July Fourth holiday means crowded Long Island waters — and the need for sobriety, boating safety, experts say

With the long July Fourth weekend about to kick off, experts are urging people to follow safety guidelines when celebrating on the water during a holiday that typically brings out inexperienced boaters.

Unlike in cars, people riding in boats are legally permitted to drink alcohol. That can lead to a situation where the driver also imbibes — and puts everyone at risk, according to experts.

“It’s even more tempting to indulge when you are operating a boat than it is driving a car,” said Capt. Richard Werner, education director at Safe Boating America, a training company based on Long Island. “In a car, obviously, you can’t have an open container. On a boat, all your passengers can be inebriated without any laws being broken.”

But he and other experts stressed that drinking while boating is just as illegal — and dangerous — as driving a car under the influence of alcohol.

Larry Weiss, past commander and current executive officer of the Oyster Bay Sail and Power Squadron, noted that alcohol can have an even bigger physical impact when people are on the water than on land.

“Alcohol is much more potent when you are in the sun and on the water,” he said. “When you are on the water it can really get you. Go easy on the alcohol and whoever is operating the boat no alcohol.”

He said his main guidelines for boaters are the “three Cs”: Caution, courtesy and common sense.

“You can’t really teach that in a class, but we try to,” he said.

Sometimes called the “100 deadliest days of summer,” the months between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend have frequently seen accidents and fatalities on the water, according to experts.

“July Fourth is unfortunately a day and an evening that there are usually multiple accidents throughout the state and the country,” Werner said. “I would anticipate that this year is no different than any other.”

One of the worst accidents on Long Island occurred on July 4, 2012, when a 34-foot cabin cruiser with 27 people on board, including at least 10 children, capsized in Oyster Bay after a wave hit it. Three children trapped in the cabin died.

Nearly 20 years ago, 11-year-old Brianna Lieneck was killed when a large boat crashed into her family’s vessel as they were returning from Fire Island. 

In 2019, legislators passed Brianna’s Law, which requires operators of motorboats and personal watercraft to take a mandatory safety class that leads to a certificate. The law is being phased in according to people’s ages, and by Jan. 1, 2025, all operators will be required to take the course.

Werner and other experts said taking the course is among the most important things boaters can do to remain safe on the water. It costs $30 to $80 and can be done in a single day, though some experts recommend breaking it up over several sessions and doing it in-person instead of online.

Werner said most accidents are caused by operator inattention, lack of training or alcohol use.

Kristopher Kirchner, commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Waterways in the Town of Hempstead, said he has seen growing interest in the course. “We have seen more people this year, especially young people, sign up,” he said.

While it may be too late to take the safety course for July Fourth, experts said boaters can still follow some basic guidelines, such as making sure there is a designated boat driver who remains sober.

Experts said boaters should also make sure they have the basic safety equipment aboard: life jackets, which can range from $10 to $150; a whistle (as little as $5) or an air horn ($15); and a visible distress signal or light (about $80) or a flare ($25).

They noted that even people on paddleboards, kayaks or canoes are required to have a life jacket with them, and children under 12 are required to wear them on all boats or watercraft.

Kirchner said boaters should be especially careful to obey 5 mph no-wake zones and to stay within buoys marking channels.

“Some of these channels become difficult to navigate at different times of the year because of sand coming in” from the inlet, he said. “Keep it slow, especially on the holiday weekend when unfortunately we get some inexperienced boaters out on the water trying to have a good time, and the only way to have a good time is if everybody goes home safe.”

Kirchner's department, along with other law enforcement agencies, will be increasing patrols during the long weekend. While five to seven Town of Hempstead bay constables work on a typical weekend, this weekend all 12 will be on duty, he said.