233063

Kelowna  

Captain has boating concerns

Since 1998 Al Cotton has been operating ‘Go with the Wind Cruises’ from the Kelowna Yacht Club, taking clients from around the world out onto Okanagan Lake

“We are the longest running cruise on the lake,” says the captain, who has witnessed a lot of action out on the water over the years.

However, this year he says boating safety has became a concern to him, worried that there were one too many issues on the water that could have been real hazards.

“I come into the Water Street boat launch quite often, and some of the things I’ve seen in there is just crazy,” explains Cotton. “Guys are coming in to pick people up. They don’t want to dock the boat they just want to swing around and have them jump on.”

Cotton’s biggest worry came earlier in the season when he witnessed a boat, at the Water Street launch, pick up more people than it’s max capacity.

“I’m sure they didn’t have life jackets for everybody.”

However according to the RCMP this boating season was relatively calm compared to years past.

“There were very few incidents. Most of the infractions that were out there were for licensing and other minor infractions under the small vessel regulations, so other than that it was a fairly good boating season,” says RCMP reservist Cst. Gerry Guiltenane, who helped to patrol the waters this summer.
 
As for Cotton, a life time member of the yacht club, he is also agitated with jet skis on the lake, fearing a crash and Wayne Dudych with Okanaganrentaboat.ca understands where Cotton's concerns come from.

“There are a lot more Seadoos (on the lake),” says Dudych. “We have eight and the new Marina downtown has 10 as well, so in this little area here (between downtown and the Delta Grand), you’ve got a busier year here for that type of activity.

Everyone who rents a boat or a jet ski undergoes some training and sign off on a contract before heading out on the water, although Cotton doesn’t believe the course qualifies all of the captains to know the rules of the waterways.

“Across the country there is an accredited course we go through, it is a 15 page orientation, which is the same for all people renting boats. It is your boaters permit for the day,” explains Dudych. “We go over all the safety aspects of the boat and where all the safety equipment is, safety on the water, who has the right of way, all the boating rules.”

But Cst. Guiltenane says the orientation doesn’t necessarily prepare everyone for their boating adventure.

“We checked people from Europe this summer that had no familiarity with the machines they were operating. They just did that 10 minute course and away they go. That did cause some issues.’

RCMP do note that boaters appear to be more aware of consuming alcohol when on the water and did not find as many drinking infractions this year.

Dudych says he does not allow alcohol on his boat rentals, and checks coolers before people leave his dock, hoping that with fewer people drinking it will lessen the chance for accidents on the water.



More Kelowna News



229228