OCEAN CITY A pilot program
looks to be in the works to allow
stand-up paddleboards in the surf
during the times of modified surfing
in the month of September.
Last week, Gabriel Mancini, own-
er of Mancini's Italian Restaurant in
Fenwick Island and an Ocean City
resident, came before the Mayor
and City Council asking for the Rec-
reation and Parks Committee to ex-
amine Ocean City's code to consid-
er having a Stand Up Paddleboard
(SUP) be reclassified as a surfboard
to be allowed in the ocean's surf
during the time of modified surfing
beaches.
SUPs are generally longer than
nine feet with some extending long-
er than 12 feet with one to three
surfboard style fins in the stern for
tracking. The person stands on the
board and uses a long single-blad-
ed paddle to navigate the water.
Currently, SUP is defined by City
Code as a watercraft due to its use
of a paddle. The code states, "It is
prohibited for any person to ride a
wind surfboard or operate any wa-
tercraft from adjoining land upon
any beach in the corporate limits of
Ocean City, from Friday of Memorial
Day weekend to September 30 be-
tween the hours of 10 a.m. and 5:30
p.m."Ocean City's modified surfing
beach expands two scheduled ro-
tating surfing beaches during times
of good surf and poor swimming
conditions, as well as has the Inlet
open to surfers on a conditional ba-
sis on the weekends during the
summer due to the surfing beaches
being overcrowded.
Modified surfing beaches also
come into play as the off-season ap-
proaches, such as in the month of
September when the beaches are
less crowded and at the lifeguard's
discretion they will open the ocean
to surfers.
This week the issue came before
the Recreation and Parks Commis-
sion for preliminary discussion with
the Ocean City Beach Patrol (OC-
BP)."I did not realize they are in fact
interested in catching waves with a
SUP. It seems to be some of the
surfers are transitioning to catch
waves with larger SUPs to catch
waves a little easier," Commission
Chair Councilman Joe Mitrecic said.
OCBP Lt. Ward Kovacs pointed
out both Federal and State laws
classify SUP as a vessel.
According to the United States
Coast Guard regulations, a SUP is
no different than vessels. SUP us-
ers, when outside surf or swim
zones or bathing areas, are requir-
ed to carry a lifejacket, or Personal
Flotation Device (PFD), a whistle
and, if out after dark, a flashlight to
give fair warning to other boaters
that they're in the area.
According to the Maryland De-
partment of Natural Resources
SUP Pilot Program
Proposed In Resort
Page 32
January 17, 2014
The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch
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