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Posted by }<)))*> StriperChaser on October 12, 2005, 9:25 pm Alittle of this, a little of that, including some calls, e-mails and smoke signals from readers: Dr. Kell Fleshood, a South Hill chiropractor, phoned to talk about boating concerns on Lake Gaston and elsewhere. He'd read about efforts by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to bolster the presence of game wardens patrolling state waters "Word is out: Soon, 'police' will be patrolling the state waters," Sept. 25). One factor motivating the department has been boating accidents on Smith Mountain Lake, including one in August resulting in two deaths. Lake Gaston residents also were hit hard in August. One teenager was killed and another critically injured when the personal watercraft they were riding was hit by another PWC operated by a teenager. That accident occurred in the North Carolina waters of the lake, but its impact reverberated across state lines. Both lakes - Smith Mountain and Gaston - have seen dramatic growth in recent years. "As more people come, you get more boating accidents," He believes safety courses should be mandatory for all boat operators. "You have to take a hunter safety course [before you can hunt]," he said. "I personally think there should be a boater safety course that everyone should be required to take." Coast Guard auxiliaries, U.S. Power Squadron units and others provide free instruction, and Virginia's game department encourages all boaters to take classes. The only mandatory element, however, comes into play for PWCs. The minimum age in Virginia to operate one is 16 - unless you are 14 or 15 and have completed an approved boating safety course, said Jeff Decker, VDGIF's boating education coordinator. According to news reports, the teen operating the PWC that caused the collision on Lake Gaston had not taken an approved boating safety course. And PWCs have some sobering numbers. They make up about 11 percent of all registered boats in Virginia, Decker said, yet they account for more than 62 percent of all boat-to-boat collisions in the state. For information about boating laws and education requirements, go to www.dgif.virginia.gov or call Decker at (804) 367-1125.
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OUTDOORS: An idea for safer waters: Mandatory boater course
LEE GRAVES
POINT OF VIEW
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
said Fleshood, who lives on Lake Gaston and has been an area resident for 22 years.
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