News Releases

New Palm Beach Co. boating safety zones in effect

News Release

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Media contact: Gabriella B. Ferraro, 772-215-9459

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has finished installing signs marking additional boating safety zones on the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach County.

Existing zones remain in effect, and new zones are now in place on the ICW 300 feet north and south of the following bridges: Southern Boulevard, Lake Worth Road, Woolbright Road, George Bush Boulevard, Spanish River Boulevard and Palmetto Park Road. The FWC urges boaters using these sections of the ICW to pay extra attention to the new signs marking the zones.

The new zones require that boats operate at either "slow speed, minimum wake" or "idle speed, no wake." Slow speed, minimum wake requires that boats are fully off plane, completely settled in the water and making little or no wake. Idle speed, no wake requires that boats operate at the slowest possible speed while still allowing the operator to maintain forward movement and control of the vessel.

"It's all about slowing down vessel traffic in areas where public safety is a concern and protecting the safety of the boating public," said Capt. David Schaeffer of FWC's Division of Law Enforcement. "Clearly marked zones improve operator compliance."

This is the second phase of the project to mark the new zones created by Florida Administrative Code Rule 68D-24.017. The first phase of the project marked a zone on the ICW from the Donald Ross Road Bridge south to the Parker Bridge in North Palm Beach.

The project also included work to repair or replace existing signs that have been damaged by storms, vandalized or deteriorated from age. In addition, signs that display incorrect regulatory information will be either removed or replaced, and some markers will be relocated in and around the state-adopted boating restricted areas.

For boating regulations, maps and more information, visit MyFWC.com/Boating.