Boating season

As Central New York experiences summer, one of the activities commonly enjoyed across the Finger Lakes region is boating.

Whether it is a one person kayak or a canoe, fishing or water skiing, or even a languid scenic venture along the waterways, it is likely there will be numerous boats out on the region’s many lakes this summer.

While boating in any form should be an enjoyable activity, it is also one that should be safe for all who are out on the water.

With this in mind it is often deputies from the sheriff’s department that are assigned to patrol the regions waterways and ensure safety as well as that rules and regulations are being adhered to.

One of the things these units will be on the lookout for is activity that arouses suspicion of intoxication.

According to the sheriff’s office, alcohol is the number one factor in recreational boater deaths.

Like operating a vehicle on the road, operating a boat on the water, requires the same attention to traffic, people and conditions and requires the same amount of attention and clarity to operate in a safe manner.

The sheriff’s office website also provides other regulations people should keep in mind.

To operate a motorboat an operator can be as young as 10 or under with a person 18 or older on board, if you are between 10 and 18 years old and have a person 18 or older on board, or if you hold a safety certificate and people are 18 years old or older.

The same regulations as apply to boats apply to personal water craft such as jet skis according to the sheriff’s office and operators must complete a boating safety course, the operation of these craft is prohibited from sunset to sunrise, operators and passengers must wear personal flotation devices and an engine cutoff lanyard must be attached to the operator.

Other regulations state that vessels should also be equipped with a fire extinguisher.

Vessels must display their navigation lights at all times between sunset and sunrise, and during daylight periods of reduced visibility.

Personal flotation devices are mandatory and should be in good working order free from tears or any other damage that may inhibit their effectiveness.

It is also recommended that craft carry first aid supplies, oars/paddles and spare lines as well as binoculars.

Operators should also be aware of local ordinances that may impose regulations on speed

It is also important to note, in an effort to curb the spread of invasive species, the New York State DEC has implemented cleaning programs with washing stations at or near boat launches.

Boats, trailers, waders and other fishing and boating equipment can spread aquatic invasive specie s from waterbody to waterbody unless properly cleaned, dried or disinfected after use.

Although some invasive species such as water milfoil are readily visible to the human eye, many others are too small to be readily noticed.

To avoid spreading invasive species please follow the guidelines in the following steps: check, clean, drain, dry and disinfect.

The most effective method to ensure that no invasive species or fish diseases are transported to a new body of water is to completely dry your boating and fishing equipment. The key, according to the DEC is to make certain that equipment is completely dry before using it in a new water body.

Drying times vary significantly depending upon the type of equipment, air temperature and relative humidity.

While the outside of a boat will dry relatively rapidly, bilge, live wells and other areas of a boat not reached by the sun or lacking good air circulation will take additional time to dry completely. A minimum of five to seven days drying time in dry, warm conditions is recommended.