things:

If your trailer is even RATED for 10,000# or more you must hold a "Class A" driver's license. Make SURE you have purchased a weighted tag that covers the combined weight of your trailer (as loaded... fuel, junk, etc.) and tow vehicle. If you are stopped, the officer will interview you with the intent of deciding whether you fish for money or prizes.... if you do, he will likely cite you for not having a CDL and all of the requirements that go along with that.

In conversation with the NC Attorney General's Office, I was told that some tickets had been written for as much as $25,000, but those were thrown out of court. Many of those in the $2,000 range have stood the test of the courts.

If you are towing in NC.... you had better know and follow the law.

See the following links for more information:

http://www.northcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=647

http://www.northcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=712

http://www.ncdot.org/doh/Operations...ance/permits/pdf/OverSize_Weight_PermitHB.pdf

http://www.ncdot.org/doh/Operations/dp_chief_eng/maintenance/permits/docs/Holidays_2008.pdf


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[OakIsland]

Contact your representatives in NC via this form letter......

http://www.hotspotchartersllc.com/towingissuesletter.htm

 

[Kenlahr]

This is really starting to make my head (and wallet) hurt :cry:

 

[gw204]

I can certainly see increased restrictions for over-width rigs, but NC has gone off the deep end. All they are really going to accomplish is decreasing revenue for the state because people (residents and vacationers) won't want to deal with the hassles of trailering boats there.

 

[grady23]

This sounds like another way for NC to get into your wallet and also push more fisherman over to using local guides/charters. I usually on go to NC once a year when my MSSA chapter goes to either HI or Morehead City or Harkers IS. When we as a group make this trip, we generally end up dropping about $15K - $20K for motels, meals, bait, fuel and misc for the week to 10 days that we fish. I personally can't see all the extra hassle of buying a $95 permit for 1 trip and then be restricted to traveling as they require. Last year the number of boats that went to HI dropped from 22 down to 6 and this was part of the reason. We usually end up taking over most of the hotel we stay in for the entire week when the motel would usually be empty. We also drop a bunch of money in the local resturants because you know Fisherman LOVE TO EAT.
Guess we'll help thin down the economy even more now.

 

[Rickysa]

This sounds like another way for NC to get into your wallet and also push more fisherman over to using local guides/charters.

I wonder how many will be able to afford to continue doing it....we run a charter boat out of Morehead, and with all the hassles and $4/gal diesel, we've decided to call it quits.....

I've spent the last few months prettying up our '88 Seafarer to just cruise around and fish for specks/flounder/etc....

Rick