Proposed Orange County boat ramp rules make waves for airboat rides

Dec. 4--Capt. Johnny Long, who has led guided airboat tours on the St. Johns River for more than three decades, said Orange County's proposed new rules for using public boat ramps will sink his business.

"I can't afford $1 million worth of insurance," he said about one of the recommended new rules. "That'd be it for us."

Rival operator Derrick Lockhart shrugged when told of his competitor's concern.

"Well, businesses fail all the time," said Lockhart, who owns Airboat Rides at MIDWAY which boasts a private boat ramp across the road from the county's only public launch in east Orange.

The two swampboat rivals offered contrasting views of a draft ordinance designed to tighten rules and regulations at Orange County's 11 public boat ramps, used by thousands annually to fish or play in public waters.

The county is considering new rules that would require anyone who uses a county-owned boat ramp for commercial purposes to pay for liability insurance and pony up an annual use fee of $3,000.

Matt Suedmeyer, manager of Orange County Parks and Recreation, which oversees the boat ramps, said an ordinance will "put teeth in our rules and regs and help us manage the issues we have."

County commissioners didn't vote on the proposed ordinance Tuesday but suggested tweaks. They'll likely be asked to vote on the revised version early next year.

Long is one of seven independent operators who depend on the free State Road 50 boat ramp near the Brevard County line to drop his airboat into the St. Johns River. The next closest public launch is 40 miles away.

The proposed ordinance, on the drawing board for two years ago, seeks to balance commercial use of the ramps with public access to Lake Conway, the Butler Chain of Lakes, the St. Johns River and other popular waterways.

It also aims to reduce conflicts among competing interests -- whether they're airboat rivals or lakefront property owners who've complained about loud, rude and reckless riders of Jet Skis and other personal watercraft.

Several airboat operators piped up Tuesday during a public comment period of the Orange County commissioner meeting.

"I know they're crying for having to pay," Lockhart said of his competitors. "But I have to pay."

Lockhart paid $475,000 for the river-front property in December 2016. He said he also pays more than $30,000 a year in liability insurance to protect his passengers and fleet of airboats.

He said allowing his competitors to use the public ramp without restrictions or fees is unfair to him because he pays property taxes on his launch.

Ed Williams, a land-use consultant representing the independent airboat operators, urged commissioners to listen to county staff.

"They ignored nothing," he said.

Williams said county staffers spent the past year studying a host of alleged problems at all of the county's 11 public ramps from access to parking to safety.

He said his clients aren't completely happy with the proposed ordinance but most can live with it.

"Our people have not paid user fees in the past. They're being asked to pay user fees and they're going to," Williams said.

Williams said some operators believe $3,000 a year is too steep.

An airboat, also known as a fanboat or swampboat, is a flat-bottomed bottom often propelled by an engine-driven fan.

Because it has no operating parts below the waterline, an airboat travels easily through shallow swamps, marshes and bayous.

Airboat operators on the St. Johns River promote tours as a fun way to get a close-up look at alligators, eagles and otters in natural settings.

shudak@orlandosentinel.com or 407-650-6361

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