|
|
Boating Headlines
6/4/2026
Area boaters coasting in for safety checkup - Inspections are voluntary because state require none
By ERIKA WITTEKIND of the Journal Star
PEORIA - Life jackets? Check. Fire extinguishers? Check. Navigation lights? Ventilation? Check, check.
Big Sea Gar, a boat owned by Peoria resident Roger Nelson, was ready to set sail.
Nelson's boat was among those that were inspected Saturday by the Illinois Valley Power Squadron and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
As the boating season gets under way, members of these groups are making sure Illinois boaters are ready to part the waters safely and legally.
At boat safety checks such as the one conducted this weekend at Wharf Harbor Marina in Peoria, they check everything from the boat's horn to its registration documents.
Any of those violations normally can get a boater fined if caught by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, but Saturday's safety inspections had nothing to do with law enforcement, and no citations were given.
"We're out here to help. The last thing we want is to give the impression that we're marine cops," said Lee Busby, an executive officer of Power Squadron who oversaw Saturday's evaluations.
Other than the items that can be checked off, Busby said boaters need "a lot of common sense."
Nelson, an assistant education officer for Power Squadron, was the first in line to get his boat checked. Afterward, he helped carry out inspections of other boats.
Educational programs and inspections like Saturday's are important because no license is required for adult boaters, Nelson said. Almost anyone can own or operate a boat, although children under 16 must take a class to drive without adult supervision.
"Boating is one of the few recreational things you can do where all you have to do is have a thick wallet," Nelson said.
That's why Power Squadron tries to pick up the slack and make sure boaters are informed, he said.
Joe and Peggy Dungan, whose boat was inspected Saturday, recently became members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary so that they could stay up to speed on necessary safety measures.
Peggy Dungan said her pet peeve is seeing children who don't have the proper flotation devices.
She recalled seeing a young boy who was wearing a life jacket without a strap between his legs playing on the pier at Wharf Harbor Marina. She warned the parents that if the boy fell into the water, the jacket could come off over his head.
"I wanted to be sure I didn't witness something like that happen to a small child. It's been a long time since I've had my lifeguard certification," she said.
Busby agreed many boaters don't realize not all life jackets meet standards. The same goes for fire extinguishers, he said.
He also warned boaters that laws change between states, and sometimes even between bodies of water.
For example, Michigan requires safety flares, while Illinois only recommends them. Boaters on Lake Springfield in Illinois must have anchors, which aren't mandated by the state.
Boats that meet standards receive a decal, which lets the Coast Guard Auxiliary know it has passed inspection.
Also, evaluation forms can be used at National Marine Sales, 5406 N. Galena Road, Peoria Heights, to receive discounts on necessary safety items.
Boaters who missed Saturday's event can arrange an inspection by calling the Coast Guard Auxiliary at 682-5146 or by contacting Power Squadron through its Web site, www.powersquadron.org. Inspections are free.
|
|
|
Displaying 1 thru 10 out of 35 total
boating news items.
|
>
|
>>
|
|
|
|
Next
|
Last
|
|
|
