Nassau officials: Spike in watercraft citations after more off-shore patrols

Beefed-up offshore patrols in the past two weeks in and around bays  ne ar Manhasset and Plandome have led to 100 citations to reckless riders of personal watercraft, Nassau County officials said Tuesday.

Initial complaints from homeowners in the area reported between 20 and 30 people on personal watercrafts gathered together in the waters nearby, Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at a news conference near the two bays.

The watercraft were also seen driving aggressively, jumping in wakes behind boats and swerving between boats while attempting to ride waves, Ryder said.

"We normally increase patrols in the summer and we've added additional patrols out here," Ryder said. "So, we're going to come out, we're going to come out hard because the visitors that are coming here to all waterways are not respecting the waterways or the wishes of the laws here in Nassau County."

Ryder said there are more than 28,000 registered boats in Nassau County, including 10,000 boats smaller than 16 feet, which are mostly personal watercraft. North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said there were a total of 90,000 boats and watercraft registered on Long Island.

Nassau police marine units are also patrolling the waters and a department helicopter is monitoring from above.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who, along with  DeSena, made the request for more patrols, cited several related crashes in recent years as a reminder of watercraft risks.

In 2019, a Rockville Centre woman was killed when her Jet Ski crashed into a high-speed boat, Blakeman said at the news conference.

In 2020, there were six watercraft crashes, with five injuries. There were three crashes, with two involving injuries in both 2021 and 2022.  Last year, Nassau police reported three crashes but  no injuries.

Other complaints have also been made along the South Shore, where bay constables and local marine units said they regularly patrol for unsafe watercraft and aggressive driving,

Suffolk County police said they have increased staffing at its marine bureau for the summer.

They noted the arrest of a Shirley woman last month for operating a watercraft while impaired.

Personal watercraft are legal to ride by anyone 14 and older. Users must be licensed and are required to take a boating safety class.

Gary Lerner, 68, of Island Park works as a safety examiner for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and is a certified boating safety instructor

He said he rides personal water craft, a Jet Ski, regularly and said staying out of trouble on the water comes down to riders having common sense.

“Like anything else, if you play by the rules, the safety issue becomes less of a problem," he said. “If you respect what you’re doing and share responsibility and have the right attitude, then it’s not at all dangerous. It can be a lot of fun.”