Bob Stevens remembered

By James Card

A public informational forum about boating on the Wolf River was held Saturday, April 23, at the Fremont Village Hall.

The Tri-County Powerboat Alliance sponsored the meeting.

Officers from the Wisconsin DNR water patrol, the Waupaca County Sheriff water patrol, the Winnebago County Sheriff water patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary were present.

Two nonprofit groups, the Wolf River Preservation Association and Winnebago Waterways, were also present. Judy Johnson of the Tri-County Powerboat Alliance moderated the discussion.

On display from the Fremont Area Historical Society was a thick album of black-and-white photos chronicling boat races that have taken place on the Wolf River since 1932.

“Fremont is a tourist and resort destination. Our businesses here in our community rely, well, was they say they make their January payroll in July. They rely on the waterway as a recreational resource. If you go to the parking lots today you will see there is an awful lot of people form out of state and out of the region here to enjoy the fishing and boating and they bring a lot of money to our community,” said Johnson.

“I think sometimes – at least from my perspective – people lose sight that it’s not always an On Golden Pond moment here in Fremont. There is a fair amount of challenging dynamics going on. We have challenges with the townships and the villages and the way that the laws are put into place. Oftentimes people don’t understand how that happens,” she said.

The forum opened with each of the officers introducing themselves. They then discussed some of the main issues and complaints that they observe while patrolling the Wolf River.

The forum then opened up to a question and answer session with those in attendance. The overall theme of the forum was that of educating the boating public and explaining the boating regulations from an on-the-water perspective.

The topics discussed were the importance of wearing life jackets, aquatic invasive species, noise complaints about loud boats, no-wake zones, drinking and boating, garbage clean-up days, how buoys are placed on the river and the status of the Wolf River as a federal waterway.

New boating law

An officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary pointed out a new fire extinguisher rule that took effect on April 20, 2022. The new rule is that non-rechargeable fire extinguishers older than 12 years are considered expired and must be removed from service. Not all boats need a fire extinguisher but some do.

The criteria for keeping a fire extinguisher on board are: permanently installed fuel tank, spaces that are capable of trapping fumes such as cabins and compartments, compartments where flammable materials are stowed and a double bottom that is not sealed to the hull or not completely filled with flotation material.

More details on the rule can be found at https://uscgboating.org.

Bob Stevens tribute

After the forum, Judy Johnson presented a $300 check in memory of Bob Stevens to the Fremont-Wolf River Fire Department to be put towards their water rescue boat.

On the driver’s windshield on the boat there is a decal of a fireman’s helmet with the words: “In memory of Robert (Bob) Stevens 1955 – 2022.”

“We’re thankful we were able to pass along a modest donation to the Fremont-Wolf River Fire Department’s water rescue boat in honor of Bob Stevens. It’s hard to begin to appreciate Bob’s loss to our community, the Fremont-Wolf River EMS & Fire Department, the Invaders Snowmobile Club, Webfooters, the Tri-County Powerboat Alliance and countless dedicated volunteer hours of a man like Bob Stevens,” said Johnson. “Always willing to lend a hand, teaching, leading by example, he was an advocate for our boating community lending his skills and friendship to others.”