Environmental Police Will Be Keeping a Close Eye on Weymouth Boaters

With Memorial Day approaching, the Massachusetts Environmental Police are urging Hingham boaters to make this a safe weekend on the Harbor.

In addition to wearing lifejackets, state officials recommend that boaters take a boating safety course, operate boats only while sober and make sure their boats have the required safety equipment onboard.

Massachusetts Environmental Police Officer A.J. Ford who was a Coast Guard Officer for 35 years and is now based out of Hewitt’s Cove in Hingham said boat safety just requires common sense.  Ford said boaters should not set sail on rough seas and during storms and they should always be cautious of their surroundings. 

In the past Officer Ford said that the Environmental Police increase their patrols during Memorial Day Weekend and will be enforcing the ports from Boston to the Back River in Weymouth, all the way to Plymouth.

“We will be looking for drinking and boating and we will be enforcing all the applicable laws,” Ford told Patch in a past interview. “So if you’re out there, be very prudent with your alcohol consumption.”

According to Massachusetts State Laws, operating any vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs is prohibited and an offense will affect the boater’s drivers license.

Ford has stressed the importance of wearing a life jackey this weekend, even if you are  boating in shallow waters or near the Hingham Shipyard. 

In 2009, more than 74 percent of all fatalities nationally from boating accidents were due to drowning, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Of those who drowned, 71 percent of the victims were not wearing a life jacket.

Over the past 20 years, statistics prove that boaters have been safer and the number of boating fatalities has decreased.  According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there were 736 boating fatalities nationally in 2009, down from 924 in 1991.  

Other Rules and Safety Tips:

• Under Massachusetts law, boaters under the age of 12 may not operate a motorboat unless accompanied and supervised by an adult.
• Children between the ages of 12 and 15 must complete an approved boating course.
• Children under the age of 16 may not operate a personal watercraft.
• Personal watercraft operators between the ages of 16 and 18 must pass an approved boating safety course prior to operation.
• All boats are required to carry life preservers, fire extinguishers, and navigation lights.
• A paddle or an oar is required on boats less than 16 feet long.
• Boaters are also prohibited from operating within 150 feet of a public or private swimming area.
• All boaters are reminded to operate their vessels at reasonable speeds based on the existing conditions, including traffic density, weather and visibility.