Coast Guard Inspects Boats on Lake

Well, they tried.

Johnny's Marina hosted free Coast Guard boat inspections Sunday morning. While only a handful of boaters took advantage of the service, the shop's employees were satisfied knowing a few more vessels riding on Lake Hopatcong were secure.

"It's all about safety," said Jim Mackin, a Johnny's Marina mechanic.

Coast Guard members Kent Manno, an auxiliarist, and Fred Rauchbach, a flotilla staff officer vessel examiner, arrived at the Riverstyx Road store early Sunday morning to overcast skies — a bad sign for business.

But things picked up for the pair. Manno and Rauchbach inspected three boats within the first hour.

Manno explained the significance of a Coast Guard inspection.

"Boaters understand what is required of them from state and federal regulations," he said. "If they do not have one of the regulations, we obviously don't pass them. It's really a dialogue between us and the boaters.

"It's really helping them to make sure they don't have any issues. …Just to make sure they're safe boaters, because we don't want any accidents out here, just like everybody else doesn't."

Rauchbach lives in the borough. A retiree, was in the Coast Guard in the 1950s and has inspected boats for the last four years.

Rauchbach said it was important to discuss the little things – proper flares, lifejackets, documentation — with boaters.

Rauchbach added the Coast Guard inspection was good for a year. "We try to re-inspect and keep up with anything new that's come up and we try to emphasize the speeding situations," he said.

Janos Komar, a Woodbridge resident, brought his wife, Katalin, nephew, Philip, and niece, Angela, to the lake Sunday. He figured he'd stop by Johnny's for a free inspection — and passed.

"This is just a famous area," he said. "I come up here all the time. …I'm interested to get the sticker from the Coast Guard. That's the main reason.

Short Hills resident Brian Morris also frequents Lake Hopatcong and was thankful for the Coast Guard's service.

"I'm sure you're going to find a lot of people who aren't up to snuff. Possibly, myself," said Morris, who passed inspection.

Later, Don Jaronsky docked his boat, and as his son and his friends walked ashore, Rauchbach yelled, asking if Jaronsky wanted a free inspection.

"Sure!" Jaronsky said.

Jaronsky said he had been putting off getting his vessel inspected because it was almost new. But if the Coast Guard was willing to do it for free, why would he skip it?

"It's a good thing they're doing," he said. "I'm a safe boater, they don't worry about me. But a lot of people, you don't know what they're doing on the water."

Bob Neals, a Johnny's Marina employee, found the Coast Guard members helpful, too.

"It's hard for people to get answers [about boating regulations]," Neals said. "We had a guy who had a question on life preservers come in. We couldn't answer it. [The Coast Guard] answered it, first thing.

"If it weren't for them, boaters wouldn't be aware of what they need to."