Fishing, waterskiing, hunting, rowing, pleasure cruising and kayaking. All are activities that occur in and around Saratoga Lake, which can make it a busy destination for recreation seekers.
That’s why individuals and groups that use the water the most are looking to bring clarity and awareness of the rules of the water.
There is a specific set of rules for the water, and agencies patrolling Saratoga Lake, including the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department, State Police and State Park Police, enforce them. State Park Police will typically patrol the lake once a week, or as needed on the basis of user density or if an event is taking place.
“We want patrons who are using the lake to adhere to safety rules,” said Bob Kuhn, assistant regional director for New York State Parks. “It’s a popular lake and it gets a lot of recreational use. It’s no different than Lake George and other lakes. There are people who are smart, and others who mix alcohol (with boating) and make for unsafe conditions.”
Busy waters
To get an idea of the volume of users on the lake, there are approximately 140 parking spaces in the lots near the DEC boat launch near the 9P bridge. On a busy day that makes for a lot of watercraft, and from time to time, there are disputes.
Some involve encounters between rowers and faster motorized craft. In late March of this year, for example, a Skidmore rowing team out for a practice had an encounter with a powerboat.
According to Skidmore rowing coach Hugh McAdam, there are 37members on the Skidmore rowing team. The team usually has between six and eight boats at a time and practices five to six days a week for about two hours a day.
“As we were coming underneath the 9P bridge a boat with a few fishermen on board cut within about two feet of the bow … creating a dangerous situation to the athletes and the hull,” said McAdam.
The boat was about 20 feet in length with approximately a 15to 20 horsepower motor. It was enough to cause a “substantial wake” and close enough to make McAdam feel “very nervous” that something bad could happen very quickly.
McAdam approached the fishermen, intending to ask them to be more courteous and aware of the boat, but a shouting match ensued.
“They claim they had the right of way because … the student athletes weren’t in a sailboat and they insinuated that we didn’t have any right to be out on the creek or the lake. It’s been kind of a common scene … in the past. It’s definitely not everybody. In general, the community at large is very accepting of the team,” he said.
Disputes rare, but serious
McAdam and all of the coaches try to avoid situations like this one, and he said they are very rare. He said such encounters happen perhaps once a season, but added one serious accident is one too many.
“It is (a concern) in that our rowing equipment is relatively expensive; our hulls are right around $30,000 to $40,000 each, and there’s nine young people in the boats – especially this time of year when it’s kind of cold and the water is kind of chilly. If they were to all of a sudden to end up in the water, it could become a dangerous situation very quickly. Most of the time it’s very safe,” said McAdam.
“Wakes around non-motorized boats, whether they’re kayaks or sailboats or whatever, it’s not just an issue of equipment, it’s also an issue of danger to the student athletes that are out on the water, whether they’re in high school or college,” he added.
Eric Catalano, executive director and varsity coach of the Saratoga Rowing Association, said “a little bit more information about the rules of the road” would be helpful to the general public.
“We always row on the right side of the river to fishermen and to us … the weight of the shell plus the people in the boat is around 2,000pounds, and there are no brakes on it. We can’t stop on a dime,” said Catalano.
He added there can be some tension on the lake when the group puts out its racecourse every season. To thank fishermen for their patience during the association’s events, the association hosts a fishing tournament every year in late August.
“The purpose is to say ‘thank you’ for their understanding,” he said.
The tournament is intended for fishermen in the community and includes cash prizes. Catalano coordinates the tournament with Tim Blodgett, owner of Saratoga Tackle.
Not every problem is caused by powerboats. In October of 2010, a rowing vessel from Skidmore College was peppered with a duck hunter’s errant birdshot.
A Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office incident report reads in part, “Comp (complainant) states they were rowing and a hunter shot in the direction of the comp – the boat was struck with birdshot – comp states words were exchanged with the hunter –he was on the Fitch Road side of the creek.”
State Police and DEC authorities responded to the incident.
Tragedy strikes quickly
An October 2000 tragedy demonstrates exactly what can happen when things go wrong on the water. On a bright, sunny morning with light reflecting off the water, a Saratoga County Sheriff’s patrol boat collided with a boat of rowers.
Tim Blodgett, owner of Saratoga Tackle since 2001 and an active user of the lake, was on the water that day but did not witness the accident. He does recall though that the sun was very bright that morning, so much so that he altered his original course.
“The sheriff’s boat was on the way to the lake and did not see the (rowing) boat which had been turning and was crossway in the stream (Fish Creek),” said Blodgett.
New York State Police confirmed the incident and said reports from that time indicate a number of young rowers were injured.
Lt. Walt Schedel of the New York State Park Police was one of the investigating officers involved with the incident. He recalls that “a myriad of things chimed in” and contributed to the accident. One of the factors was that the sheriff’s boat was a one-man patrol. Typically, Shedel said their agency “doesn’t do that” and has a person on board maintaining a proper lookout.
“Speed was not an issue. … There was a lot of sun glare and the shell was low to the water,” he said.
Rules of the water
All parties agree Saratoga Lake is a safe and accommodating place when the rules are observed. Blodgett said the rules of the road also apply to boaters and to situations similar to pedestrians crossing a street.
The most important rule is a simple one, though.
“All boats are required to carry life preservers in good working condition for every person on the boat, including infant sizes. And, from November until May, all boaters are required to wear life preserves at all times,” said Blodgett.
When it comes to who has the right of way, power boaters need to yield to other vessels that may not have the ability to move easily or quickly.
“A boat under power than can handle maneuverability should yield to those with less maneuverability. Everybody needs to be looking out for everybody else. … Those in smaller crafts need to operate their boats defensively,” he said.
Weather conditions aside, lack of awareness of courtesies and rules account for most incidents on the lake every season.
“Everybody is trying to recreate in their own way. It boils down to following the navigation rules. If you’re in a boat that produces awake and you pass close to small boats within a certain distance, you are required to give a wide birth and or slow down and not potentially swamp (that)boat,” said Blodgett.
Speed in the channel near the Route 9P bridge is limited to5 mph, and there is no wake allowed for 1,200 feet on either side of the bridge as delineated by the channel buoys. Navigation law limits the speed on Saratoga Lake to 45 mph during the day and 25 mph at night.
Being aware of your surroundings while on the water is paramount, especially being able to recognize anchored or drifting boats.
Blodgett said, “Keep your eyes open … there are no lines on the lake (like on a road). You need to be aware of what other boats are doing and how they may maneuver.”
Many users of the lake may not realize that fishermen, although they may have a motor on their boat, often drift slowly or remain anchored in a given area for a fair amount of time. As a courtesy, and for safety, other users should be aware of this and allow for ample room.
Lt. Schedel strongly encouraged everybody to take a boater safety course. Although not required by law, except for operators of jet skis or personal watercrafts (crafts that you sit in, as opposed to on) he suggests that all boaters would benefit from such a course.
The courses, according to Schedel are offered frequently and are many times free. For availability of courses, you can check online at nysparks.com/recreation/boating.
Schedel says that everybody on the water should also have in their possession a whistle to use in the event of an emergency on the water.
“It’s handy, you can clip it right to your life jacket and you can draw attention to yourself.”
He also said that every boat should have somebody maintaining a proper lookout.
For a full list of water safety rules, visit the NYS Parks Website, at http://nysparks.com/recreation/boating.
To access the lake at the boat launch, patrons will now find an automated payment kiosk. The cost is $8 to park. An Empire Passport, at a cost of $65 per year is also available through the parks office, and there is a Golden Park Pass available to seniors that allows them to park for free at certain state parks. For more information on these passes, visit nysparks.com
