Gas cards become lure for boat parade

OCEAN CITY, N.J., July 11 (UPI) -- A Jersey Shore resort hopes $100 gas cards will convince hard-pressed U.S. boat owners to participate in the annual Night In Venice parade.

Ocean City, N.J., officials hope at least 80 boats will take part on July 19 but only 30 had signed up by Thursday, the Atlantic City Press reported.

"We were trying to ensure we had as many boats as we had last year," said Mark Soifer, the Ocean City spokesman. "This year, with the gas situation, we don't want to take any chances."

Night In Venice, now in its 54th year, has become a major tourist event in Ocean City, bringing between 125,000 and 150,000 spectators. In recent years, the decoration of many waterfront homes for the parade has become as elaborate as the boats.

With diesel fuel for boats costing about $5 a gallon, owners of larger boats could spend more than $100 on the parade, Soifer said.

Jack Hamann of Avalon Pointe Marina said there are fewer boats in the water making fewer trips. A day's fishing could cost $1,000 in fuel, he said.

"You don't see boats go anywhere," Hamann said. "And I'm afraid boating offshore is becoming a rich man's game."