When the COVID-19 pandemic was at its height last year, the recreational boating industry saw a surge in interest from new boaters. Data from the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) shows a 97.2 percent increase in new boating registrations compared with the prior year, from 5,559 issued in 2019 to 10,962 issued in 2020.

This summer, with a continued increase in boating activity in the waterways of Chester, Deep River, and Essex, the area’s Harbor Patrol is stepping up efforts to educate boaters and promote boating safety.

“We’re finding a lot of new boaters out there and in the past 10 years of my working on this river, these past couple weeks I’ve seen the most boats that I’ve ever seen out there,” said Essex Police Officer James Paul Kenefick, a member of the Harbor Patrol. “So, all the more reason why we’re particularly emphasizing the speed limit on the river, not just in no-wake zones, but the speed limit on the river.”

Inexperienced operators and excessive speed, in addition to operator inattention, improper lookout, and machinery failure, are the top five primary contributing factors in boating accidents, according to 2020 recreational boating statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Another related issue with speeding is the damage caused by boaters doing so in a no-wake zone.

“There is a slow, no-wake zone that people take pretty seriously when they’re anchored or at a dockside because boat wake can make a mess out of things,” said Jeffrey Going, member of the Essex Harbor Management Commission.

“So, Harbor Patrol monitors for that and they are paying attention to safety. They are not out there to write tickets. Their presence hopefully helps people be a safer boater,” he continued.

The speed limit on the river is enforced by Harbor Patrol, which monitors activity up and down the Connecticut River from Essex Harbor.

The speed limit on the Connecticut River on weekdays is 45 miles per hour (mph) and 30 mph on weekends from sunrise to sunset. During the evenings, all seven days a week, it is 25 mph, according to Kenfick.

Speeding fines vary on the Connecticut River depending on the location, but in general, are an $80 fine, according to the state’s Office of Legislative Research. Reckless operation, which is associated with speeding that results in an accident or injury, carries larger fines.

If a boat is stopped, for speeding or any other unsafe activity, officers will conduct a safety inspection.

“It’s just like a car stop,” said Kenefick. “We’re going to ask for their boat operator’s license. We’re going to ask for the registration of the boat. We’re going to ask to see the proper number of personal flotation devices (PFD), life preservers, to ensure that they have enough.”

Anyone under the age of 12 is required to wear a PFD while boating, he said, while the boat must also carry a PFD for everyone on board.

“Most boats require a fire extinguisher, so we’ll ask for that as well and we’ll check to make sure they don’t exceed the capacity, the person capacity of the boat,” continued Kenefick.

It’s also important that boaters carry a visual distress signal like a flare or flashing light, he adds.

Another tip is labeling a jet ski or small vessel with the owner’s identification and contact information, which is helpful to emergency responders if it is found unattended.

“It creates a search response from numerous agencies when we have a kayak or jet ski or dinghy that is lost. What we’re thinking is somebody fell off or somebody is missing, so that basically initiates a search party,” said Essex Fire Marshal John Planas.

Labels for small vessels are available in the Office of the Fire Marshal at Essex Town Hall, 29 West Avenue.

“We find what’s very important with boating season is identifying your vessel, so we can contact you to make sure that you’re okay,” added Planas.

Additional safety tips and information for boaters is available in DEEP’s annual boating guide, available at portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Boating.