Operation Dry Water targets impaired boaters ahead of July 4 holiday weekend
In Mamaroneck Harbor, Senior Bay Constable Salvatore Gugliara is among the officers stepping up enforcement, conducting safety inspections and checking boaters for signs of impairment.
More Stories
As the busy Fourth of July boating weekend approaches, law enforcement agencies across the Long Island Sound are increasing patrols to crack down on boating under the influence through Operation Dry Water.
In Mamaroneck Harbor, Senior Bay Constable Salvatore Gugliara is among the officers stepping up enforcement, conducting safety inspections and checking boaters for signs of impairment.
"Let's do a safety inspection. You haven't been drinking anything today, right?" Gugliara asked one boater during a routine stop.
The nationwide Operation Dry Water campaign aims to reduce alcohol- and drug-related boating crashes during one of the busiest weekends of the year. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, boating under the influence remains a leading contributing factor in fatal recreational boating accidents.
Gugliara says impaired boating can have devastating consequences. He recalled a recent case in nearby Larchmont Harbor where an intoxicated boater crashed into a breakwater, sending a passenger through the windshield. The operator was later charged with boating while intoxicated.
News 12 joined the Mamaroneck Harbor patrol as Gugliara demonstrated the field sobriety and breath-testing procedures officers use when they suspect a boater is impaired.
Officials are reminding boaters that the legal blood alcohol concentration limit while operating a boat in New York is 0.08% — the same legal limit that applies to driving a motor vehicle.
Law enforcement agencies are urging everyone heading out on the water this holiday weekend to designate a sober operator, wear life jackets and boat responsibly.
