Jet-Boat Limits On River Eased

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - The Bureau of Land Management has eased the restrictions on commercial jet-boat traffic on the Rogue River out of Grants Pass.

The changes came after Bob Hamlyn, owner of Rogue Jet Boat Excursions and Hellgate Excursions, complained that limitations placed on his operation by the BLM in December could put him out of business.

Despite easing the restrictions, the BLM hopes the rules will reduce conflicts among jet boats, rafters and anglers, said Eric Schoblom, associate manager of the BLM's Medford District.

Hamlyn holds the only commercial jet-boat permit for the 27 miles of river between the Applegate River and Grave Creek. Last year, he carried 62,000 people, double the amount of just a few years ago.

Responding to complaints from homeowners, rafters and anglers, the BLM had limited each of Hamlyn's outfits to nine trips a day in three groups between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. The new rules give Hamlyn one more trip per day for a total of 19 and expand the hours to 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., while keeping the trips bunched in three starting times.

The lead boat of each group would carry a sign saying how many boats are to follow.

Under the old rules, Hamlyn's two biggest boats, capable of carrying 80 passengers apiece, would have been outlawed by 1993. He can now run one through 1995 and the other through 1996. The old rules had limited Hamlyn to four trips per day through narrow Hellgate Canyon on

weekends and holidays in July and August, the most crowded days on the river.

The new rules give him six trips through the canyon during that period.