Yes. The fees seemed to be to fund the AIS inspections and for use permits (which I get and which I respect in concept, but which I strongly disagree with when the fee for a cheap small kayak or canoe is the same as the fee for a $100k powerboat).
In most of the states there were inspection stations located along major routes and you were required to stop and have your boat checked out for AIS, in several cases even though you were only transporting your boat thru the state with no planned use on any of those state waters.
Some states were more demanding than others...in Colorado we were informed that a separate access/use fee was required not for AIS but basically for the privilege to use the boats in their waters (or something like that, we didn’t boat there and didn’t pay the fee...maybe a CO member can chime in).
The under 10 foot exemption seemed to be a common. I am frustrated about this arbitrary length rule because it’s a weird standard. Of course our playboats were both 10’6” long and so we had to stop and pay several times x2 boats. There was no reciprocation between states for these fees either. And SUP’s are also included in the states’ gimme, gimme more of your money rules...
