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GLA Watercraft Sticker Alert – “Don’t Be Caught Without Them”

With the 2010 boating season fully underway, we would like to remind everyone who has either already placed their watercraft on the water or who will be doing so in the near future to please make sure they are following the GLA Rule Section 6.1- Markings which includes the following:-         

All watercraft on GLA waterways should have the current GLA decals and lot numbers properly affixed to both sides of the watercraft nearest to the rear.       

All watercraft on GLA waterways should have the current Illinois State decals and registration numbers properly affixed to both sides of the watercraft nearest to the front.

Please note that the front of the watercraft is reserved for only the Illinois State decal and registration numbers.

NO GLA DECAL OR LOT NUMBER SHOULD BE PLACED IN THE FRONT PORTION OF THE WATERCRAFT.        GLA lot numbers and Illinois State registration numbers should be of block characters at least 3 inches in height and in contrasting color to the background color of the watercraft.       

 Expired GLA and Illinois State decals should not be visibly displayed.

All non current decals should either be removed or made not visible on all watercraft by placing the current decal directly over the old decal. (NOTE: Old decals can be easily removed by heating the decal with a blow dryer or heat gun on low heat. Once heated, the glue will soften allowing the decal to be peeled off of the watercraft) 

Properly displaying GLA and Illinois State decals and numbers on all watercraft is not only a GLA Rule or Illinois State Boating Law, but it also plays a very important part in improving our ability to easily identify which watercraft should or should not be on our waterways. This becomes an important issue in that we have over 900+ watercraft registered to be on GLA waterways.  We encourage everyone to please make every effort to follow this very important rule which helps to ensure that those who are on our waterways have the right to be there. 

 

 

Measure Boats Accurately - BEFORE YOU BUY!

In the months before the boating season resumes, many avid boaters are out looking for good buys on new boats. Remember that as per the GLA Rules, ALL NEW BOATS MUST BE MEASURED BEFORE ANY NEW DECALS ARE ISSUED. Please, when purchasing a new boat, do not take for granted that the length on the Illinois Registration Card, or on any company brochures, or that statements from sales persons or previous owners as to the length of the boats will comply with the GLA rules. Before you buy, be sure to do your own measuring according to the following Goose Lake Association Rules Section 6.4. If you are still unsure, call someone on the Watercraft Review Committee before you purchase a new boat.

 Here are the GLA length rules:

Section 6.4 Boat Size:  Pontoon boats are limited to an overall length that does not exceed 24 feet 6 inches with not more than two pontoons (tubes). All other watercrafts are limited to 20 feet as measured by the GLA. ( Board approved 7/30/07). The maximum over-all width of any boat is to be no wider than 9 feet.

Boats Shall Be Measured as Follows: 

  1. Outboard Type - from point of motor attachment to point of bow
  2. Inboard Type - from point of bow to transom
  3. Boats with molded platforms shall be measured from the tip of the bow to the end of the platform

The Goose Lake Board must measure each boat! Please call the office for an appointment.

 

Prohibited Watercraft

  1. Watercraft equipped with inboard rear V-drive engines or equipped with any wake or wake enhancing devices such as, but not limited to ballast tanks, hydro gaes, etc.
  2. Cabin cruisers or other boats with enclosed living quarters
  3. Deck boats
  4. Tritoon Pontoon boats (having three or more pontoon tubes)
  5. Wakeboard boats built with ballasts to add additional weight or designed with V-drives specifically to create excessive waves