BIA and the New York Sea Grant Partner with YNN For Discover Better Boating Series

The Boating Industries Association of Upstate New York and the New York Sea Grant have partnered with YNN for the “Discover Better Boating” series. This program will be held on the third Saturday of every month throughout the summer 2012. It will provide NY boaters with helpful information to better enjoy your boating season. The first air date takes place Saturday, May 19.

Click here for more details and tune in on May 19.

Boat Operators Struggle With Heavier Load 

From: The Wall Street Journal

The growing girth of Americans is leaving one industry feeling less than buoyant.

Since December, companies that operate passenger boats have had to comply with a new rule issued by the U.S. Coast Guard that raises the assumed average weight of a passenger to 185 pounds, up from 140 pounds, an estimate in use since 1960.

As a result, some operators say they have reduced the number of passengers on their boats, taking a toll on revenues. Others have hired marine architects to determine how boats can increase stability, by adding ballast or filling compartments with flotation foam. 

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U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Keeps Sights Set on Safe Boating in Cold Water

From: WatertownDailyTimes.com

An early spring heat wave that led to the early arrival of boaters and other water enthusiasts on the St. Lawrence River has drawn the attention of members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary here.

“We’re not law enforcement; we’re just going to let you know the rules,” district Capt. Robert L. Scofield said Monday. “We’re asking for common sense on the water so somebody doesn’t get hurt.”

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Rivertowns' Boaters Anxiously Await Summer Season

From: TheDailyOssining.com

After months of watching their boats sit perched on top of cinder blocks, Westchester boaters are itching to hit the open water.

While the normal spring anticipation of the upcoming boating season has been mounting, many say this year they are even more eager to get on the Hudson River after a hurricane and pair of sewage spills cut last season short.

“The conditions of river at the end of last season put a damper on the season,” said Tom Andrus, president of Sleepy Hollow’s Philipse Manor Beach Club. “People began looking forward to this year very early on.” 

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