Contacts:
Dave White, New York Sea Grant, Recreation and Tourism Specialist,E: dgw9@cornell.edu, P: 315-312- 3042,
Kara Lynn Dunn, NYSG's Great Lakes Freelance Publicist, E: karalynn@gisco.net, P: 315-465-7578
Oswego, NY, September 14, 2020 - With the significant increase in boat sales and new boat owners this year, New York Sea Grant is encouraging all boat owners to be thinking ahead about boat storage and winterizing needs.
New York Sea Grant Coastal Recreation and Tourism Specialist David G. "Dave" White II suggests that, even while boaters are still enjoying New York's great waters into the fall season, now is the time to contact marinas to make a reservation for winterizing services and storage. Options include indoor storage, lift storage under cover, and wrapping for outdoor storage.
"With the increased interest in boating this year, now is a good time to talk with marina operators and boat storage facilities so you have a place to go with the boat when you take it out of the water for winter," White said.
Autumn is a beautiful time to be on New York's fabulous waters, but boaters, particularly new boat owners, need to be mindful that being on the water in the fall season is different than on a sunny summer day.
"For those boating into the cooler autumn season, safe summer boating practices still apply, such as filing a float plan so someone on shore knows where you are going and when you are expected back. However, in autumn, be mindful of how sunlight fades earlier and how quickly wind, weather, and wave conditions can change on the water," White said.
White reminds motorized and non-motorized boaters alike that a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vest or PFD (personal floatation device) must be available for every passenger onboard and passengers younger than 12 years old must be wearing one, and in New York State everyone aboard a recreational vessel must be wearing one from November 1 to May 1.
While COVID-19 persists, for-hire boat rental, charter fishing and boat tour operators may still request the series of six decals available free from New York Sea Grant to encourage COVID-19 prevention practices aboard their vessels this fall. Details are posted at www.nysgrecreation.org or request information by email to sgoswego@cornell.edu. Print-on-demand templates of the decals are posted at www.nyseagrant.org/forhire.
More Info: New York Sea Grant
New York Sea Grant (NYSG), a cooperative program of Cornell University
and the State University of New York (SUNY), is one of 34 university-based
programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s
National Sea Grant College Program.
Since 1971, NYSG has represented a statewide network of integrated
research, education and extension services promoting coastal community
economic vitality, environmental sustainability and citizen awareness
and understanding about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources.
Through NYSG’s efforts, the combined talents of university scientists
and extension specialists help develop and transfer science-based
information to many coastal user groups—businesses and industries,
federal, state and local government decision-makers and agency managers,
educators, the media and the interested public.
The program maintains Great Lakes offices at Cornell University, University at Buffalo, SUNY Oswego and the Wayne County Cooperative Extension office
in Newark. In the State's marine waters, NYSG has offices at Stony Brook
University in Long Island, Brooklyn College and Cornell Cooperative
Extension in NYC and Kingston in the Hudson Valley.
For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube links. NYSG offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/nycoastlines for its flagship publication, NY Coastlines/Currents, which is published quarterly. Our program also produces an occasional e-newsletter,"NOAA Sea Grant's Social Media Review," via its blog, www.nyseagrant.org/blog.
