March 2017 Newsletter: Boat Inspections to be Offered

Plans are being made by the Safety Committee to offer a boat safety inspection conducted by the HudsonMohawk Sail and Power Squadron.

While all details have not been finalized, the early plan is to have members from the Squadron working from one or possibly two adjacent docks on the lake. This would be a voluntary inspection for boat owners to help them identify any missing or faulty items required to be carried in boats by NYS law. Are all your lights working, have an anchor on board… will that seven year old personal floatation device pass today’s standards?? While, of course, there will be no tickets issued for boats coming up short on
requirements, there will be an inspection sticker given to those boats that pass. This might be important for the 2017 boating season.

With the number of concerned calls to the Sheriff’s Department from lake residents on the rise, the hope is that there will be more sightings of the Sheriff’s boat on the lake in the coming season. Should that happen, boat inspections are a major component of their work. Finding out from the Power Squadron that your boat will not pass a NYS inspection might be a better option than hearing it from the Sheriff…along with the fine that probably would come with it.

The dates, times and location of the boat inspection will be announced this spring with an e-blast, posted on the BLIA website and be listed in the May newsletter. Hope to see you there