NEW YORK, NY
After a busy weekend on the waters of New York, the Coast Guard and Metropolitan are reminding the boating public to practice safe boating for the remainder of the busy summer season.
The following cases indicate the importance of preparedness.
A boarding team from Coast Guard Station Shinnecock terminated the voyage of a 25-foot pleasure craft Friday. The pleasure craft was found to have one major violation of having an insufficient amount of life jackets on board. The boatcrew escorted the vessel to Shinnecock Shores Marina.
A boarding team from Coast Guard Station Shinnecock terminated the voyage of a 22-foot pleasure craft Friday. The pleasure craft was found to have one major violation of having no fire extinguisher on board. The boatcrew escorted the vessel to a boat slip near Gardeners Avenue.
A boarding team from Coast Guard Station Shinnecock terminated the voyage of a 20-foot pleasure craft Friday. The pleasure craft was found to have two violations. Not having a sufficient amount of life jackets and no type-4 throwable floatation device on board. The boatcrew escorted the vessel to its homeport.
A boarding team from Coast Guard Station Shinnecock terminated the voyage of a 19-foot pleasure craft Saturday. The pleasure craft was found to have one major violation of having no fire extinguisher on board. The boatcrew escorted the vessel to the South Hampton Yacht Club.
A boarding team from Coast Guard Station Shinnecock terminated the voyage of a 13-foot pleasure craft Sunday. The pleasure craft was found to have three major violations: no fire extinguisher, no sound producing device, and no type-4 throwable floatation device. These violations resulted in the boatcrew escorting the vessel to Rampshire Street in Southampton.
A boarding team from Coast Guard Station Shinnecock terminated the voyage of a 21-foot pleasure craft Sunday. The pleasure craft was found to have one major violation of having an insufficient amount of life jackets on board. The boatcrew escorted the vessel to the Southampton Yacht Club.
A boarding team from Coast Guard Station Shinnecock terminated the voyage of a 26-foot pleasure craft Sunday. The pleasure craft was found to have one major violation of having an insufficient amount of life jackets on board. The boatcrew escorted the vessel to the Aquebogue Marina.
“With the warm summer weather, we’re seeing an increase in recreational boaters,” said Chief Warrant Officer Richard Berg, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Station Shinnecock. “We want everyone to enjoy their boating experience. Our top priority is insuring you are safe while doing so. Having the required safety equipment and knowing how to use it increases the odds of coming home safely. It isn’t worth your life or the lives of your friends and family to risk going out unprepared.”
In 2014, 78% of fatal boating accident victims died due to drowning. Of those drowning victims with reported life jacket usage, 84% were not wearing a life jacket.
For more information on boating safety, and what you can do to prepare before going out on the water, go to the Boating Safety Resource Center at http://ift.tt/16CBKrb.