Mar 19, 2025
Starting Jan. 1, under Brianna’s Law, New York State requires all motorized boat and personal watercraft operators, regardless of age, to pass a boater safety course and carry a New York boater safety certificate/boater card on their person. Registration info in the story. Forrest Fisher Photo
As our inland lakes and Lake Erie transition from solid ice to their summer form, the new reality of sink or swim has immediate meaning. As we turn from ice augers to watercraft, starting Jan. 1, under Brianna’s Law, New York State requires all motorized boat and personal watercraft operators, regardless of age, to pass a boater safety course and carry a New York boater safety certificate/boater card on their person.
This mandatory requirement is not just a formality, but an essential step to ensure that the New York Waterways remain safe and enjoyable after several years of boating accidents and fatalities.
The course teaches basic boating skills and encourages common sense and courtesy to all who share the water.
The topics covered include rules of the nautical road, required safety equipment, special boating-related activities, personal floatation devices, boater lights, and more. There are several ways to certify.
The boater safety courses, managed by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, offer an official and convenient online solution for busy individuals with their “Boat-Ed” course. Their online Boat-Ed boating education resources and boater license courses have been developed in conjunction with the boating safety agencies responsible for boater education in states and provinces. The course is approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and Transport Canada and is recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard. The online “Boat-Ed” courses, priced at $44.95, feature online videos and course materials, making it easy for participants to learn at their own pace. Register at this link: https://www.boat-ed.com/newyork/.
The New York boater safety course will include rules of the nautical road, required safety equipment, special boating-related activities, personal flotation devices, boat lights and more. Forrest Fisher Photo
The BoatUS Foundation also offers an online course, but it is free. It is the only free online Boating safety Course approved by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to meet the mandatory boater requirements to complete a NASBLA-approved boater safety course. Register for this free course at https://www.boatus.org/newyork.
This year, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, a part of your local community, will offer FREE 8-hour boater safety courses. The courses are open to the public, and upon completion, successful candidates will receive a temporary boater safety certificate to operate their watercraft. A $10 fee payable to New York State Parks is required after the course to obtain the required permanent boater card with New York State. Face-to-face courses like this allow participants to ask questions and hear the responses. Several free courses will be taught in multiple locations by two Chautauqua County Sheriff Navigation Deputies. The courses will run from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with a lunch break. So far, the following course dates are firm: May 17 – Viking Summer Lodge on the main floor at 4923 NY-430 in Bemus Point; May 31 – Lawson Center Boat Museum at 73 Lakeside Drive in Bemus Point. Additional dates are pending, including May 24 – Celeron Community Building; June 7 – EOC Building in Mayville; and June 14 – Conservation Club. Registrants must be at least 10 years old by the start of the course date offering. To register, contact the Sheriff’s Department at this link: https://parks.ny.gov/recreation/boating/education.aspx. The Southtowns Walleye Association will also offer a face-to-face Boater Safety Course later this year.
The Navigation Division of the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office patrols several bodies of water, including Chautauqua Lake, Cassadaga Lake, Findley Lake, Bear Lake and Lake Erie from the Pennsylvania line to Erie County and out to international waters. To help offset costs, the Chautauqua County Marine Unit is partially funded by New York State reimbursement from boater registration fees.
Gotta love the outdoors.
Outdoor Calendar:
Mar. 20: Southtowns Walleye Association of WNY, monthly meeting, 7PM, 5895 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg.
Mar. 22: NWTF Chautauqua Lake Chapter, ANNUAL BANQUET, American Legion Post 556, 9 Meadow Lane, Frewsberg, 5PM start, Info: 716-499-2726, tickets: https://events.nwtf.org/320070-2025/tickets.
Mar. 22: NY Hunter Education, Carroll Rod and Gun, 1111 Frew Run Rd., Frewsberg, NY, 8AM-5PM, register online: https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/222045; Free, must complete homework prior to class.
Mar. 23: DEC Summer Camp for Youth, registrations open; visit https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/summer-camps.
Mar. 29: NY Hunter Education, Springville Field/Stream, 8900 Chaise Rd, Springville, 9AM-5:30PM, register online: https://www.register-ed.com/events/register/224954; Free, must complete homework prior to class.
Apr. 1: Opening Day for NYS Inland Trout Season
NOTE: Send Calendar info or related outdoor news to forrestfisher35@yahoo.com.
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