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May 19, 2000 Governor Carper Signs Proclamation on National Safe Boating Week Governor Thomas Carper yesterday (May 18) proclaimed May 20-26 as
National Safe Boating Week and the start of the year-round effort to
promote safe boating. The signing ceremony took place in the courtyard
of the Richardson and Robbins Building in Dover. Taking a show of hands at the ceremony, Carper noted how many Delawareans are still here because they were educated in boat safety and wore their life jackets. National Safety Boating Week is a time to encourage boaters to "Boat Smart from the Start - Wear Your Life Jacket," this year's theme. "It can save your life. We can't say that enough," said Master Cpl. Joyce Hennessy of the Division of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Boating Safety. According to Hennessey, most Delaware fatalities that have occurred could have been prevented if the boater had been wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Personal flotation jackets are mandatory for children 12 and under, and for operators and riders on personal watercraft and skiers. "We also encourage boaters to keep a good lookout at all times and maintain a slow-no-wake speed when in congested areas, around swimmers, other boats, docks and piers," said Hennessey. The 100-foot rule is not a suggestion, it is the law for all boats to stay clear from passing at less than 100 feet, slow-no-wake. Personal watercraft must stay out of 300 feet in the Atlantic Ocean and Inland Bays contiguous to incorporated areas, such as Fenwick and Dewey Beach, from wharves, piers, docks, pilings, bridges, abutments, vessels and shoreline, added Hennessey. "Practice good judgment and be courteous on the water." National Safe Boating Week is an annual event designed to draw attention to safety issues affecting those who board a recreational boat - whether for cruising, paddling, water skiing, jet-skiing, fishing or hunting. The Division of Fish and Wildlife urges all boaters to follow safety pointers during this week and throughout the year. For more information on boating safety education, call 302-739-3486. - 30 - Document no. 40-01/00/05/33 |
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