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1988 Survey of Minnesota Boat Owners—Study Design and Method
<br />Access to Minnc‘C*.T’s lakes and
<br />streams is provided through many
<br />vatc and commerciaj facilities as well
<br />as through innumerable public canoe
<br />launches, beaches, and open stretches
<br />of shoreline. More than 2.200 free pub
<br />lic water access sites are managed by
<br />federal, state, couniy. and local govern
<br />ments. Minnesota ’s Department of
<br />Natural Resources (DNR) manages
<br />nearly 1.200 of these sites.
<br />Although a primary DNR activity is ac
<br />quiring access to water bodies state
<br />wide. recent discussions have focused
<br />on managing these resources to be tier
<br />serve the boating public. What should
<br />the future direction be for managing the
<br />state ’s water resources to offer safe and
<br />rewinding boaung opportunities?
<br />In 1987. the authors, the University of
<br />Minnesota, and five units of the DNR
<br />(Boat and Water Safety. Fisheries,
<br />Planning, Trails and Waterways, and
<br />Waters) entered into a partnership to
<br />conduct a statewide survey of regis
<br />tered boat owners to determine how
<br />boaters use their pleasure boats on
<br />Minnesota waters and what they think
<br />about (1) safety problems and issues
<br />related to their current boating, (2) bar
<br />riers to safe boating and high quality
<br />boating experiences, and (3) removal
<br />of barriers by imfMOving or providing
<br />information, management, facilities,
<br />and services at or near free public water
<br />accesses. The study invesugated these con
<br />cerns for the slate ’s waters as a whole and
<br />with specific reference to two of our largest
<br />water resources—the North Shore of Lake
<br />Superior and the Mississippi River down
<br />stream from the Twin Cities.
<br />In March and April, 1988. a mail-back
<br />questionnaire was sent to a representative
<br />sample of 3,2(X) registered boat owners
<br />drawn from the pool of 286,000 pleasure
<br />boat owners in the state licensed through
<br />the DNR. The survey sample was selected
<br />to enable comparisons to be made among
<br />the three regions of the state di.splayed in
<br />Figure 5, and among six major types of
<br />licensed pleasure boats: canoes and kay
<br />aks. other boats under 14 feet in length,
<br />sailboats 14 to 20 feet, sailboats more than
<br />Figure 5. Stutly regions
<br />..-A___
<br />North
<br />South
<br />This study was funded by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
<br />20 feet, other boats 14 to 20 feet, and
<br />other boats more than 20 feet in length.
<br />Other comparisons, such •'s those be
<br />tween boat owners who own or do not
<br />own riparian property, are also possible.
<br />The questionnaire was comprised of 45
<br />quesuons and took about 15 minutes to
<br />complete. The initial mailing and two
<br />follow-up reminders resulted in 2,490
<br />owners returning the survey. About 100
<br />surveys were eliminated from the origi
<br />nal sample of 3,200, resulting in an
<br />overall adjusted response rate of 80
<br />percent. Thi s excellent response reflects
<br />Minnesota boat owners’ strong interest
<br />in expressing their views, as well as the
<br />importance they place on the slate ’s free
<br />public water accesses to achieve quality
<br />boating experiences.
<br />Survey respondents may not be repre-
<br />scntaiive of the typical boat owner. The
<br />survey questionnaire requested the indi
<br />vidual in the household "who goes boat
<br />ing most frequently" to respond to the
<br />survey. Therefore, the typical survey re
<br />spondent may be somewhat older and a
<br />more experienced boater than the state ’s
<br />typical boat owner or boater.
<br />Deiailsaboui the study design and meth
<br />ods, the raw data, and the data summary
<br />tables arc available ' rom the authors and
<br />from the DNR’s Office of Planning, 5(X)
<br />Lafayette Rd., St. Paul. MN 55155-
<br />4010 (612-296-0565).
<br />Minnesota Extension Service
<br />U niversity OF Minnesota
<br />Authors:Leo H. McAvoy. Associate Professor, Division of Recreation. Park, and Leisure Studies
<br />David W. Lime. Adjunct Professor and Research Associate. Department of Forest Resources and Tourism Center
<br />Curtis Schaiz. Research Assistant, Division of Recreation. Park, and Leisure Studies
<br />David G. Pitt, Professor. Department of Landscape Architecture
<br />Technical Assisunce: Minnesota Center for Survey Research. University of Minncs4)ta (administration and processing of survey questionnaires)
<br />Editor: Louise Jones
<br />Tourism Center. 48 McNeal Hall. 1985 Buiord Ave.. l;:-..vcrsity of Minnesota. St. Paul. MN 55108; John Scm. Director
<br />Copyright by Minnesota Extension Service. University ol Minnesota. All rights reserved.
<br />Issued in i of coo|x:rative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the
<br />U.S. Der . A griculture, Patrick J. Borich. Dean and Director of Minnesota Extension Service. University of Minnesou. St. Paul.
<br />Mir.ncsa' . The University of Minnesota, including the Miruicsota Extension Service, is committed to the pobey that all persons shall have
<br />equal access tc ts programs, facilities, and employmenl without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, handicap, age. veteran stanis.
<br />or sexual orientation.
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