Contact:

Dave White, New York Sea Grant, Recreation and Tourism Specialist, P: 315-312- 3042, E: dgw9@cornell.edu

Watertown, NY, June 21, 2022 - "It's summer. We have three months of great weather coming up. It's why many of us live here. We love this time of year," says Dave White, New York Sea Grant's Coastal Recreation and Tourism Specialist, during a recent segment on WTNY 790 AM Watertown. 

"Maybe it's a chance to go some place different or to go to a different part of a body of water."

You can listen to White's full conversation below ...

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Full Transcript: 

Speaker1: [00:00:13] Good morning.

Speaker1: [00:00:18] It is the first day of summer. And how else would we celebrate the summer equinox without one [00:00:30] of my favorite guests in the studio? We have New York Sea Grant, Coastal Recreation and Tourism specialist Dave White.

Speaker2: [00:00:38] I am your ray of sunshine.

Speaker1: [00:00:40] You are. I could not think of a better way to spend the first day of summer than having you in the studio. Thank you. Are we there? Is it official cause you're kind of like the the the end all be all on this here.

Speaker2: [00:00:53] It's official.

Speaker1: [00:00:54] It's official.

Speaker2: [00:00:55] Official. But I do have to step back and I've heard Brian's story this morning, the big news [00:01:00] about the Christmas parade on that. And I really wish that story broke this Saturday on Leon Day. Oh, you know what Leon Day is, right? No, you don't know what Leon Day is. No, Leon Day is the six month break period between Christmas. So we're six months past six months too.

Speaker1: [00:01:16] Oh, So.

Speaker2: [00:01:17] Do you know what Leon is? No, noel, spelled backwards.

Speaker1: [00:01:21] Oh, my God.

Speaker2: [00:01:24] But I'm serious.

Speaker1: [00:01:25] It is.

Speaker2: [00:01:27] You're going to be thinking about that all day now.

Speaker1: [00:01:31] Oh, [00:01:30] I'm done.

Speaker2: [00:01:32] It is. No, it is. People. They celebrate like, you know, Christmas in July.

Speaker1: [00:01:35] Right, right, right.

Speaker2: [00:01:37] You know.

Speaker1: [00:01:37] It's it's it's the official halfway point.

Speaker2: [00:01:39] To the halfway point. So that had been a great story. Brian's got his hand on his head. Shall I leave now?

Speaker1: [00:01:44] He's like I don't get paid enough for this. No, that's interesting information. Well, there you go. So this Saturday is now we have to add that to our 411 this week, Leon Day. Well, thank you, Dave, for that information, but [00:02:00] not here to talk about Leon Day. Of course not. Sorry. No, you're No, no, not at all. Not at all. So words of wisdom here for the for the official kind of kickoff to boating season, really, you know?

Speaker2: [00:02:13] Well, you know, summer, you know, depending on where you want to start, Memorial Day, the Labor Day, first day of summer yeah I mean, we're we're all gearing up for it in the weather starting to turn. It's going to be great, gas is an issue we talked about, you know, you guys were talking about earlier, supply chain and commerce and inflation, you [00:02:30] know, so we can spend a little time talking about gas. But I have to start by saying it's summer. You know, we got three months of great weather coming up. It's why many of us live here. We love this time of year. You know, kayak is great. You don't have to buy gas. But, you know, we said if you got a rowboat, you know, a rowboat. Very good. Very good. You know, but for those that have powered boats, you know, we're looking at it's going to be a tougher summer. It's just the way it is.

Speaker1: [00:02:55] Right.

Speaker2: [00:02:55] Put it in perspective that we got three months. Get get out and enjoy your boat. Maybe [00:03:00] go for a shorter drive, maybe not trailer your boat as far, you know, maybe go to a closer place or, you know, pick and choose where you might go and think about ways that you can save while you are out boating on your gas consumption. But please go boating. I mean, it's you know, it's fun. It's what we do. It's great family fun.

Speaker1: [00:03:19] It is. It's relaxing.

Speaker2: [00:03:20] You know, we're all going to be hurt by it, but don't let that hurt the family fun that you can only have for three or four months you know up here.

Speaker1: [00:03:27] Well, not to mention, your boat isn't made to sit.

Speaker2: [00:03:30] It's [00:03:30] not. It’s not.

Speaker1: [00:03:30] It's not even really good for your boat to sit you know long periods of time like that. So you want to get the use out of that, the mileage out of that?

Speaker2: [00:03:39] You do. And, you know, as folks you're thinking, you have to remember, you know, a motor boat is like a motor car. I mean, you know, it's, you know, motor propelled, and so just be thinking about the same things with your boat that you normally wouldn't be thinking about. But, you know, balancing out the weight, getting on plane a little quicker because when you're on if you're on a planing haul, you know, you're not consuming, consuming as much gas when [00:04:00] you're up on plane again, be cautious, of your wake, you know, so be cautious there. You know, maybe get your engine tuned. If you haven't had your engine tuned up in a number of years, maybe take it to one of our great local BIA members up here, local marine dealers, and, you know, get it tuned up or a do it yourself or, you know, to make sure it's running well so that you're doing that. You know, if you've got you know, you've got your canvas up, you know, you have it in, you know, bungeed together or whatever, you know, maybe you want to lower it down because it's going to increase drag. So. Right. The same kind of things we think about in a car [00:04:30] to enhance our gas mileage. You can do many of those things on a boat as well to, you know, to save a little bit that way. And I also like to remind folks that, you know, our marine dealers that are out there on the water providing gas, you know, the numbers are a little higher than your local gas station. We all know that.

Speaker1: [00:04:45] Right.

Speaker2: [00:04:46] But, you know, they're not gouging anybody and they're not like, oh, I have you trapped captive, I'm going to do this. They're making very little money. But the problem they have is, it's seasonal. So they don't get the 24, you know, the 12 month discount kind of thing of delivery, delivery, delivery.

Speaker1: [00:04:58] Oh, yeah.

Speaker2: [00:04:59] And they're also [00:05:00] mainly tucked in small places. You can't get large fuel trucks, so you've got to go with a smaller truck. So you're getting deliveries more often. You know, you don't have the storage capacity that a lot of other places. So the gas to them costs more than the gas to your local gas station, you know, and they're just trying to provide a service, ensure they're not, they're not making a lot they're not killing you. Like, wow, that's, you know, $0.15 more. They're not making that $0.15. They're not trying to do that because we're trying to provide a service. And also they don't want folks bringing in [00:05:30] their own gas. You know, your five gallon, you know, your five gallon gas can and putting that in your boat at the marina, because that's just a recipe for disaster that you're going to have a spill. And if they have a spill in the marina, you shut the entire marina down.

Speaker1: [00:05:42] Wow.

Speaker2: [00:05:42] Until somebody comes in, company comes in and cleans it. So, you know, think, think, think it through in a little different way for these folks. But please get out and enjoy your boats. Sure. Don't let it hold you back. Maybe not travel as far offshore. Maybe, you know, maybe just travel to some different areas. You've never been.

Speaker1: [00:05:58] Well, you know, there's so many to [00:06:00] choose from in this area. There really is some beautiful waterways that you may not realize what you have right around the corner.

Speaker2: [00:06:06] Absolutely. So it's maybe it's a chance to go some place different or to go to a different part of a body of water. So, you know, but, but please get out in and I'm not saying that, you know, to try to get folks to spend gas and spend money, but to really enjoy it and, you know, keep that aspect of it in mind as well. And also remember, I mean, so many of our boating friends trailer their boats. So make sure you're checking the inflation on your tires. Make sure your trailer is in good shape. Make sure you're not dragging anything out. So all those [00:06:30] kind of fuel saving things we think about with the car, about drag and weight and all that, be thinking about that with your trailer as well if you're trailering the boat.

Speaker1: [00:06:39] So now one of the things that they’ve recently done with, because of the gas price increases, they've kind of, the EPA has has that emergency waiver now where they are allowing more ethanol gas, a 15% ethanol could be good for for people out there filling up their their vehicles, but maybe not necessarily for your boat.

Speaker2: [00:06:58] It is not [00:07:00] I repeat, not necessarily.

Speaker1: [00:07:02] That is a big no.

Speaker2: [00:07:04] That's a big no. Boats are not manufactured to accommodate high ethanol gas. In fact, most engine warranties will be voided if you use high ethanol gas.

Speaker2: [00:07:16] So, yeah, and again, that's why is it a little more expensive at marinas, most marinas are running low or no ethanol gas because it's much better for your engine. And actually that keeps your engine in better running condition as well. So you won't [00:07:30] be using as much gas. So there's a balance there. But yeah, most especially if it's an older boat, you cannot use ethanol based gas because it will damage your engine. So something really important because you're right there, you know, it's a ethanol gas is a way to produce more gas without as much petroleum. It's a composite product. so for cars and cars are designed to accommodate those gasoline types and styles. So, you know, be cautious of that. Check your owner's manual, especially older engines. You know, be sure to [00:08:00] check to make sure you're using the correct gas because again, you don't want to negate your warranty. But also that could end up with many more problems than just having to pay an extra $0.50 or a dollar at a marine facility for gas.

Speaker1: [00:08:12] So, so more than likely, if you're filling up at a marina, you're not going to run into that. But again, another reason maybe not to bring your own fuel in is because you could be potentially bringing the wrong type of fuel thinking that you're saving money.

Speaker2: [00:08:25] Absolutely, and so if you are trailering it and you're stopping at your local gas station, make sure you're checking to see. [00:08:30] Most gas stations do have maybe at least one if they have, if they've got multiple bays, you know, at least one where they're doing non ethanol gas or low ethanol gas. So make sure you're checking that, and it is it is more expensive to buy, but it is much more expensive to repair the engine from that damage down the road.

Speaker1: [00:08:46] Oh, sure. No, absolutely. And you know, it is such a short season that you can use your boat that you don't want to really be spending that fixing a mistake that could have easily been prevented.

Speaker2: [00:08:56] And you know, as folks are well aware, when you think of, you know, just [00:09:00] getting your car repaired right now, most repair shops, if you're going to take your car and they're going to go, yeah, I can see you next week. You know, a lot of marine dealers right now are I can see you next month, right? I mean, you know, we're you know, the the shortage of good, reliable workers, which, if anybody wants a good paying fun job for the summer, marinas are just like everybody else looking to enhance their workforce. But also that's delaying. And so if you do have a problem, you know, because you're trying to save on gas or do something, you could now be out of boating for like a month in [00:09:30] some cases. 

Speaker1: [00:09:30] Well not to mention, I'm sure parts and things like that are difficult to get. You know, I can't even imagine with boats. They already are with vehicles. Yes. You know, but in the boating industry, it's probably even maybe even worse.

Speaker2: [00:09:42] And all those issues that, you know, they're just carrying over. So, you know, be thinking it through, be thinking about it, you know, And like I say, they're not gouging. They're trying to provide a service to folks. And, you know, again, you know, let's use our boats. You know, please enjoy it. That's why we're here. You know, I hate seeing folks [00:10:00] that are like, oh, I'm not going to be able to use my boat this summer. It's like, I mean, maybe, you know, instead of going out for an hour trip to where you're going in an hour back, maybe just go half an hour, maybe maybe cut your time down. But you know what? You're still going to spend 8 hours out on the lake, right? You know, with your family, with your friends, enjoying our resources, enjoying the day. So just think of ways that you still can do all those fun things out there and take advantage of what we have here. Because again, it is limited, but it's why we're here. We love it. I mean, summer is great. It starts today. We're [00:10:30] ready to take it on.

Speaker1: [00:10:31] Yes, absolutely. 

Speaker2: [00:10:32] You know, again, if you're looking at it going on, you know, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do the boat, go buy a couple of kayaks.

Speaker1: [00:10:37] Yes. I love my kayak.

Speaker2: [00:10:40] I know you love your kayak.

Speaker1: [00:10:40] I do.

Speaker2: [00:10:41] You know, I mean, there's alternatives to get out on the water. Yes, you know, be thinking about that. So if it's like, you know, that's just not going to be you know, the gas is not going to be in the budget that or rent, you know, there's opportunities to rent boats. I mean, a lot of folks are now renting pontoon boats for the day.

Speaker1: [00:10:55] Oh, that's interesting.

Speaker2: [00:10:57] Or they take out a steamboat, so, you know, there's just so many different opportunities [00:11:00] now that all of our marine industry partners have gotten involved in, that you can be thinking about as alternatives. So don't don't just shut it down and go, oh, geez, I'm not going to be able to think about the alternatives, think about the options, and let's make it happen, because it’s what it’s about.

Speaker1: [00:11:14] Absolutely. Yes, absolutely. As we, as we finally are officially into summer, get out there and enjoy it. Now, Dave, is there a resource? I'm sure there's multiple, but if you have any just off the top of your head, you know, if somebody is looking maybe to find a waterway closer to their home or, you know, [00:11:30] they can map things out, are there resources out there or where could they go to find that out?

Speaker2: [00:11:34] There are. And again, you know, with, you know, a variety of websites and apps now, you know, you can just go on any one of them. New York State Parks and New York State DEC have great websites that list all of the launch ramps so you can go on and do a search, you know, in Region six, which is the region we're in of DEC. Where are the launch ramps? Where are the car top launch ramps if you're just going to be taking your kayak or when you want to go someplace a little more placid and calm, it's a great place to start because [00:12:00] all of a sudden you're going to see things go. I didn't even know that little lake was there. Right. You know, it's about a 50 acre lake and it has a small car top. What a great day to go have a picnic. Enjoy the day on the water. So I've always encouraged folks to think outside of the box of if you do have car top or your trailering, you know, at least once or twice a season, pick a different body of water to go to, Right? What a fun thing to do.

Speaker1: [00:12:22] That's one of my favorite things to do is find new places to kind of explore.

Speaker2: [00:12:25] So a lot of our state parks have great launch ramps. A lot of private facilities do as well. They're a little [00:12:30] more challenging sometimes for folks because they're just smaller and they may not have the parking, so you want to check them, but DEC and New York State Parks have some great launch ramps. They provide you all the good invasive species information for clean, drain, dry, you know, making sure that you're not taking invasive species from one to another. All the issues we often talk about. But but yeah, and there may be some closer to your house. And if you're trailering your boat that you really you know, you've driven by in the past, but you always enjoyed going out on the big lake, right? There's a big river. Maybe this year there's something closer to home you can take advantage [00:13:00] of.

Speaker1: [00:13:00] Lots of great information on this first day of summer. Dave White, thank you so much for coming in.

Speaker2: [00:13:04] Great to be with you. Have a great summer and please enjoy it.

Speaker1: [00:13:07] And be safe.

Speaker2: [00:13:08] Absolutely.

More Info: New York Sea Grant

New York Sea Grant (NYSG), a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York (SUNY), is one of 34 university-based programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program.

Since 1971, NYSG has represented a statewide network of integrated research, education and extension services promoting coastal community economic vitality, environmental sustainability and citizen awareness and understanding about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources.

Through NYSG’s efforts, the combined talents of university scientists and extension specialists help develop and transfer science-based information to many coastal user groups—businesses and industries, federal, state and local government decision-makers and agency managers, educators, the media and the interested public.

The program maintains Great Lakes offices at Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Oswego and the Wayne County Cooperative Extension office in Newark. In the State's marine waters, NYSG has offices at Stony Brook University in Long Island, Brooklyn College and Cornell Cooperative Extension in NYC and Kingston in the Hudson Valley.

For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube links. NYSG offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/nycoastlines for its flagship publication, NY Coastlines/Currents, which is published quarterly.