Many counties across the United States are experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of boats, including personal watercraft, in their communities.

The wave of new boaters can easily alarm waterfront homeowners who complain that increased water traffic poses safety hazards on once-tranquil public waterways. As tensions between recreational boaters and shoreline homeowners mount, counties can find themselves treading unfamiliar waters as they look for ways to decrease the tension.

Fortunately, they can turn to colleagues across the country who have already gone through growing pains prompted by rapid growth in recreational boating, and who can offer solutions and resources for boater safety and accident prevention in a way that has brought their communities together instead of apart.

Boater education
Boater education goes a long way toward calming fears about boating safety and reducing complaints about irresponsible boating behavior. Nowhere has this been more obvious than in my own county’s backyard.

Over the years, we have developed a proactive approach to help prevent boating accidents, incidents or (most often) to manage annoyance problems on our 760 lakes and rivers. We have used a variety of means, including appropriate management policies, boater education and enforced marine laws, as well as relying on the resources of volunteer and industry groups.

“We take advantage of programs offered by manufacturers to promote safe boating with posters, public service messages, distribution of information and public appearances to raise awareness,” said Don Schmitz, King County Police Marine Unit, that oversees recreational boating.

Florida’s Orange County is another example of the effectiveness of boater education. This year-round vacation spot with more than 800,000 registered boat owners maintains something similar to a zero-tolerance policy that has managed to keep everyone amazingly happy. All boaters must take a mandatory boater education course AND obey a state law that treats a DUI on the water in the same way that it would on the road.

Additionally, county deputies strictly enforce these existing laws with citations, warnings and boating safety pamphlets. Classes and other educational events are supported by the county and have been implemented by national volunteer organizations such as the United States Power Squadrons and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

And, county officials say, these are solutions that have paid off. “In 1999 we had 69 percent fewer boating accidents than in 1998 when mandatory boater education first took effect,” said Orange County Commissioner Bob Freeman, who, like many, noted that most complaints still come as a result of one or two offenders who represent a minority of the boating public.

Citizen boards
Citizen boards are another effective way to bring communities together to address issues concerning personal watercraft. These organizations ward off conflicts before they happen but, Freeman noted, are more likely to come up with rules that its members will actually follow.

With six lakes and limited enforcement capabilities, Thurston County, Wash. commissioners appointed the Lakes Citizen Task Force, whose job it was to sort out frequent disputes between water sports enthusiasts and lakefront homeowners. The task force was formed of boat dealers, enthusiasts, law enforcement, county environmental planners, and homeowners who worked together to develop recommendations.

Maricopa County (Ariz.) Supervisor Don Stapley says their “under-the-influence” check stations keep strict control over alcohol-related incidences. In California, County Supervisor Don Nattoli worked with citizens to regulate speed and method of operation limits.

The U.S. Power Squadrons (USPS), a 60,000 member volunteer nationwide organization with chapters throughout the country, is one of the most powerful tools to teach boating safety one-on-one. And these days, the USPS has teamed up with Kawasaki, a PWC dealer group, and gone high-tech to offer a PWC course online, complete with study guides and tests so that boat and PWC owners can obtain information at their convenience. Currently, seven states are in the middle of testing the free online course that can be modified according to their needs.

“We use four personal watercraft from the industry’s law loan program, and we use manufacturer training programs to enhance our enforcement and rescue capabilities,” said Multnomah County Deputy Sheriff Terry Jones.

Whether it’s boater education, citizen involvement, interagency cooperation, or simple knowledge about working programs, counties can effectively reduce accidents, incidents and related controversies on the water.

By anticipating problems before they get out of hand, county officials have engaged citizens, accessed information and resources, and created compromises to make marine recreational accessible to all.