Lake life offers recreation, leisure and relaxation for residents and visitors alike. Conscientious and courteous behavior as well as compliance with state and federal marine laws and regulations allow for a safer and more enjoyable experience for all.
In 2016, a family from California was visiting Lake George. The visit ended abruptly when one boat collided with another resulting in the death of a young child and grievous injury to the mother. Ballston Lake is not immune to such incidents and there have been fatalities on the lake in the past.
It seems that the number of dangerous activity reports on the water increase every year. This year included the collision of two jet skis and a kayaker that was nearly broadsided by a speedboat. In addition, there have been countless reports of risky behavior ranging from:
Fun and excitement can quickly turn to tragedy and grief in the wake of an accident or death.
So, be safe and keep others safe! If you or your children do not have your boater’s license you can take a FREE online course to obtain a boater’s license. ALL NY Jet Ski operators are required to have a boating license, regardless of age. There are no traffic signs and signals on the water, no yellow or white lines to guide you or the boat that is bearing down on you at high speed! Make the best of a bad-weather day, go online and get your boating license.
Boater certification courses that qualify you for your boating license include (but not limited to):
There are fines and penalties for unsafe boating, lack of requirement watercraft safety gear and operating a watercraft without the proper license and registration. It is the liability of the owner of the watercraft should an incident occur. So be sure that your children and guests know the rules. Have fun, be safe, spend your money on something other than fines and enjoy this beautiful resource that is “home” for many of us.