By Courtney Dentch
City Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) and state Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) kicked off the start of national boating safety week at the Bayside Marina Sunday by announcing a state bill that would require all boat pilots hold a training certificate.
“It is amazing that anybody can just buy a boat, put it in the water and drive it without any training,” Avella said. “This has to change.”
Both Avella and Gianaris represent districts that hug the north and western coasts of Queens.
New York state does not require motor boat operators to receive any training before heading out on the open seas. Children as young as age 10 can also drive boats unsupervised, Gianaris said.
“Until I started to look into this, I didn't realize how lax the regulations are,” he said. “You can be just 10 years old and be able to get in a motorboat by yourself. This can lead to fatal accidents. This is something that's very preventable.”
Of pilots involved in boating accidents, 70 percent ado not have training certificates, and that number goes up to 84 percent when zeroing in on fatal boating accidents, according to City Council testimony from Steve Blackistone of the National Transportation Safety Board. The Council held a hearing on boating safety Sept. 18 after Avella introduced a resolution calling for training requirements, he said.
Gianaris' bill would require all motorboat pilots to hold a training certificate awarded after a pilot completes an informational course akin to the five-hour driving course required before New York state residents can test for a driver's license. The boating courses are offered by a variety of groups, including the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and are about eight hours long, said James Miranda, co-owner of the Bayside Marina.
The bill would also mandate that children between ages 10 and 16 must have a trained pilot over age 16 in the boat with them, Gianaris said.
“It is critical that we ensure the safety of those who operate motor boats as we do those who drive cars,” he said. “We must provide children with the opportunity to enjoy and learn how to operate a vessel in an environment where they would not be putting themselves or others at risk.”
Avella and Gianaris are hoping to build support for the measure in the Assembly and find a sponsor who will introduce the bill in the Senate, they said.
Avella started looking at boating safety after a 2002 accident on Little Neck Bay left a Flushing native and a Little Neck teen dead. Two others, a Bellerose woman and a Douglas Manor teen, were also injured in the crash.
Miranda and the other owners of the Bayside Marina do their part by giving boaters an unofficial cram course in safety, he said.
“If we see something we let them know,” Miranda said. “We're not shy. If they're doing something wrong we'll tell them.”
Most new boaters, including Scott Cunningham of Astoria, appreciate the advice.
“You can't skip on safety,” he said. “We don't want to hurt ourselves or anyone else.”
And as witnesses to mistakes that people can make on the water, the Bayside Marina owners support the training requirement.
“We want to make sure people come back safe,” said co-owner Martin Munch. “Some people come out on the water as a stress reliever. We want it to be enjoyable.”
Reach reporter Courtney Dentch by e-mail at news@timesledger.com, or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
