Featured Story

Own a boat? Take note

REPORTER FILE PHOTO | A waterproof sticker that the Shelter Island Police Department will provide to boat owners.
REPORTER FILE PHOTO | A waterproof sticker that the Shelter Island Police Department will provide to boat owners.

The town allows boat owners to store or leave their boats for several months each year at about 20 different town landings and on some town beaches — the only requirement being that they display current registration or have the name, address and phone number of the owner.

Lately, though, about half of the boats, approximately 45, still do not comply with the town code even though warnings have been posted.

According to Police Chief Jim Read, the deadline for compliance has been extended to mid-November. To make it easier for owners, the Coast Guard has provided the police department with vessel identification stickers for canoes, kayaks, small sailboats and rowboats. These are adhesive and waterproof and are available for the asking at the Shelter Island Police Department.

Unidentified boats still on town property after mid-November will be hauled away, put in the police impound lot and sold later at a public auction.

The goal of the department’s bay constables, Chief Read said, is to have all vessels at public beaches and landings properly identified. This enables the bay constables to easily return the boats directly to the owners if they are found washed ashore after a storm or left somewhere after a joy ride and then reported to the police.