Town preps for busy boating season

What might be one of the busiest boating seasons ever kicks off this week. In response, Islip Town officials are buckling down and taking extra steps to make sailors safe this summer.

Islip Town, Suffolk County Police Department and the United States Coast Guard hosted a press conference Wednesday, May 26, at the Maple Avenue Dock in Bay Shore to urge safe boating and curve illegal fishing charter boats.

Town supervisor Angie Carpenter said boat sales have skyrocketed this last year during the pandemic, and there are no signs of sales slowing during 2021.

“With more boats on the water, we must be more cautious,” Carpenter said, citing that the sales of boats and marine products across the country increased 9 percent over last year. She said more first-time boaters on the water raises room for concern.

Specifically in Islip, the town’s boat slip rental is at about 90 percent capacity, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs commissioner Thomas Owens said – a large spike from years past.

“It's the most slips we’ve rented in about 20 years, so we expected a lot of people will be on the water,” Owens said.

To keep up with the increase in boaters, the Town of Islip Harbor Patrol and the Suffolk County Police Department Marine Bureau will be conducting water safety checks by visiting vessels to ensure that all requirements are met and equipment is present, Islip Public Safety commissioner Anthony Prudenti said.

So what can boaters do to stay safe?

Acting Suffolk County police commissioner Stuart Cameron recommended boaters keep their speed low, limit alcohol use and be prepared with appropriate safety equipment. “We want people to enjoy the summer, and we want people to do so safely,” he said.

Cameron noted that a minor incident on land can turn into a “dire” situation on the water if unprepared.

“Boats lack a lot of the safety features that you see in cars – they don’t have airbags, they don’t have seatbelts. So even a minor collision between two vessels can have catastrophic consequences,” he said.

In 2019, there were 4,168 recreational boating accidents that involved 613 deaths, 2,559 injuries and approximately $55 million of damage to property, according to data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Coast Guard. There was a 67 percent increase in recreational boating deaths in the Northeast this past year, and in 74 percent of those cases, victims were not wearing life jackets.

The Coast Guard is also taking steps to prevent these boating tragedies from occurring. Civilian marine inspector Morgan Benggio said the federal organization will be conducting recreational boating safety inspections at sea, where vessels will be stopped to ensure that they meet all guidelines.

The organization is also pushing out boating safety through social media, under the guise of the hashtag #WearIt. Users are encouraged to download the app, CGIS TIPS, to report suspected illegal charters.

Any uninspected vessel under 100 gross tons carrying over six passengers can be defined as an illegal charter, Benggio said.

“Typically, they’re what we call ‘excursion tour boats,’ and they’re running in and around Long Island carrying more than six passengers,” Benggio said. Once a vessel hosts more than six passengers, it must be inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard regularly to ensure its safety.

“Illegal charters are something that the Coast Guard has a concerted effort here on Long Island, and we’re working very hard to educate the boating public and ultimately educate the public [on them],” Benggio said.

But recognizing an illegal vessel might be difficult. “It’s tough to spot,” Benggio said.

Some key characteristics include boats that appear to be far over capacity or vessels that make frequent, busy arrivals and departures. Inspected vessels that can carry up to 10 people should have a Coast Guard-certified sticker prominently placed near where passengers embark and disembark.

The Town of Islip will be offering boating safety courses to the general public. Details are expected to be posted on the town website in coming weeks at https://islipny.gov/.