2 Stroke Explosion (Alaskan 2 stroke ban)

[Dinikin]

Just curious if anyone is expecting or has seen 2 strokes from Alaska flooding our markets.
How do you think it will effect local sales.
Maybe time to get rid of your 2 strokes while you have time.
Wanted to know your opinoun on it.

[Orca]

No. What ban? References please.

[R Jackson]

Is this what you are refering to?



February 1, 2008 Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation
KENAI RIVER MOTOR REGULATIONS FINALIZED
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DNR Commissioner Tom Irwin has announced that on January 31, Lt. Governor Parnell approved the regulations that implement changes for boats and motors on the Kenai River. The new regulations that will be effective on March 1, 2008 will permit the use of 50 horsepower motors, as long as any motor that is larger than 35 horsepower is one of the cleaner burning four-stroke or Direct Fuel Injected (DFI) two-stroke motors. Additionally, all motors used within the Kenai River Special Management Area during the month of July must also be either four-stroke or DFI two-stroke motors. The proposed full phase out of all older two-stroke engines that was to go into effect in 2010 has been removed from the approved regulations.

In recognition that most of the hydrocarbon pollution problems have been concentrated in July, and that a good many Alaskans do not have the immediate resources to transition to the new cleaner burning motors right away, the decision was made to remove the date by which all older two-stroke motors would be banned. DNR plans to re-propose the year-round ban on older two-stroke motors with a 2013 effective date to give river users a longer period to complete this transition.

In addition to the changes on motors, the approved regulations also limit overall boat size to no more than 21 feet long and 106 inches wide, with a limited provision to allow owners of larger boats to be permitted to use their boats until 2010.

Commissioner Irwin stated: "The Kenai River is a tremendously important resource. It is critical to the personal enjoyment of residents and visitors, to the commercial and sport fishing industries, and to the economic health of the Kenai Peninsula. Any threat to the Kenai River requires our serious attention."
Water samples collected over the last several years from the Kenai River show high levels of petroleum hydrocarbons during peak fishing periods. The levels of hydrocarbons have sometimes exceeded safe levels for fish, as established by state water quality regulations. Most of the hydrocarbons appear to be coming from unburned gasoline released from older, two-stroke boat motors, which are heavily used during the month of July's peak sport fishery.
According to Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation Director James King, "It is important to note that these new regulations will only apply within the Kenai River Special Management Area that includes Kenai and Skilak Lakes and all of the Kenai River except for the lower four miles. Those lower four miles are also critical to the health of the Kenai River's fishery resources. We encourage the Alaska Board of Fish to take appropriate action in their current meeting to adopt similar protection for water quality in that lower four mile stretch of the River."

Those state agencies with primary responsibilities for the health of the Kenai River will continue to monitor the river to see that the transition to the cleaner-burning motors is having the result we all want - a clean, healthy river environment.

[Chrome Bumper]

Not enough of them to worry about.

[Paul12]

It won't flood us with much I do not think. California is already going to 4-stroke only and a few states have laws in the works that will follow.

[Orca]

I see, a 1 month/yr ban on the Kenai = Alaskan 2 stroke ban.

[Waterfish]

It won't flood us with much I do not think. California is already going to 4-stroke only and a few states have laws in the works that will follow.

Not true. Just older 2-strokes are banned in some lakes like Tahoe. New injected 2-strokes like Evinrude E-tecs put out less emissions than 4-strokes. The National Park Service uses E-tecs on their boats in Crater Lake.

[saltfisher]

It won't flood us with much I do not think. California is already going to 4-stroke only and a few states have laws in the works that will follow.

We are not going four-stroke only. We go by the emission ratings on the outboards. Which up till about 5 years ago usually meant 4 stroke, but with new fuel injected two strokes, such as the e-tec we see more and more newer 2 stokes. No four stroke on the current market runs a clean as an e-tec 2 stroke. Only lake Tahoe and a few other reserviors in the south bay have a restriction, the other 99% is still open. Where the restrictions, there really ain't anything you and I would be interested in catching for he most part.

Bob