Free Life Jacket Loaners Coming To Marina Near You

A program designed to make life jackets readily available to boaters is coming to a marina near you this summer.

The life vests are provided by Sea Tow, a non-emergency on-water assistance company and sponsored through a $20,000 donations by beverage distributor Clare Rose of Yaphank and Anheuser-Busch. Thursday's announcement came at a press conference at the Atlantic Yacht Haven Marina in Freeport, attended by law enforcement and elected officials as well as company representatives.

"You hear about all the bad stuff all the time," said Gail Kulp, executive director of the Sea Tow Foundation, which oversees the nationwide program. "But there's lots of good stuff with boating and this is one of them. You can go to a fishing station and get a life jacket if you need one."

Sea Tow has placed 17,000 life vests at lending stations around the country. "Our goal is that people stay safe in, on and around the water," Kulp said.

Long Island has seen its share of tragedies on the water in recent years. The most notable was the July 4, 2012 drowning of three children off Oyster Bay. But numerous deaths have been recorded in recent years along Long Island's shorelines.

The life jacket loaner stations will be located at marinas, fishing docks, yacht clubs and boat ramps across Long Island. No collateral is needed to borrow a vest. Organizers ask boaters to be on the honor system and return them when they are done.

"At the end of the day, most boaters are good, honest people," Kulp said.

In all, 1,000 of the bright yellow vests designed to fit adults will be placed around Long Island, organizers said.

"We at Clare Rose pride ourselves with not just being a local business, but by being an integral part of our Long Island community," said Sean Rose, the president and CEO of Clare Rose.