LAKE WYLIE, S.C. — There’s a new push for tougher rental regulations to keep people safe on Lake Wylie.
The proposed new rules are targeting individuals who rent out their boats, watercraft, including Jet Skis and WaveRunners, and other vessels, without insurance or training.
The change is meant to ensure that the people getting on board are safe while out on the water.
“My grandson, here, we taught him how to waterski,” said Neil Brennan, the executive director of the Lake Wylie Marine Commission.
Brennan and his family have enjoyed living on Lake Wylie for about a decade.
However, the scenic landscape can be dangerous.
“It’s the Wild, Wild West in some instances,” Brennan said.
Brennan has stated that law enforcement has had safety concerns over the years, particularly regarding renting vessels.
“We don’t know if they’re giving anybody a safety ride on it, a check ride,” Brennan said.
It’s not like driving a car, he emphasized.
That is why Brennan and others want rules for water rentals.
A proposal would require:
- Owners renting out their vessels must have liability insurance.
- The rental boat or personal watercraft would need to undergo safety exams.
- Rentees would need to be trained on the vessel before operating it.
- All renters would need to keep records of that training.
“We want people to have fun on it, but we want them to do it safely,” Brennan said.
It would also impact boats, canoes, paddle boards, and more that come with home rentals, including Airbnbs and Vrbos.
They want to have a public hearing on the proposed new rules in April that could go into effect by Memorial Day.
Click here for further details on the proposal.
VIDEO: Police chase out of Charlotte ends on private road along Lake Wylie
©2024 Cox Media Group
