KANE'OHE — The state will launch an unprecedented pilot project on Kane'ohe Bay this holiday weekend to crack down on rowdy behavior, drunken driving of watercraft and other problems that threaten public safety and led to a brawl at a popular sandbar last year.

The effort will be anchored by approximately two dozen officers and staff members with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources along with a Coast Guard cutter and two smaller boats.

DLNR will help with launching, boater education and checking equipment but will also cite violators and arrest people if necessary, said Ed Underwood, administrator for the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.

"The intent is not to ruin anybody's weekend," Underwood said. "It's because of the spike in boating activities on the three-day weekend. That's when we start having a lot of problems. A lot of it is tied to drinking."

Boaters approve of the stepped-up enforcement.

"I think, overall, enforcement is good," said Tom Clark, commodore at Kaneohe Yacht Club. "They have lacked the presence for years and there's no sense in passing rules unless they're going to enforce them."

Hundreds of boats are expected at Kane'ohe Bay this weekend to take advantage of its popular sandbar on the first three-day weekend of the season. People can enjoy an assortment of water activities on the bay, including snorkeling, diving, skiing, sailing and picnicking on the three-acre sandbar known as Ahu o Laka.

RECENT PROBLEMS

But the area has had its problems. In 2005 concerts were held at the sandbar and fights broke out, getting the attention of legislators who passed a bill making the area a monument and opening the door for stricter regulation. Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed the measure.

Residents have complained for years about rowdy behavior, littering and drunken driving of watercraft on and near the sandbar. A brawl last September contributed to the decision to initiate this pilot project, said DLNR spokeswoman Deborah Ward. For now, the effort is planned only on major holiday weekends at Kane'ohe Bay, including the Fourth of July and Labor Day.

But the program is expected to expand across the state, Underwood said.

On Labor Day 2007, Honolulu paramedics treated one man at the sandbar and transported two others to Castle Medical Center in stable condition after a confrontation involving dozens ended with an alleged stabbing, police said.

The situation at the sandbar has deteriorated to the point that many families no longer feel safe at what had been a family-friendly destination, DLNR Chairwoman Laura H. Thielen said in an e-mail.

Enforcement of boating rules and laws should restore some of the security to the bay, Thielen said in a press release announcing the effort.

"If everyone takes personal responsibility to follow the rules, including caring for the bay and respecting other users, we can expect everyone to safely enjoy their outing," she said.

'WAKE-UP' FOR BOATERS

Usually, small boat harbors have no staffing on Sundays and Mondays. But this weekend DLNR will have about three people at He'eia Kea Small Boat Harbor helping with launching, providing boater education and checking equipment, Underwood said. The boating division and the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement will have more than 20 staff in the water and on shore, he said. And if needed, Underwood said, police will be called.

"We just want to bring awareness to what's going on," he said. "You know, boat safe."

Hawaiian cultural practitioner Leialoha "Rocky" Kaluhiwa, whose family's roots are in Ha'iku Valley, said the state is not just enforcing rules and regulations, it is helping the community understand them.

"I'm for people going out there and having a nice time and respecting the area," said Kaluhiwa, a He'eia resident. "That out-of-control drinking, I'm not for, and people getting hurt."

Jerry Kaluhiwa, Rocky's husband and a cultural practitioner who harvests limu from the bay, said people should do more to keep the bay clean. They bring dogs, but they don't pick up the dog waste, Jerry Kaluhiwa said, adding that some people get so drunk they just throw their bottles and trash into the water.

"If they're going to use the place, keep it clean for everybody else to use. Then everybody is happy," he said.

A sharp increase in user conflicts in recent years is a key factor driving the department to conduct this effort, said Ward, the DLNR spokeswoman. That includes everything from thrillcraft operating outside of their intended zones and boaters speeding up to the sandbar.

"DLNR's effort is also a wake-up call to boaters to make sure their vessels are seaworthy and safe for their passengers," Ward said. "Motor vehicles on Hawai'i's roads must be inspected on a regular basis. So, too, should boats on state waters."

Ward said that although the department has worked with the Coast Guard before, this is the first time a concerted effort of this size has been conducted.

Clark, who enjoys going to the sandbar, said problems are rare and most of the infractions he notices have to do with personal watercraft and skiers being at the sandbar where they are not allowed. Even the occasional concerts aren't a problem, he said. Trouble is the exception, not the rule, Clark said.

"It's really a rarity," he said.

Kurt Mench, a boater and member of the Kahalu'u Neighborhood Board, said most people abide by the rules but there are a few who speed in the no-wake zone or lack proper safety equipment.

"We don't need any new rules and regulations," Mench said. "The enforcement (this weekend) is to let people know you have to behave and we all have to be responsible."