Next weekend, especially the Fourth of July Holiday, is traditionally the busiest boating time of the year. Let’s make sure that it is a safe and pleasant experience for everyone.
With the busy boating and canoeing season coming up it is worth reminding everyone about boat safety. New laws about operating a boat under the influence of alcohol have been passed and hopefully these will reduce the number of accidents on our waterways. Keep alert and save the refreshments until after the boat has been docked for the day.
It is also important to note that laws require a wearable type I, II, or III PFD (life jacket) be aboard every vessel, including canoe or kayak. Children under 12 must wear a PFD while aboard a boat or canoe. In fact everyone should wear them since nobody plans on having an accident. Injury, shock from cold water, and current can inhibit your ability to swim and statistics show that most deaths result from drowning.
Know the rules of the road about giving sailboats a wide berth, and use courtesy like reducing waves around smaller craft like fishing boats, canoes, and kayaks to avoid swamping them. Be alert for kayaks and other boats that are smaller and ride low to the surface of the water. Familiarize yourself about common rules of passing or meeting other boats.
It is also the law to reduce speed and avoid causing wakes in many areas along sensitive shorelines, docks, and other areas. Use common sense, stay alert, and make this a safe season on the water.
Boat Launch Courtesy
With the holiday weekend and great weather in the forecast it is certain to be a busy season on the water. Boat launches will be busy so be sure to use courtesy and keep things moving smoothly so you won’t interfere with others. We realize that veteran boaters are familiar with these procedures, but some newer boaters may not think of these, here are some hints to make sure all have a smooth launch or landing.
Make sure your battery is cranking fresh. Running it off the trailer is not the time to find out you need a charge. Have an experienced person back the trailer down. This is not the weekend or the location to give your wife or son some learning experience.
Get your boat ready before you launch. Have your gear aboard, tackle in place, water skis or coolers all set in the parking lot, not spend time doing it at the dock. After you pull your boat out of the water, move the trailer off to the side out of other people’s way before you fasten down everything for the trip home.
Brianna’s Law – Safety Course
By 2025, all operators of power boats are required to have taken a Safety Course. Five-Year Phase-in Applies to Motorized Watercraft. Last year Brianna’s Law was passed to phase in requirements that all operators of motorized watercraft must complete a state-approved boating safety course.
Brianna’s Law is named after Brianna Lieneck, an 11-year-old Long Island girl who was killed in a 2005 boating accident. The Governor also directed State Parks to launch a boating safety promotional campaign to remind boaters of the new requirement to take a safety course.
The measure expands an earlier law signed by Governor Cuomo that requires boaters born after May 1, 1996 to complete a safety course before operating a motorized watercraft. Under the phase-in, all motor boat operators born on or after Jan. 1, 1993 must complete a safety course to operate a motor boat beginning in 2020.
Those born after Jan. 1, 1988 must complete a safety course beginning in 2022. Those born on or after Jan. 1, 1983 must complete a safety course beginning in 2023. Those born on or after Jan. 1, 1978 must complete a safety course beginning in 2024. The requirement would extend to all motor boat operators beginning in 2025, regardless of age. Failure to comply could result in a fine of between $100 and $250 under the new law that went into effect Jan. 1, 2020.
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which administers the law, estimates that there are nearly one million boaters who will have to take the safety courses before the end of the phase-in on Jan. 1, 2025.
Governor Cuomo also directed State Parks to launch a boating safety promotional campaign to ensure that boaters are aware of the new requirement to take a course online or in person and to promote safety on our waterways, including radio and social media advertisements; distribution of informational materials to law enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, marinas, boating education instructors and boating safety partners; and State Parks website updates.
There are nearly 439,000 registered powerboats in the state, according to the 2018 state Recreational Boating Report. The law does not apply to operators of sailboats, kayaks, standup paddleboards, rowboats or canoes.
SHORT CASTS
Protect Loons – Stay Away From Chicks
Loons are one of the iconic symbols of the Adirondacks and other wild places. Thanks to the efforts of the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation and many other individuals or groups, they have made a remarkable comeback in recent years. However there are still many dangers or hazards in protecting these fascinating birds.
One of these is a large number of ignorant or selfish people who do not stay away from loons on the nest or young loons shortly after they hatch. One common sight is some ignorant jerk who “just wants to get one closeup photo” and is harassing or chasing loon chicks with their boat. This is in spite of much printed information or prominent signs at most water bodies alerting people to the danger involved in this.
At this time the newly-hatched or young loons can easily be swamped and drowned by big waves if they are pushed or herded out in the middle of the lake away from sheltered areas near the shore. The small chicks are often hard to see and can easily be run over by larger motor boats.
Separating the chicks from the parents not only leads to distress for both, it is an invitation to disaster. Without the parents being nearby the young loons are easy prey for a number of predators including gulls, crows, ospreys, eagles, snapping turtles, or otters. Leave them alone and take any photos with the aid of telephoto lens!
If you see boats or canoes getting too close and harassing loon chicks, tell the offenders that this is dangerous and illegal. If they persist, notify a forest ranger or conservation officer.
We also need to make an effort to make sure that there is no discarded fishing line left around. Broken off monofilament can tangle up loons or other waterfowl and animals and lead to death. Broken off sinkers will cause lead poisoning if ingested.
For more information on being involved check the website www.adkloon.org.
DEC Wants Your Opinion re. Oneida Lake
The DEC wants your opinion about Oneida Lake fishery. The DEC is considering increasing the daily limit of walleye on Oneida Lake from three to five fish. To learn more about this proposal and voice your own opinion, go online at the DEC to take a brief survey, DEC is accepting responses until Wed., July 5.
IFHCNY – Fur Rondy
Independent Fur Harvesters of Central NY has been given permission to hold their Nichols Pond Fur Rondy for July. It will be held at Nichols Pond Park, Canastota on July 10 and 11, 2020. The trapper education class often held at this event has been cancelled.
The next meeting will be Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 6 p.m. at the clubhouse.
