New York Senator Calls For Capacity Limits Be Posted On All Recreational Boats

7/15/2012 (Updated 10:59:32 PM)

After a recent boating tragedy that took the lives of 3 young children on the Long Island Sound over the 4th of July  New York Senator Charles Schumer is calling on the U.S. Coast Guard to require capacity limits be posted on recreational boats over 20 feet long.
   
Currently the Coast Guard requires that capacity information be posted on recreational boats smaller than 20 feet  long.  The boat involved in the accident was 34 feet long so no postings were required which would have given passengers the option to choose whether or not they felt safe boarding the boat.

The Senator says while an investigation is still underway as to whether the capsized vessel was capable of handling 27 passengers onboard, posting capacity limits on the larger boats is a step in the right direction.