Photo By: RBOC

SACRAMENTO – The nonprofit boater advocacy group Recreational Boaters of California installed its new officers during a meeting at California Yacht Club on Jan. 20.

The 2010 RBOC Officers are: President Anne Sacks of Venice, Vice President-North Linda Bendsen of Suisun, Vice President-South Cleve Hardaker of San Diego, Treasurer Bob White of Palos Verdes Estates, and Past President Dave Breninger of Roseville.

The organization anticipates a busy year as it confronts a number of key issues affecting California’s 3 million recreational boaters.

“We devoted our annual business meeting to planning advocacy efforts to address several serious challenges,” said President Anne Sacks.

“These include the state water board’s proposed marina and club permit that would impose costs totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars on facilities, together with a number of onerous new mandates,” added Sacks.

“We also are working together with the national advocacy organization BoatU.S. to address the disastrous consequences from boaters having to use fuel that includes ethanol.” 

According to Sacks, her organization is also working with boaters in several regions to defeat initiatives that would unfairly limit boating access, including the proposed no-fishing zones being developed along the Southern California coast as part of the Marine Life Protection Act.
 
“We will certainly maintain our vigilance this year to ensure that the governor’s proposal to eliminate the independent Cal Boating is not adopted,” said Sacks.