Water Safety and You

Fly your LYC Burgee with pride when boating on Lake Leelanau. Hopefully, you and your family will set the pace for sportsmanship and safety on every occasion.

REMEMBER - Water can take a life, be it shallow or deep. Today very efficient and comfortable life jackets are available and should be worn or at hand for all who boat - young and old alike.

REMEMBER - One must take care and concern as if driving on land when operating a boat - even if the beauty, warmth and spray may tend to lull you into a state of just enjoying.

REMEMBER - The good citizen-boater is ever alert for the person who may be in trouble. It's better to have checked a questionable situation rather than to have read about it later.

REMEMBER - Your leadership sets the pace both for the young and the non-member. Give berth lo an anchored fishing boat. Go wide of a sailing race - no wake! Don't water-ski near a swimming area! Don't throw bottles or cans and garbage overboard - for it's on our members' shores and beaches that such things wash.

Registration, operation and safety equipment for your craft is governed by the Michigan Marine Safety Act 303 (copies available at the Sheriff's office).

We are very fortunate to have the Sheriff's Marine Safety patrol operating on our lake for their boats are ever on the watch to help make for safer boating conditions and their officers are trained to give aid at sea.

The following are points emphasized by the Leelanau County Sheriff's Marine Safety Deputy:

Fire Extinguisher Requirements
  • Boats up to 26 feet: one type B1
  • Boats 26 feet to 40 feet: two type B1
  • Boats 40 feet to 65 feet: three type B1
Lights
  • Every boat requires lights of some kind when operated at night or during anytime of low visibility.
Young Boat Operators
  • Under twelve years of age. Must be directly supervised by someone sixteen years of age or older. The boat must not have a motor or motors totaling, more than 35 horsepower.
  • Twelve to sixteen years of age must possess a boating safety course certificate or be directly supervised by someone at least sixteen years of age.
  • Persons born after Dec. 31 1978 may not operate a personal watercraft unless they obtain a boating safety certificate and are at least 14 years old.
Know Who Has the Right of Way

ALWAYS OBSERVE THE 100 FOOT RULE

Whenever underway stay 100 feet from:
  • other boats
  • docks
  • floats
  • buoys
  • swimmers
  • shoreline

Lake Leelanau Lake Association Boater Safety Courses

"See "MICHIGAN'S BOATERS GUIDE", Michigan Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, DNR. (Copies may be obtained at LYC or Sheriff's Office or at www.michigan.gov/dnr/.