MUSKEGON -
Every year, boating accidents injure or kill thousands of people across the country.
But Sergeant Gary Berdinski with the Marine Division of the Muskegon Sheriff's Department says many of those could have been avoided had people been paying more attention to their surroundings.
"When you go for a boat ride or you're out vacationing, you just sort of try to relax a little bit in your mind. You're just out there and I'm not blaming it all on alcohol."
Berdinski says his team is especially on the lookout for intoxicated drivers.
"The guys are trained to look for drunk drivers. The law says you can't be intoxicated and drive a boat... We're trained to observe what a subject looks like and sounds like when he's intoxicated."
The Sergeant says they are also taking a look at the small stuff. He thinks that's just as important.
"We're obligated to check for safety equipment, life preservers, fire extinguishers, and the correct licensing on the boat. Especially for kids under 6, you have to have life preservers on. Personal watercraft operators have to wear life preservers all the time."
Berdinski doesn't believe people disobey the rules on purpose. He is a strong advocate for creating mandatory licensing laws in order to drive a boat.
"You could be 16 years of age with a couple million dollars in your pocket, you go out and buy a five thousand horse power boat that can go a hundred miles an hour and there's no laws that govern that... For as long as I can remember over the last 26 years, there been a need for mandatory licensing. At least a 10-15 question quiz so when you get your validation decal to put on your boat for your MC numbers, you've got some questions to answer and at that time you'll learn something."
He's noticed a recent trend where not as many people are taking to the water for enjoyment.
"The cost of a gallon of gas, and our weather this year has been horrid for boating, we've only had just a couple of hot days this year... When boating was up say in the last 8 to 10 years ago those people now are just sort of tired of boating. It's no longer pleasure. It becomes work for the guy who has to clean the boat, wax the boat, fuel the boat."
But he would love the waters he patrols to be busy again. He says he's passionate about boating.
"I sort of miss it. It's sort of boring for me and my guys when we don't have boats here. And it's not that I want to write tickets, we're really not all about writing a lot of tickets. We are about making things safe."
TIPS FOR BOATING SAFETY: -Be aware of the boats that are in your near vicinity. -Always drive in a counter clockwise direction. -If you are approaching another boat head on, always yield to the right. -Children under 6 years of age need to wear a life preserver at all times. -Personal watercraft operators need to wear a life jacket on the water. -Boats need to be equiped with life preservers for every person on board. - It is legal to drink and operate a boat, but you are breaking the law when you drive while intoxicated.
But Sergeant Gary Berdinski with the Marine Division of the Muskegon Sheriff's Department says many of those could have been avoided had people been paying more attention to their surroundings.
"When you go for a boat ride or you're out vacationing, you just sort of try to relax a little bit in your mind. You're just out there and I'm not blaming it all on alcohol."
Berdinski says his team is especially on the lookout for intoxicated drivers.
"The guys are trained to look for drunk drivers. The law says you can't be intoxicated and drive a boat... We're trained to observe what a subject looks like and sounds like when he's intoxicated."
The Sergeant says they are also taking a look at the small stuff. He thinks that's just as important.
"We're obligated to check for safety equipment, life preservers, fire extinguishers, and the correct licensing on the boat. Especially for kids under 6, you have to have life preservers on. Personal watercraft operators have to wear life preservers all the time."
Berdinski doesn't believe people disobey the rules on purpose. He is a strong advocate for creating mandatory licensing laws in order to drive a boat.
"You could be 16 years of age with a couple million dollars in your pocket, you go out and buy a five thousand horse power boat that can go a hundred miles an hour and there's no laws that govern that... For as long as I can remember over the last 26 years, there been a need for mandatory licensing. At least a 10-15 question quiz so when you get your validation decal to put on your boat for your MC numbers, you've got some questions to answer and at that time you'll learn something."
He's noticed a recent trend where not as many people are taking to the water for enjoyment.
"The cost of a gallon of gas, and our weather this year has been horrid for boating, we've only had just a couple of hot days this year... When boating was up say in the last 8 to 10 years ago those people now are just sort of tired of boating. It's no longer pleasure. It becomes work for the guy who has to clean the boat, wax the boat, fuel the boat."
But he would love the waters he patrols to be busy again. He says he's passionate about boating.
"I sort of miss it. It's sort of boring for me and my guys when we don't have boats here. And it's not that I want to write tickets, we're really not all about writing a lot of tickets. We are about making things safe."
TIPS FOR BOATING SAFETY: -Be aware of the boats that are in your near vicinity. -Always drive in a counter clockwise direction. -If you are approaching another boat head on, always yield to the right. -Children under 6 years of age need to wear a life preserver at all times. -Personal watercraft operators need to wear a life jacket on the water. -Boats need to be equiped with life preservers for every person on board. - It is legal to drink and operate a boat, but you are breaking the law when you drive while intoxicated.
