Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol announced today that the Sheriff’s Marine Patrol will offer the “New York State Boater Safety Course”

According to Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol, the Sheriff’s Marine Patrol Unit will be offering three upcoming New York State Boater Safety Course classes. They will be held at the Oneida County Stop DWI Office located at 200 Base Road in Oriskany. Participants are encouraged to bring lunch or snacks with them as the class will take eight hours to complete. The classes will be held on April 12th, 19th, and 26th – each beginning promptly at 8:30am.

According to Sheriff Maciol, the course is given free of charge to anyone required to complete the safety class. Each of the classes are limited to 30 participants.

In New York State, you must hold a safety certificate if:

• You operate a personal watercraft and are at least 14 years of age and older. (as of 1/1/09 you must be  14 yrs. old to operate a PWC alone)
• If you wish to operate a motorboat (other than a personal watercraft) and you are at least 10 years old and less than 18 years old.
• If you are less than 10 years old you may operate a motorboat (non-PWC) only if someone over 18 or someone between the ages of 10 and 18 who holds a safety certificate is on board with you. Anyone may operate a personal watercraft if someone at least 18 years old is riding on the craft with you and they hold a boating safety certificate.
• New Law:  Anyone born after May 1st 1996 must have a boater safety certificate to operate a motorboat.

To sign up for the class, please call the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office at 765-2222 and speak with Sue Goding, Secretary to the Sheriff.

According to the Sheriff, additional classes may be scheduled after April if necessary. Residents can also  check the NYS Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation’s web site at www.nysparks.com/boats or by calling 1-800-336-2628 to find out when U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary & U.S. Power Squadron Boater Safety Courses will be held.