This National Safe Boating Week, May 18-24, do something different. Take a friend out boating, sailing and fishing and show them a good time - and how easy it is to keep everyone aboard safe. Giving your guests a short pre-departure talk about important safety gear and tips for safe operation could go a long way in making sure the day stays fun. The following list of six tips from the

BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety takes less than six minutes to share with guests:

Michigan outlawed it. Ohio lawmakers are on course to prohibit it. Arkansas has declared it unconstitutional. If nothing else, the subject of random boarding of the nation’s recreational boaters is finally taking center stage.

On April 23rd the New York State Canal Corporation issued a press release announcing the operating hours for the 2013 navigation season on the Canal, as you see they have reduced the operating hours on the majority of the system.  The following information was included in the release.

Mariners are advised that conditions permitting all portions of the New York State Canal System are scheduled to open Wednesday, May 1st at 7:00 am for the 2013 navigation season.  The hours of operation for the 2013 season are as follows:

The Suffolk County Legislature recently passed a law which requires all residents 18 and older operating most recreational boats to take an approved boater safety course, pass an exam and carry a boating safety certificate while boating in Suffolk County.  This is an additional county requirement on top of existing NY State Boater education laws, which remain in force.  Suffolk County Boaters need to be certified by November 6th, 2013

BoatUS editors in April 2012

As with all paint projects, the key is preparation. For recoating paint in good condition, you only need to wet-sand the old paint with 120-grit wet-or-dry paper to provide tooth for the new topcoat. If there is a chance that the outdrive has ever been waxed, wipe the entire surface with a dewaxing solvent before you do any sanding.