Shovel ready boats? I know some of these boats, we fish the same waters from time to time. I don't know any of the Captains personally. This sucks:

From the Carolina Journal

http://www.carolinajournal.com/articles/display_story.html?id=8032

By Don Carrington

RALEIGH — “Bite Me,” a charter fishing boat based at the Hatteras Harbor Marina in Dare County, was one of 14 fishing boats on the North Carolina coast to receive thousands of dollars to replace their diesel engines under President Obama’s stimulus program.

The purpose of the funds, administered by the state’s Marine Diesel Equipment Repower program, was to improve air quality by reducing diesel emissions, though the boats operate in an area of the state not known for air-quality problems.

In addition to the colorfully named “Bite Me,” also receiving funds for engine replacement under the 2009 stimulus program were “Harper’s Folly,” “Endless Pursuit,” “Net Results,” “Hopeful,” and nine other fishing vessels. (See chart below for all grant recipients.)

“Bite Me” owner Jay Kavanagh received $65,886 in public funds for a new diesel motor for the 51-foot charter boat based at the Hatteras Harbor Marina in Dare County. Kavanagh’s award amounted to one-half the cost of purchasing and installing a new Caterpillar 2009 model year motor. The new motor ran cleaner than the 2000 version that had powered his boat.

The largest Marine Diesel grant was $93,000 to replace the engine in Bald Eagle II, a commercial fishing vessel owned by the Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant in Wanchese.

New information about the use of stimulus funding comes as the White House and congressional leaders are deadlocked over proposals to avoid a potential default on more than $14 trillion in government debt.

The Marine Diesel program required each grant recipient both to provide half the funds for the engine swaps and — like the multibillion-dollar “Cash for Clunkers” program that paid drivers to retire and then destroy used cars — to guarantee that the old engine was scrapped instead of being rebuilt or reused

snip

Kavanagh told CJ he learned of the grant program from Curles. Curles said he knew many boat owners in the region and distributed about 200 grant applications to those he thought might need a new motor. “I knew people who needed this money,” he said. “They [the federal government] are going to continue to waste money. I think this money went to a good place.”

Go to the link to get the rest of the story and list of winners in the engine give away.

Menderman