LAKE WYLIE, S.C. — The Lake Wylie Marine Commission is looking to add regulations for those who do business on the lake, particularly charter boats and other water vessels.
The primary purpose of the commission is to promote public policies and support regulations for the preservation of Lake Wylie and its wildlife and for the education and safety of the citizens who use this beautiful natural resource.
“We’re filling a void that was presented to us largely by the law enforcement officers who patrol Lake Wylie," Neil Brennan, the executive director of Lake Wylie Marine Commission, said.
The commission says that according to law enforcement statistics, 77% of all water-related accidents are caused by a lack of knowledge and/or boater education.
The board spoke to Mecklenburg County commissioners about the needs to certify charter boats operations, making sure businesses and personal renters maintain certain standards and have correct insurance. The commission also wants to make sure that anyone who rents out their boats, paddleboards and jet skis ensures that all renters are qualified by passing some sort of safety course. They also want to make sure both parties are properly insured.
“We don’t want to wait for something to happen here before we put in place some regulations," said Brennan. "Let’s go ahead and be proactive and get something in place that supports law enforcement," he continued.
This would include making sure people who rent lake homes on sites like Airbnb, that include any type of vessel that can go on the waters, are also regulated. In addition to those regulations, the commission wants to give customers a checklist to determine if the boat they're using is safe.
Customers should be able to inspect a boat for basic equipment, such as fire extinguishers, an emergency cutoff switch, personal floatation devices and distress signals.
The commission wants to have these rules in place by the middle of April before the influx of people taking to the waters for the warmer weather.
Contact Richard DeVayne at rdevayne@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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